At a point in Nigeria's history, former President, Chief(Dr.)Olusegun Obasanjo stated ''it is a matter for regret that most public servants tend to subdue their political discipline in the face of personal aggrandizement''.
When Chief(Dr.) Obasanjo was in the saddle as President, he set up the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC) to rein in fraudsters, money launderers, corrupt government officials and several others.
At a point in Nigeria's history, former President, Chief(Dr.) Olusegun Obasanjo stated ''it is a matter for regret that most public servants tend to subdue their political discipline in the face of personal aggrandizement''.
When Chief(Dr.) Obasanjo was in the saddle as President, he established the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC) to rein in fraudsters, money launderers, corrupt government officials and several others.
Perhaps, the EFCC, was to strengthen the activities of the Nigeria Police Force, while the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission(ICPC) was established to boost the work of the Code of Conduct Bureau.
During this period, high profile personalities, like former Inspector General of Police, Mr. Tafa Balogun showcased the fight against corruption.
Sadly, happenings today, is a total and fierce departure from when Chief(Dr.) Obasanjo called the shots.
Interestingly, in an interview in 2007, a prominent lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana(SAN), who was then a member of the National Conscience Party(NCP) had stated '' you in the media, you must challenge politicians, you must ask them for their programs for our people, as opposed to celebrating criminals. If somebody says he is a thief, you should ask him to resign''.
Unfortunately, Nigerians have continuously asked ''thieves'' to resign in this present administration without positive results.
Of worry, however, is the fact that the youth now have the impression that corrupt practices are the only reliable path to success.
The young people readily make reference to the present administration's choice of Ministers as a source of inspiration to them.
Nigerians express anger over the claim of the powers that be, that they have fought corruption to a commendable extent, even when it is very glaring that several officials of the present administration have cases of corruption trailing through their daily lives.
Everywhere within the borders of Nigeria, fraudsters, corrupt government officials and related categories of criminals are celebrated by their people, who believe these individuals are the heroes of this time.
The EFCC is now a shadow of its old self, only barking but not biting those it ought to bite.
If only the leadership had made transparency the guiding light to its activities, all the negatives trailing the country at home and abroad would never be the signposts of governance.
The removal of the subsidy on Premuim Motor Spirit(PMS) has been described as a kite flown by government officials to deny Nigerian workers a new national minimum wage.
A former chairman of the Oyo state council of the Trade Union Congress(TUC), Comrade Andrew Emelieze, opines that ''the government has a sinister agenda to strangulate the Nigerian workers and the generality of Nigerians. The question we ask is that even if the government had to take the increased salaries back from the workers, what about the unemployed, the retirees and all those who don't receive salaries from any source ? It means that the government would visit them with unprecedented agony and pain.''
Nigerians express sadness that despite the unconstitutional annexation of $1 Billion by the Federal Government for the procurement of all that is needed to checkmate the insecurity in the land, kidnappings, killings and other violent crimes are not abetting, even though the government has developed a new culture of commiseration and condolences to families who lost their loved ones to the reactionary approach by government to the disturbing insecurity in the country.
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