The recent description of Nigeria as a “fantastically corrupt” nation by the British Prime Minister, David Cameron on Tuesday, has become subject of contemptuous criticism by Nigerians. I don’t know why Nigerians are taking umbrage over the off the cuff statement of the British PM about Nigeria being fantastically corrupt. I still can’t get
my head around the reason why Nigerians are taking such comment too personal on social, print and electronic media? What is wrong with the PM’s statement? Is Nigeria not fantastically corrupt? In as much as the present APC led government is doing everything practically possible to eradicate corruption which the past permissive ruling party, PDP institutionalized in our democracy, we shouldn’t be fast in condemning the British PM’s comment. This present progressive government was elected on the premise of change, the major reason Nigerians voted out the past ruinous government, not forgetting Mr. President’s perceived sincerity of purpose in the fight against corruption and so far, he has lived up to expectations in the anti-graft war.
The series of mind blowing revelations of how billions of dollars was salted away in the Dasukigate scandal and the daily confessions of some persons of interest of the old corrupt political order held by our anti-graft agencies for their complicity in the mindless looting of our economy is enough for nations like Great Britain to refer to us as “fantastically corrupt”.
It is our effort in combating this ugly monster called corruption that will change other peoples’ perception about us; so far, I think we have not done badly in that regard.
Whilst the British Prime Minister, David Cameron may need to be educated in the school of decorum, I couldn’t agree more on President Buhari’s remark on the issue, “I would not demand apology from Cameron for describing Nigeria as a fantastically corrupt country, rather, all I demand from Cameron is the return of Nigeria’s stolen assets”.
I concur!
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Image: Lee Davy via Flickr
