As usual, another public officer- the Minister of Aviation, Stella Oduah- has exploited our corruption-enabled political setting by procuring for herself N255 million worth of bulletproof cars...with public funds (I know it's stale gist..just read on) while our airports are in horrid conditions. Well, I was not shocked nor moved when the news broke out like a fugitive. This is not the first time a Governor or a Minister will do such neither will it be the last time (I can bet my life on that). By now, Nigerians are used to such gross misconducts by our leaders that we don't even deem them as scandals anymore. The media might have a field day reporting these incidents and exposing the swindlers but at the end of the day, it gets swept under the green-white-green carpet and the culprits go unpunished. As a matter of fact, we might even reproach someone like Oduah (the bulletproof-car-obsessed Minister) for not buying a vehicle that can fly in the air or a jet that can also run on water with the funds. Yes, it's that bad! The Nigerian society has embraced corruption with open arms and these two friends (Nigeria and corruption) might be eternally locked in each other's grip if we all watch and smile apathetically.
However, it's not that I was expecting Goodluck Jonathan to quickly sack the Minister and throw her in jail (that won't be a bad idea anyway), but the President ought to have publicly reprimanded Oduah and asked her to resign her appointment immediately. This is the type of action that is taken by any serious-minded government that really wants to purge the society of this malady called corruption. Unfortunately, Jonathan's government is NOT the serious-minded type and the President is too busy kissing the butts (eeeeeewww!) of those who can help him get re-selected..oops sorry!..."re-elected" in 2015. He spends more time having covert and meaningless meetings with his political allies (and the purpose of these meetings is still 2015 re-selection) than actually overseeing the affairs of the nation. Another worrisome observation is the preferential treatment he gives to some people in his cabinet and this is due to the fact that these cabinet members are big enchiladas in their regions of origin, and in order to secure votes and support from these parts of the country in 2015, he must dance to their tunes and turn a blind eye to their misdeeds.
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| Some of the acquired Limousines..courtesy of Saharareporters |
Nobody is too important to face the wrath of the law for any wrongdoing. But it seems some people are just so powerful and prominent to the extent that they are even feared by their own President. You can say what you like about Olusegun Obasanjo (the former President), no doubt he has his flaws but when he was in charge...HE WAS TRULY IN CHARGE! His stance on corruption was known to all and he made attempts to stamp it out of the system. Regardless of how he went about it, the reputation and freedom of those who were culpable of graft were not spared during his time. The same thing cannot be said of the incumbent President who has consistently shown that his testicles (I'm assuming he has some) are not big enough to combat corruption. All he could do after the media made light of the scandal was to shrug it off and blame his enemies for trying to ridicule his administration. Maybe someone should inform Mr. President that his administration is about to go down in history as the most corrupt one we've ever had in Nigeria.
The latest development in the ongoing saga is that the Minister has refused to resign and her 'people' (South Easterners) are avowing their unflinching support for her no matter the offense she commits in office (ethnic loyalty still takes precedence over the country's well being). They even threatened not to support the President in 2015, if he gives her (the embattled aviation Minister) the marching orders. In reaction, the President set up a three-man-panel that will investigate the matter (our President has a penchant for panels) and report back in two weeks. Well, I have severally iterated my lack of belief in this Jonathan-led government as far as fighting corruption is concerned. Nothing will happen to the pro-corruption lady, Stella Oduah; the scandal will be buried alive and corruption will be justified as usual. In terms of development, I haven't seen any monumental changes in the power sector neither are there more jobs in the labor market. Lecturers are still on strike and students remain idle in their homes while the President and his entourage cruise around in their multimillion Naira armored vehicles. I really don't want to sound partisan (I swear! I am not a member of APC!) but the PDP has ruled this country for 14 years with nothing to show for it. If the likes of Jonathan is the best they can offer, maybe it's time a competent leader from another party ruled. But hold on! do we even have such leaders in other parties? Aren't they all the same money-hungry and piranha-like politicians under different party umbrellas?
"So help us God"
Adedapo Adebajo
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