By Olusegun Ogundipe
Fraud, stealing, corruption are not exclusive of a particular ethnic group in Nigeria. These vices are in all of us in different measure. That is the reason every aspect of our national live is dirty and chaotic. In the name of ethnic and regional patriotism, we exalt dishonesty and unfaithfulness to noble traits. Is there any aspect of our society where righteousness reign?
We falsified birth certificate to gain school admission and secure employment. We fabricate marriage certificate for diverse reasons. Many Nigerians living abroad manipulated diverse information, records, certificate etc to obtain visa and residence permit.
Admission examination in Nigeria is a contest of the best crook. Many candidates with distinction can hardly complete a sentence in English Language. Once upon a time, there was a teenager called Phillip Osondu. He played for Nigeria U-17 and U-20. He was bought by a European club with the believe that he was a teenager. After two years of intensive and regulated feeding, instead of increasing in height, he was expanding in breadth. That was when Oyinbo realised they have bought player from black market.
Many military Generals who were recruited in the 50s, 60s and 70s held fake and manipulated certificates. A former chief justice of the federation as well as a former president court of appeal both had Diploma in Law. They became chief law officers of the nation without degree in law and a call to bar. Many senior public officers RETIRED from their state service, went to Oluwole and procure new certificate of birth to gain employment to the federal service.
Sixty percent of houses in Abuja are owned by civil servants. As at 1999, a permanent secretary did not receive N10,000 per month. My former office complex at Abuja was built by a level 8 officer. All the former governors since 1999 are presently stinkingly rich. Until Boko Haram menace, security votes are bonuses to our state chief executives.
The new Pentecostals ‘churches’ in Nigeria are resemblance of disciples of Mammon. Most of them are terribly irresponsible and satanic beyond what Satan did that earn Lucifer a permanent ban from Heaven. They have imported the fraud to Europe and America.
A newly employed Nigerian is dreaming how to buy mansion and he begins to search for the company financial loopholes from the first day of resumption. In all the states today, many parents bought laptops and electricity generators for their children’s use to effectively carry out online fraud.
Let us call spade its real name. We are a culturally corrupt, fraudulent and desperate people.
Ogundipe wrote in from Agrometronics
