By FOLUSO AJIBULU

Reverend Simeon Okah says corruption has continued to thrive in Nigeria because of poor enforcement of relevant laws.

“The number one cause (of corruption) in this country is lawlessness. There are laws but they are never enforced. This is a country where you can do whatever you like, particularly if you are wealthy,”the cleric said.

“If a poor man steals, they say he is a poor man; then they jail him or they can stone him to death in the street. But when a rich man steals, they look for grammar to color it.”

Okah indicted some of the nation’s monarchs and academicians on corrupt practices.

His words: “Some of our royal fathers are deep in corruption. They take money from government to do projects but will not do it. Some of them even come to me for prayer and protection but I shut my doors against them. Another cause of corruption in the country is that Nigerians prefer the short cut to success. Our educational institutions are riddled with corruption. The academicians too cut corners.”

To redress corruption, the cleric advocated collaborative efforts involving the clergy and exposure of corrupt judges.

He acknowledged that the anti-graft bodies – the EFCC and ICPC – are doing their bit to stem corruption but believed they can do more.