Jakande, Kolade, Solanke, Lucas urge Nigerians to shun corruption

Eminent Nigerians have expressed optimism that Nigeria could be great if corrupt practices are shunned.

They charged citizens to emulate good examples and be focused on whatever they are committed to.

The personalities include former Governor of Lagos State, Alhaji Lateef Jakande; Nigeria’s former High Commissioner to the United Kingdom (UK), Dr. Christopher Kolade; renowned international health specialist, Prof. Adetokunbo Lucas and first female Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Chief Folake Solanke.

These eminent personalities spoke yesterday at the formal presentation of a book titled Hallmarks of Labour, written by Patricia Otuedon-Arawore, at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), Victoria Island, Lagos.

Kolade stated that the occasion served as an avenue to renew the confidence of the people that despite the country’s woes, it could breed respectable people who achieved great things without being named corrupt.

Solanke, who lamented that most people in public offices loot the nation’s treasury and asked that such ills must be stopped, said: “We are enjoined to work and not to steal or be corrupt. The Biblical concept of the ideal of labour is germane in this age where people corruptly exploit their positions to fill their pockets with loot of national treasuries without shame and with impunity instead of rendering service to the people.

While Lucas charged the government to provide necessary tools for the youths to engage them meaningfully, Jakande said: “This country will survive forever. We shall make Nigeria the greatest nation in Africa. Nigeria will do better.”

In a related development, global players in the fight against corruption, led by Transparency International, have decried the alarming rate of corruption across the world.

They said over six billion people are still living under highly corrupt governments.

Chairperson, Transparency International, Delia Matilde Ferreira Rubio, who was in Nigeria for the first time, stated that unless governments across the world treat corruption as human rights issue and build sustainable solutions that would reduce the problem, standard of living and economies of countries like Nigeria would not improve.

Rubio and other experts, including former Minister of Education, Dr. Oby Ezekwesili; Chairman, Board of Trustees, CISLAC, Malam Y’au; Executive Director of the organisation, Auwal Ibrahim Musa and Africa Director, MacArthur Foundation, Dr. Kole Shittima, who spoke at a workshop organised by Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), expressed concern over the current anti-corruption fight in Nigeria, especially the lack of openness and accountability in budgeting and procurement.