By Tabia Princewill
SEVERAL events  occurred in recent times which only serve to highlight the peculiarities of the Nigerian system and the strange brand of politics we’ve embraced—change is proving rather difficult. The first and perhaps most notable of all the events was the Senate’s rejection of Ibrahim Magu, the acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, who wasn’t confirmed to his position, due to a Department of State Security,  DSS, “security report” which apparently, levels certain allegations against him, although little seems clear.

There are allegedly two reports by the DSS, one which vilifies Magu, another which clears him. When will we in Nigeria start doing things the proper way rather than offering strange excuses to hide our shenanigans? How did Magu become acting chairman in the first place if there was any existing evidence of wrong doing on his part? Even to work in an “acting” capacity abroad, there are certain checks to ensure candidates are “clean”, so as to make sure that no individual with either a dangerous or dubious past makes it into public office.

This is also done to avoid embarrassment in future: imagine the American public being informed by their Senate that one of President Barack Obama’s nominees who is already in office but waiting for confirmation, was indicted by a CIA or homeland security report and is thus unfit for an office which he is already occupying.

Political  intrigues

Ibrahim Magu

Imagine then the uproar if on top of it all, there were wild whispers of political intrigues circulating, detailing how the President of the Senate, who is himself facing corruption charges, is rumoured, in conjunction with certain individuals within the Presidency and some others also facing corruption charges, to be behind the Senate’s refusal of Obama’s nominee.

This whole story would be impossible in America, starting with the fact that no politician would conscionably stay in office while reporting to court for corruption charges. Beyond this, the people around President Buhari have continuously done him a huge disservice by threatening his credibility as a leader. However, what is even more tragic, is the Nigerians who confuse issues and claim that Magu “deserved” what he got for not “playing ball” with the Senate and doing what the political culture demands of political appointees which is to “court” the Senate and “lobby” for his confirmation, not understanding that lobbying in Nigeria is a byword for corruption.

In Nigeria, one lobbies with gifts. How could Magu have given gifts to the Senate to be confirmed then successfully investigated those individuals with charges and allegations still pending? Then there are those Nigerians who believe Magu’s fight was one sided, so he deserved to go.

Crime and punishment: Like I have said many times in this column, justice does not allow a crime to remain unpunished under the guise that all earlier criminals are still free. No one would defend a murderer or attempt to stop his trial by saying that many other murderers haven’t been convicted. Corruption is murder. Once we begin to fully equate the devastation corruption causes, with the lavish lifestyles of our leaders, then we will finally be on the road to tackling the mental poverty many Nigerians suffer from. I’ll encourage anyone with the time to look up at the recent UN report and statistics on women’s deaths during childbirth. It is heart-breaking to find the families of these women who die of preventable illnesses or issues such as poor equipment, infrastructure etc. hailing and defending those responsible for the daily tragedies of life in Nigeria.

The second interesting incident was President Buhari wishing the Senate President a happy birthday via his Twitter handle with somewhat effusive, saccharine loaded words. Again, one must say, what a strange, dysfunctional system. In other climes, even the allegation of corruption is enough to force the resignation of the accused, allowing them time to clear their names.

Allegations of    corruption

In fact, allegations of corruption are like a bad smell in the Western world. No one wants it near them, to pollute them or their environs. In Nigeria, codes of honour and personal conduct are another thing entirely. But the truly interesting thing, was the “anti-corruption” President seemingly warming up to someone whose legal travails haven’t quite been cleared or explained beyond the usual political bluster. This isn’t the Buhari Nigerians thought they knew: the inefficacies and alleged corrupt practices of those around him lay waste to his “no-nonsense” image. Is the damage permanent? That remains to be seen.

James Baldwin, perhaps America’s greatest essayist, once said, in a letter to his nephew: “as you will discover, people find it very difficult to act on what they know. To act is to be committed and to be committed is to be in danger”. He meant that people can know the truth about any given issue but still refuse to positively act or respond in a manner as to resolve the problem because doing so would threaten their world view or even the way they see themselves. This is true of Nigerians.

Nigerians  and real Change

Change, Buhari and anti-corruption were all synonyms in the mind of the majority that brought the President to power. But the truth is, real change would require something that not many of us Nigerians, whether elite or not, are willing to give. It is one thing to want change on paper, it is another to accept that systemic change means that everything about ourselves, the way we have so far operated, done business and lived, must change. So, every Nigerian is afraid of Magu and his kind, deep down, secretly. Especially those Nigerians who profit from the status quo. Without Magu, what next? Will we return to a lacklustre EFCC?

The Senate President, Bukola Saraki, was quoted as saying, last week or so, about the Secretary to the Government, Babachir Lawal’s comments (the SGF is also enmeshed in allegations of corruption) regarding the Senate: “we heard the President, the number one citizen of this country humbly telling us he is seeking the cooperation of the National Assembly, how can his Secretary tell us we are talking rubbish”. Who should be seeking whose cooperation? Why should anyone have the impression the President has “humbled” himself? What does this mean for Magu, for the fight against corruption, for us, Nigerians? “Corruption is fighting back” is the common refrain on social media. That much is obvious.

But now, what next? How will Buhari win this fight if he is seemingly now the only man fighting?

James Ibori

HE pled guilty in 2012 to a 10-count corruption charge in the UK and was subsequently jailed. He pled “guilty” meaning he accepted that he had indeed defrauded the state, looted the commonwealth, stolen from Nigerians, whatever you want to call it. Poverty and greed in Nigeria are cyclical and self-perpetuating.

Nigerians are poor because their leaders are greedy and turn greedy because they are poor. So, we celebrate convicts, people who have contributed to our impoverishment in the hopes of gaining  favour. What a poor, short-sighted mind-set. It’s beyond tragic. Niger-Deltans blame the federal government for their underdevelopment yet applaud Ibori etc. rather than ponder what the huge sums lost could have done for them and their children.

From pastors to governors, there is a group feeding Nigerians delusions and lies to cover up the theft and injustices executed at all levels of our society. Let’s hope Buhari hasn’t “humbled” himself too much to fight it.

Bishop Oyedepo

HE recently said that  only those who pay tithes “qualify” for blessings, as if God were some petty banker or money lender sitting in front of a ledger with accounts of those who “pay” and those who don’t and dispensing goodness based on their worldly assets.

“It takes your tithe to open the file for you”, he said. God is not a civil servant! Blessings can’t be bought; God can’t be bribed. It’s tragic to think such a mind-set is so influential. No wonder in Nigeria we believe everything, even morals and virtue can be bought.

Tabia Princewill is a strategic communications consultant and public policy analyst. She is also the co-host and executive producer of a talk show, WALK THE TALK which airs on Channels TV.