Nigeria: Why Nigerians Must Apologize to Farida Waziri

23 August 2017

The quintessential Farida Waziri is not only a lady of substance but a crack detective who rose to the coveted rank of Assistant Inspector-General of Police. She then retired and later headed the EFCC under the sedate presidency of Umaru Yar'adua of blessed memory. In her days in service as an archetypal paragon of beauty, brains and brawn she busted so many major crime syndicates that she eventually headed the Fraud Office which mutated into EFCC under OBJ that was first headed by Nuhu Ribadu her one-time aide. Little wonder as a lone but courageous woman in a male dominated field she not only generated controversy but had monumental challenges that trailed her which as a result she was vigorously vilified for proposing negotiating with looters.

The nation went to war against her throwing as they say the baby with the bathwater, while the ancient Romans would have called her 'autore' we disparaged her - "the word authority comes from the Latin root autore meaning author - a person who creates something new. This could be a work of art, a new way of operating in the world, or new values. The health of any society depends on those who infuse it with such innovations". Madam Waziri's entrenched position was that government money had been stolen and needed to be recovered this as far she was concerned should be done classic Deng Xiaoping style - "a black or white cat catching mice by any means necessary". Historically the anti-corruption war of EFCC has always had 3 fronts - legal, political and moral. Then there is the current economic recession that clearly needs some clarity of thought outside the box. The message of Madam Waziri's panacea is here the fundamental issue not her score card as EFCC boss.

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