A senior lecturer in the Department of History, Ahamadu Bello University, Zaria(ABU), Prof. Sule Bello has described corruption as Nigeria’s major albatross adding that there was the need for proactive measures to be taken for the menace to be nipped in the bud.
Speaking at a town hall meeting for community sensitization on anti-corruption organized by Disputes Resolution and Development Initiative (DRADI) in conjunction with Actionaid held at Mambayya House in Kano, Bello said with the cancer of corruption permeating the body fabric of the nation, the craze for achieving the goals of nation-building, would remain at the level of rhetorics.
He pointed out that the stunning accomplishments made by some notable countries across the globe, were as the results of the effort they put in place in keeping the vestiges of corruption and wanton brigandage at an arms length, blocking the leeway of looting public till affirming that with resolute and concerted resolve on the part of Nigerian leaders, achieving such a goal would never be a far cry.
According to him , it was highly regrettable for Nigeria to be rated as one of the most corrupt countries on earth as being postulated on the global corruption chart positing that with selfless leaders calling the shots, Nigeria’s lost glory in the comity of nations would be restored.
He however, said fighting corruption entailed a high level of commitment, doggedness and absolute sacrifice of every citizen of the country stressing that putting a cog in the wheel of such a collective crusade portends a serious danger for the nation at the time the quest for speedy economic survival was on a high pedestal.
Speaking in the same vein, a lecturer in the Department of Economics, Malam Abdulsalam Muhammad Kani said, no nation could ever attain the height of prosperity and affluence with the ruling elites blatantly soiling their hands in corruption and abominable acts, adding that allowing the culprits to go scot free is what was turning the hands of the clock backward.
Speaking earlier, the Executive Director, Disputes Resolutions and Development Inititiative, Dr. Mustapha Muhammad Yahaya said the main objective of the workshop was to create awareness at the grassroots on fighting corruption, ills of corrupt practices and citizens buy-in the fight in addition to exposing the participants to various channels of reporting corruption and corrupt practices. in low and high places.
