Corruption in Nigeria: A Cultural Phenomenon

Abstract

The global perception of Nigeria as the ‘black hole of corruption’ should be seen in its proper historical context, where corruption is the vestige of a colonial legacy. Moreover, within the international trade which is dominated by the North, corruption is the norm in Nigeria. With the introduction of corruption into the Nigerian ethos, its tentacles permeate from the highest echelons of government to the lowest level of the Civil Service, both national and local. Any transaction involving a public official must involve a bribe from the corrupter to the corruptee. The proceeds of crime are handled by fences — the financial institutions. The perpetrators of corruption are deemed to have personality defects which are responsible for their deviant behaviour. The victims are the Nigerian public who have been adversely affected by the deprivation which has resulted in underdevelopment and perpetual economic slavery. The myriad corruption control measures adopted have failed essentially because of the protection of vested interests compounded with corruption in the judiciary, quangos and law enforcement agencies.