Seized by Sleaze: The Siege of Corruption and a Search for Workable Options in Nigeria

Abstract

The Nigerian state presents a contradictory scenario. It is a country of immense human and material resources, yet it remains poor and grossly underdeveloped. Studies have identified two major obstacles to Nigerian’s development: widespread corruption, and the lingering money laundering scheme. Since gaining independence in 1960, Nigeria has been enduring corruption with little or no serious efforts at combating it. Corruption has become a popular language in Nigerian governance to the extent that an average government political official in Nigeria is generally believed to be corrupt in one way or the other, thereby making Nigeria one of the most corrupt countries in the world. Given the foregoing, this paper examines the phenomenon of corruption in Nigeria. It argues that the prevalence of corruption at every level impedes the prospect of development and growth in the country. It concludes that for Nigeria to make any meaningful growth as a country, corruption must be vehemently opposed and genuinely fought. It then offers workable options on how to combat what has turned out to be a national scourge.