From the N36 million unaccounted for in JAMB’s office to the US$43.4 million found in a building at Ikoyi and many other incidences of embezzlement and/or financial misappropriation, the scene that has played out over and again has been that of greed and more indepthly, the lapses in the system which made it possible for the looters to thrive in their shady dealings. The system is so slack that nothing is suspected until a huge damage has been done. The JAMB scenario is just one of several cases of financial misconducts in public offices, and if not for the timely and insightful move of JAMB’s registrar, Professor Is-haq Oloyede, the pattern would have continued and all those involved in the act could have even gotten away with it. From this, one can see that the previous leadership had failed to demand accountability from those who are under it.
However, as it would be erroneous to pin corruption to public offices alone so would it be counterfactual to conclude that poor accountability- or the lack of it- is solely about financial misappropriation. A video, in which a policeman threatened to shoot a tricycle rider just because he (the rider) refused to give him the money he demanded for, was once circulated on the internet sometimes ago. Such cases are not new anyway but the thing is that had the police officer have any sense of accountability, he would have behaved in a responsible manner and uphold his allegiance to offer protection to the civil society. Again, I doubt if an employee who cherishes pleasure-hunting [while at work] ever think of the fact that he/she is engaging in a corrupt practice not to even make mention of reserving any consciousness of being accountable for his/her time.
The failure of individuals to be accountable for their actions as well as the lack of will [on the part of those in power] to painstakingly check the activities of those under them have thus far created a gulf in the ethical standards of organizations- public and private- and in effect, corruption keeps booming. This could continue for a long while if we do not take the bull by the horn to fight corruption. Plus, the citizens of this nation should [with one accord] make it a point of duty to demand accountability from their leaders.
Nevertheless, it is expedient to state here that it flows [and begins] from the top; those governing the affairs of this nation must first show themselves as men of integrity and let men see the level of their loyalty to the oath of the office they have undertaken. If those at the helms of affairs are actually desirous of development then accountability should be a major concern except they have something ulterior in mind. “The benefit f truly accountable leaders is that they are able to create effective structures where their staff (citizens) know what is expected of them, and can improve the business (nation-building) for customers (fellow citizens).”- Jane Storm
Furthermore, it needs to be said that for a stubborn and ‘epidemic’ malfeasance like corruption to be curtailed, drastic measures have to be taken. For example, public office holders- politicians in particular- should be made to declare their assets before assuming any office; failure to do so would mean relinquishing the pursuit of whatever office they are vying for- or even holding. With that in place, auditing should be done from time to time- it could be done on a quarterly basis; some technological inputs may be employed for this purpose. It is also necessary that the prosecution of those caught in the act be speedily brought to a conclusive end as we aim to ‘flush’ the system.