"If they politicians and political parties are not ready to reform, they will not be able to control the consequences."
A Nigerian academic based in the United States, Toyin Falola, says the political elite in Nigeria must reform the country's governance to deliver socio-economic prosperity to its citizens.
Mr Falola, a renowned professor of History at the University of Texas at Austin, USA, said the fallouts of government's failure to tackle corruption would be uncontrollable.
He spoke on Tuesday as the keynote speaker at a national policy dialogue on corruption organised by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) in Abuja.
Speaking on the topic, 'Corruption, Social Norms and Behaviour Change in Nigeria,' the academic recalled the transformative journey of the Chinese, Malaysians and Japanese in tackling corruption and providing social services for their populace.
"If they politicians and political parties are not ready to reform, they will not be able to control the consequences.
"If they want a jihad (holy war), the citizens will give them one," Mr Falola said, adding that "issues around arising poverty" must be addressed through the creation of a middle-class.
He took a swipe at western countries for ignoring the undemocratic governance structures of global bodies like the UN and the IMF, but labelling Africans as "corrupt and bad."
"Majority of our population are not corrupt," the historian noted, wondering why the majority of the masses tolerate corruption.
"How can we ask the silent majority to radicalise their objection to corruption? It is doable," he assured drawing applause from the audience in the packed ICPC auditorium.
Mr Falola explained that "corruption in Nigeria is a complex issue deeply rooted in social norms and cultural factors."
"These influential forces play a significant role in shaping the prevalence of corruption within the country. The practices of "clientelism" and "godfatherism" play a significant role in fostering corruption within societies."
Tackling corruption
Shying away from what the effects of corruption are, Mr Falola said merely increasing workers' wages would not combat endemic corruption in public service.
Proffering solutions to the problem of malfeasance, the famous historian said "we have to reduce monetary attraction of public office holders."
"In the fight against corruption, it is crucial to focus on transforming behaviours and fostering a culture of integrity and accountability. This requires active participation from individuals across different sectors."
He urged the government to build strong institutions and provide social safety nets for the citizens. He suggested that "to effectively combat corruption, it is crucial to have ethical leaders who prioritise integrity and international cooperation."
Corruption fuelled by community expectations
The chairperson of the ICPC, Bolaji Owasanoye, said there is a nexus between rampant corruption in Nigeria and community expectations of public office holders.
Mr Owasanoye, a law professor and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), pointed out one of the social norms which expects government officials to donate huge sums of money at public gatherings without considering the legitimate earnings of such officials.
He noted that people pay scant attention to the consequences of such expectations that breed embezzlement and nepotism.
While combating corruption through the criminal justice system, the ICPC boss said it was imperative to adopt "anti-corruption social norms."
He recommended that "all stakeholders should lead by example to inspire their members and constituents" against corruption.
He called for "a reward system for those who demonstrate good behavior or who stand against corruption in their constituencies."
"Federal and State Ministries of Education should develop and implement behavior change programmes in primary and secondary schools for the youths."
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Mr Owasanoye said Tuesday's event was the 6th in the series of policy dialogues on fighting corruption which began in 2019.
In a goodwill message, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, said, "addressing corruption requires not only legal and institutional reforms but also a transformation of social norms and behaviours."
Represented by a member of the House of Representatives from Osun State, Busayo Oluwole-Oke, the Speaker called for improved welfare of workers.
The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, was represented at the occasion.
Other dignitaries who graced the event were the Emir of Keffi, His Royal Highness, Shehu Yamusa; Kole Shettima of MacArthur Foundation; Is-haq Oloyede, Registrar of JAMB; George Ehusani, a Catholic priest and Executive Director, Lux Terra Leadership Foundation; Etannibi Alemika, a professor at University of Jos and Yakubu Maikyau, President, Nigerian Bar Association (NBA).
