Corruption in Nigeria: historical perspectives

With this essay by Segun Osoba we begin an occasional series of guest essays by distinguished African scholars in which they reflect on key political, social and developmental issues. This essay is based on a paper presented to the August 1995 conference on Ethics in Government, organised by the Civil Liberties Organisation, at Ijebu‐Ode.

Corruption is a global phenomenon, intelligible only in its social context. It can he defined as anti‐social behaviour conferring improper benefits contrary to legal and moral norms, and which undermines the authorities’ capacity to secure the welfare of all citizens. In Nigeria it became the principal means of private accumulation during the decolonisation period, in the absence of other means, and came to shape political activity and competition after independence.

All subsequent regimes, military and civilian, have been pervaded by corruption. Aided and enhanced by oil revenues, this has created a deepening crisis of kleptocracy, shown in is most extreme form since 1984. It results in a combination of scandalous wealth among the ruling class with growing poverty, misery and degradation among the mass of Nigerians. Political life has become dominated by winner‐take‐all factional struggles, political cynicism and violence, while the economy and social institutions have been driven into decay.

Corruption has thus become a way of life in Nigeria, one which existing governments neither wish to, nor can, control. Combating corruption requires a popular participatory democracy able to monitor and hold to account those in charge of the state and the treasury.