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Tuesday 31 May 2011

CORRUPTION IN MY COUNTRY

Nigeria is indeed a blessed country filled with vast resources and fertile soil for agriculture. It is the most populous black nation in the world, and can boast of one of the best crude oil deposits. Corruption is the misuse of public funds for private use, it is like cancer eating into the fabric of Nigeria; one of the reasons why most Nigerians live in abject poverty and starvation. Corruption has drawn Nigeria back economically and politically.

Nigeria remains underdeveloped because of corruption despite all the resources it has, and corruption still leads the way both in schools, churches, and other institutes. The impact of bad leadership is one factor that leads to corruption. People are structurally and fractionally unemployed and those who get jobs are constantly under paid. During the colonial period, Nigeria craved for freedom, and when freedom was eventually achieved, Nigeria became a country known for corruption and misrule. The leaders of Nigeria, civil servants have access to the national wealth (Achebe)
In an attempt to get quick money or survive, people get involved in all forms of corruption. For example: an average Nigeria who cannot afford two square meals a day would be driven to steal or easily get involved in stealing and dishonest acts out of desperation. The Nigerian government is not transparent. Therefore, politicians can easily get away with looting without being held accountable. The populace does not monitor most government officials closely. For this reason, politicians can comfortably embezzle funds or transfer these funds to their accounts without the knowledge of anyone. This crime of stealing national funds is one of the factors making it difficult for Nigerians to have good success. Nigerians only are not the primary cause. We all know that the morally depraved faction of Nigeria have friends abroad who not only help transfer the billions, but also protect them from been persecuted (Achebe).
 In addition to lack of transparency in the government, there is no strong punishment for corrupt government officials. That is to say there is no strong law enforcement agency set up to stop them, as the EFCC (Economic financial crimes commission) do not seem to be doing what they ought to. Corruption has gradually become an accepted practice in Nigeria. It has become culturally acceptable to collect bribes and use public office for private gains; one of the reason corruption cannot be curtailed in Nigeria. Corruption reduces economic development and increases poverty, as the money is not well distributed. In most of the poorest countries, population is increasing while income per person is decreasing, and the bad states of shantytowns are extending (Martin). However, if some of these fraudulent acts can be curbed, Nigeria will not remain a corrupt country. 
The leaders of Nigeria are very selfish and cruel; they enter into businesses that make them rich at the expense of others. These practices have made the Gross Domestic Profit per head very low. Nigeria had a GDP-per capita of $2400 as at 2010, which is extremely low, compared to that of the united state, which was $47,000 at the same time (CIA). There is no time for frivolities, Nigerians should come together to work, develop and sustain a good democracy to help the country move forward. This much-admired democracy of the Americans was not achieved in a day; it took a long time with extreme devotion and efforts (Achebe).
In order to reduce corrupt practices, every individual and organization has a part to play. At organizational levels, the government should be more transparent and held accountable for every single action they take. A strong and efficient corruption institute should be put in place in order to administer deserving punishments to offenders. If decisive measures are not taken, Nigeria would be heading to a disastrous end of no return politically, economically and internationally( in the way Nigeria is been seen by other countries i.e her public image).ORINGAMJE NNEKA

Sunday 29 May 2011

ARE NIGERIANS THE HAPPIEST PEOPLE ON EARTH?


Analyzing Nigerians happiness level in my own words, I’ll first like to elaborate on the word happiness, then what the causes of happiness are, how people act and comparing the Nigerian situation simultaneously. The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines happiness as a state of wellbeing and contentment or feeling satisfied that something is right or that something has been done right. Referring the above definitions, Nigerians are not content; they are not satisfied, and not living well. Nigeria is a country with people living in the suburbs with no electricity, clean water, good health facility and delta youth turned kidnappers.
I wonder why anybody should be satisfied to say that Nigerians are the happiest people on earth when in the real sense the people are annoyed that the government is not doing what it ought to do (Chima). Those they voted in to rule them have neglected them. It is not right to say Nigerians are happy when diseases of all sort, poverty, ignorance, low quality education and corrupt leaders are prevalent. Whoever it is that made this statement really is not living in Nigeria or has forgotten the statement “a hungry man is an angry man”. Nobody is truly happy when they’ve not fed in days, affected by physical or mental illness, lack sufficient money to live at a standard considered comfortable. The decision makers and religious leaders have somewhat succeeded in deceiving the less privileged Nigerians to accept destitution or their deserving state with the hope that they will someday receive their rewards of riches and good life in heaven.
Nigeria on the other hand has all the resources to make the citizens comfortable with all their basic needs provided. The Gross Domestic Product is widely thought to be the best measure of economic wellbeing. Nigeria has a GDP per Capita of $920; this is what a Nigerian earns averagely per annum and a life expectancy of 60 years (CIA). Instead, the ruling class steals the wealth of the nation while the people turn around to praise them as successful. Nigerians are not happy at all and instead of fighting for their rights they suffer in the midst of vast natural resources and plenty wealth. It’s not possible for Nigerians to be happy when the only available jobs are public bus conductor or okada riding.
They cannot be happy when life in the country is very unpleasant and savagely violent. It is not possible to say Nigerians are happy when people are not sure of what the next day has in store for them. How is it possible to be happy when the people are suffering, frustrated, children dying from lack of food and illnesses, where lives and properties are not secure. Of course not everybody in Nigeria is unhappy; there exist a minority that is comfortable and satisfied. A minority made up of politicians who lie to us every electoral season to get our vote; a minority that stole the happiness of the remaining citizens; a minority that have redirected the wealth of the country to their pockets. But then again, Nigerians cannot be the happiest people on earth because of this minority.
A research by Harry Williams revealed that happiness could be caused by happenings in a person’s life be it physiological, biochemical in the body and the nature of life (Harry). Sure Nigerians might have had happenings in their lives; like good outings or lovely time out with their friends. This does not mean they are happy. It means they are doing something to take the stress out or take their minds off their problems. Happy people do the right things at the right time; they always have smiles on their faces, they do not vandalize properties, they follow rules and are orderly. A nation that has youths that vandalize pipelines, a nation where youths participate in the Jos killings, a nation where the youths are used as machineries for political fight, a nation where drivers beat the traffic lights intentionally cannot be happy.
Nigerians are obviously very optimistic people. There’s a characteristic of an entrepreneur in every Nigerian as they strive to survive their day-to-day lives. Nigerians seem to be perplexed at any individual who has no strong desire to want to achieve something good for himself/herself or family. They want to go places and accept rightly that they can. These beliefs powers their confidence and hopefulness and hence work towards happiness (Bim). As a living proof of this, I live and learned in Lagos. I have noticed many unpleasant things and managed to come out of it smiling even when the situation doesn’t warrant it and this also applies to many Nigerians. Nigerians believe firmly in the labor theme tune “things can only get better” and there is a Yoruba saying which says, “If a Friday is to be sweet, you will know by Thursday”. Nigerians might not be happy about everything they are going through but perhaps, they’ve already seen what Friday holds and what they see makes them happy (Bim).
They live every day of their lives saying: “E go better”, “God dey”, “Na to dey jolly dey go”. These are Nigerian slogans that mean it would get better; God does exist; and enjoy your life. These people say these things not because they’re happy but because as the religious people, we are taught that if there is life there is hope.  I would rather say Nigerians are hopeful people not happy.
The statement “Nigerians are the happiest people on earth” is obviously myopic. The survey that reported this statement lacks reliability. On what bases were the countries rated. It is high time people realize that Nigerians are unhappy; they live in silent suffering and as the saying goes “suffering and smiling”. One cannot say for sure if a person is happy by asking them. The average Nigerian is always bothered with security, lack of electricity, poverty and financial insecurity. Nigerians are happy because they can persevere and accommodate but they are not the happiest people on earth. Their happiness comes from living and experiencing life through the poorest quality life can offer and it is said to be hopefulness and being confident about the future.(Oringamje Nneka)