By Bayo Fasuwon

Nigeria is trending on the internet again. This time around for a good cause which stemmed from a bad act. It is globally reported that the Buhari led administration has finally begun the process for the valuation of property belonging to several politically exposed persons, who are certified swindlers and devourers of the nation’s commonwealth. Notable among them, are the former Minister of Petroleum, and the first female OPEC President, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, who is wanted by the EFCC for massive corruption, and the late Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh.
From the former, $153 million and over 80 properties worth about $80million have been recovered. Other listed recovered items listed are 125 pieces of wedding gowns, 13 pieces of small gowns, 41 pieces of waist trainers, 73 pieces of hard flower, 11 pieces of suit, 11 pieces of invisible bra, 73 pieces of veils, 30 pieces of brassieres, two pieces of standing fan, 17 pieces of magic skits, six packets of blankets, one table blanket and 64 pairs of shoes. Also, included in the primitive accumulation of capital are properties located in highbrow Banana Island Foreshore Estate, Ikoyi, Lagos, which include 18 flats and six penthouses located at Building 3, Block B, Bella Vista, Plot 1, Zone N, Federal Government Layout. From Badeh, houses in the Wuse 2 and Maitama high-end neighbourhoods of Abuja specifically situated at No. 14 Adzope Crescent, off Kumasi Crescent; 19 Kumasi Crescent, Wuse 2; and 6 Umme Street, Wuse 2 were seized. These few are just part of the 1620 items which include cars, houses, phones, laptops, and vessels which are being listed as proceeds of corruption, and to quote former President Jonathan Goodluck, mere stealing.
These ‘revelations’ from the EFCC leaves a bitter taste in the mouth of every Nigerian, and also depicts a nation being destroyed by her nationals. However, theirs would not be the only cases of high profile and economy destroying cases of corruption that this nation has witnessed. For example, the late General Sanni Abacha , even in his death, still returns stolen funds to Nigeria. There are other cases of domestic corruption by high ranking civil servants and political office holders that are neither being investigated nor reported. If the proceeds of corruption are ‘harvested’, repatriated and injected back into the nation’s economy, deficit budgeting and infrastructural decay would not form part of our everyday vocabulary. There are however three major areas of concern to yours truly in these corruption narratives. Therefore, one would be less concerned about the hues and cries that this particular case is generating, but on these core issues.
In the first case, this report by EFCC rather than portray a nation that seeks to eliminate corruption, reveals a nation that celebrates it. NIgeria’s history of corruption reveals the activities of different regimes that beat their chests at ‘arresting’ corrupt officials rather than preventing the act of corruption itself. The governing system in the country is seemingly programmed to allow massive corruption to thrive. The Nigeria legal system, with her penal codes is reactionary, mildly punitive rather than preventive. Looking at the massive accumulations by Diezani alone, one would wonder how a system with her so called checks and balances allow a mere Minister defraud a nation to such an extent. If we look at this vis-a-vis cases of corruption of Civil Servants, then it means that our system is porous and pro-corruption in all intents and purposes. That implies that Due Process, auditing and bureaucratic red tapism are only paper Tigers in Nigeria, and of no value. The punishment for corruption in most cases do not even deter corruption. Plea bargaining, fines, forfeitures and light sentences have made corruption a better choice than uprightness. One would not be surprised if Diezani and her cohorts springs up injunctions to prevent the sales of some of these properties. Neither would we be surprised to discover that some of these properties would be acquired again by these corrupt persons through their agents. Unfortunately too, given the porous nature of the nation’s anti graft operations, most of the proceeds of this auction would also be stolen agin, and the cycle continues. In order to prevent corruption, we must move from fighting corruption to preventing its occurrence.
Given the effect of the massive looting on the economy, security, education and infrastructures, corruption is a grievous capital offence. One could only imagine the numbers of lives that have been shattered and lost due to these corrupt activities. With these at the back of our minds, it is high time Nigerians rise up and demand for stiffer penalties against the kleptomaniac behaviours of Public servants who have destroyed the future of even generations unborn. More importantly is the need to apply stiffer checks on the administration of public funds with the intention of prevention corruption. Furthermore there is the need for special tribunals that would try corruption cases and deliver justice in time.
The other issue stems from the fact that Diezani had brassieres that worth more than $USD10million. Many have wondered where she intends to wear them to, and for what purpose. To many, it was a manifestation of insanity and wickedness. But yours truly has a different perception. Given the diamonds and other costly stones on the material, she was just using the undies as a means of legally smuggling precious stones without harassment. Wearing a bra decked in diamonds protects you more than having them in your suitcases. The same goes for the jewelries and other items. It was a safer method for hiding stolen wealth, than shoring up funds in the bank. In fact selling the brassiere as a product would earn less than dismembering it and selling the emeralds in bits. But why looting such humongous funds? It is the nature of the politics of our country. Money plays a vital role in candidacy and winning elections in Nigeria. One would not be surprised that she had wanted to be the first female President of this nation, and money answers all things. So like many of our thieves in service cloths, she stole for the ‘reigning’ days. If EFCC does a thorough investigation on the prospective bidders of these properties, and all who would vie for elective positions in Nigeria, more Dieanis and Badehs would be identified, and more properties seized. The question however is if government truly wants to kill corruption in this nation.
Thirdly and sadly too, we are constantly reminded that we have a crop of governing elites who have only come to loot our commonwealth. Many of those who govern in Nigeria re bereft of developmental ideas, and have no good projections for the nation and her people. Forecast, nationalism and love of the people transformed desert land Dubai into a world class tourist destination in the world. The ruling elites are much more concerned with spurning out poverty promoting policies to the people while they milk the nation dry in order to perpetuate themselves and family members in power. Until there is a deliberate and calculated uprising against these murderous thieves, Nigeria would not survive her economic holocaust.
Finally, please think along with me, what is the basis for destroying the landed properties of arrested kidnappers, and then auction the proceeds of corruption. Is there any difference between the proceeds of thieves of men, and the robbers of wealth?