POLITICAL LEADERSHIP, CORRUPTION AND SOCIO-ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Today, in Nigeria, there is a consensus among well-meaning individuals and foreign nations that
corruption has inevitably become a major clog in the quest for sustainable growth and development. It is
further agreed that it must be halted before it shut down the country. It is the single most critical
impediment to achieving the Millenium Development Goals (MDGs); and like a deadly virus, it attacks
the vital structures and systems that engender progressive functioning of the society. Like most
developing countries, Nigeria is still grappling with the dilemma of corruption that has largely retarded
social development, undermined economic growth, discouraged foreign investments and reduced the
resources available for infrastructural development, public service, and poverty reduction programmes
(Findings, 1999: 1). Much more disturbing, the scourge of corruption leaves the poor perpetually
disproportionately under-privileged, even as it renders the development of democracy and the building
of a society of opportunity more problematic (Ribadu, 2007). Thus, by diverting assets away from their
intended use, corruption can be said to be the single most important factor responsible for the failure of
governance and lack of sustainable socio-economic development in Nigeria.
Without doubt, the unpardonable failure of the political leadership class managing the affairs and
wealth of the country had inevitably brought severe misery to many voiceless and helpless Nigerians. It
must also be mentioned here that Nigeria’s post-independence political bureaucratic and military elites
had terribly pillaged the nation’s common wealth and national patrimony with impunity, thereby
denying Nigerians access to economic prosperity and quality living condition. Also disheartening, is the
fact that the volume of development assistance totalling about $400 billion that flowed into the country.
for socio-economic development between independence and the collapse of military dictatorship in 1999
was atrociously squandered by the political leaders of the period. The mismanagement of resources of
such quantum which was worth six times the resources committed to the rebuilding of Western Europe
after a devastating Second World War simply defines the callousness of the political leadership class
towards the socio-economic wellbeing of the country (Ribadu, 2007).
A noticeable consequence of corruption on the political and economic wellbeing of Nigerians
has been the distortion of governmental expenditure. This often results in diversion of public investment
on large-scale projects, typically military or infrastructure projects, rather than on the provision of
necessary public services such as health, roads, housing, and education. Mostly, the Nigerian
government at all levels spends relatively more on large and hard-to-manage projects, such as airports or
national stadia, to make room for fraud because execution of such project makes fraud easy.
Consequently, development projects are made unnecessarily complex so as to justify the corrupt huge
expenses on them (Dike, n.d.: 5). This situation makes it inevitable for the limited but valuable fund
earmarked for development to disappear into private pockets.
Indeed, it is difficult to think of any social ill in the country that is not traceable to the
embezzlement and misappropriation of public funds, particularly as a direct or indirect consequence of
the corruption perpetrated by the callous political leadership class since independence. The cycle of
poverty keeps growing with all its attendant consequences even as the rate of unemployment remains
perpetually high. By giving mediocrity advantage over intelligence through nepotism and cronyism,
intellectual capital, which is the bulwark of development and advancement, has continued to drift abroad
in search of greener pasture. Paradoxically, the scourge of corruption has left the country straddling two
economic worlds at the same time. To state the obvious, the country has found itself in the quagmire of a
country too rich to be poor and at the same time too poor to be rich. Thus, this has made it inevitable for
every Nigerian to be a victim of corruption.
As a consequence of unparalleled and unrivalled corruption in Nigeria, the healthcare delivery
system and the education sector have become comatose and are nearing total collapse. Government
spending has been considerably reduced towards these vital social sectors of the economy and others of
equal importance, which are supposed to be of high priority to government. To this end, the resultant
effects have been catastrophic as different forms of malpractices and corrupt practices have rubbished
the Nigerian educational system, which is perceived from the outside as inadequate and, its product,
substandard. More so, corruption in the health sector has also given room for counterfeit and adulterated
drugs to find easy passage into the country with little or no resistance until 1999 when Professor Dora
Akunyili took over the leadership of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and
Control (NAFDAC). It would be recalled that her first point of duty was an attempt to eradicate fake and
adulterated drugs. This effort almost cost her her life when gunmen suspected to have been sent by
importers of fake and adulterated drugs attacked her in 2005. Infrastructural facilities have long been in
an abysmal state and to shore up its dwindling income, much of which was embezzled under successive
governments and siphoned to foreign bank accounts, government resorted to excessive taxation of the
already economically deprived and impoverished populace.
Perhaps the most tragic effect of corruption on Nigeria has been the failure of the country to
attain its economic potentials. Despite its substantial natural and human resources, Nigeria remains
desperately poor due to bad management of its wealth by successive corrupt governments. Today,
Nigeria is one of the poorest countries in the world. Its unadjusted GNP per capita of $300 leaves it in
164th position among other countries in 1999. The per capita GNP PPP (purchasing power parity) figure
of $820 looks better at first glance but it ranks 199th out of the 209 countries covered in the World
Bank’s 2000 World Development Report (World Bank, 2001). In 2010, Nigeria’s GDP per capita (PPP)
of $2,365 ranked as 138th in the world out of the 180 countries, while the GNI per capita (PPP) of
$2,160 left the country in the 172nd position out of the 215 countries listed in the World Development
Indicators Database (World Bank, 2011). These are not just abstract statistics. An average Nigerian
leads an appallingly difficult life that is worse in most ways than the situations in other Third World
countries (Ihonvbeere and Shaw, 1998). Unfortunately, the country has not been able to breakthrough
with any significant step that would dramatically improve the living conditions of its mostly
impoverished population due to the high level of corruption in the system.
The Corruption Perception Index (CPI) released annually by Transparency International has
consistently listed Nigeria among the most corrupt nations of the world. The 1996 study of corruption by
Transparency International and Goettingen University ranked Nigeria as the most corrupt nation, among
54 nations listed in the study (cited in Moore, 1997). The 1998 Transparency International Corruption
Perception Index (CPI) ranked Nigeria as the fifth most corrupt nation out of 85 countries listed in the
rating (The Transparency International Corruption Index, 1998). The 2001 Corruption Perception Index
rated Nigeria second most corrupt nation among 91 countries listed (The Transparency International
Corruption Index, 2001). The 2002 Corruption Perception Index ranked Nigeria third most corrupt.
nation out of the 102 countries listed (The Transparency International Corruption Index, 2002).
Similarly, the 2003 Corruption Perception Index also rated the country as the second most corrupt nation
out of 133 countries listed (The Transparency International Corruption Index, 2003). Although the trend
improved a little from the 2005 Corruption Perception Index ratings, Nigeria still languishes within the
first ten most corrupt nations of the world.
CONCLUSION
From our survey of political leadership and corruption in Nigeria thus far, it is evident that the
problem with Nigeria is not just corruption but leadership failure. Corruption has attained an
unimaginable height and is currently assuming a pandemic proportion in Nigeria through, and with the
full support of the political leadership class since 1960. Obviously, as a nation, we cannot move on
without looking back because a people without a history can be compared to a tree without roots. The
fact is obvious that there really was never a golden age of great leadership in the history of Nigeria. The
lack of competent, responsible leaders with integrity, vision, high moral values has been the bane of the
country. It is simply disheartening that Nigeria, a country blessed with natural resources and manpower
is now doomed with uncertainty where abject poverty, high unemployment rate, unresolved
assassinations, looting and squandering of public funds, etc, all as a consequence of corruption, have
become the order of the day.
No doubt, corrupt practices among the political leadership class have also resulted in
undermining the growth and stability of the nation’s trading and financial system. As Nigeria seeks for
more Foreign Direct Investments (FDIs), corruption tends to thrive more and impede the country’s
ability to attract overseas capital. Corruption has also damaged economic development and reforms and
if adequate care is not taken, it can hinder the growth of democratic institutions.
Although the situation looked very bad, it is not beyond remedy. To achieve this, there must be a
complete change of attitude on the part of the Nigerian political leadership class, because no matter how
perfect or excellent the constitution or other instruments for ensuring accountability and checking
corruption in the country might be, all will come to naught unless the political leadership class show the
political will to abide by and enforce them. Consequently, until political and higher bureaucratic
appointments ceases to be a means to easy accumulation of illicit wealth and a new political culture that abhors corruption in public life and humiliates corrupt public servant, emerge in Nigeria, the country
cannot escape the inevitable disastrous consequences that comes with pervasive corruption (Maduagwu
quoted in Gboyega, 1996: 22).
It has been realised and generally agreed that government cannot legislate an end to corruption
because punishment of wrongdoers, while necessary, may not be sufficient to stop corruption. In his
comparison of corruption in Nigeria and Britain, Ronald Wraith, a British scholar on public and colonial
administration, who also was Chairman of the Nigerian Federal Electoral Commission in the late 1950s,
pointed to the need for education in good character and the importance of diffusion of wealth, power,
and education in the society. There is a need to build a culture of honesty and establish a tradition of
selflessness and patriotism in public service. In Britain, responsible government began with the
emergence of people who entered government service after they had amassed substantial wealth. They
joined government, not to increase their fortunes, but to contribute to the country; an attitude
reminiscent of J. F. Kennedy’s remark, “Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do
for your country” (Wraith and Simpkins, 1963; Kennedy, 1961).
In the final analysis, Nigeria simply has been lacking in one thing that every nation, big or small,
needs to achieve greatness – credible, responsible and people-oriented leadership. After decades of
failed attempts to produce credible leaders, it is imperative now for the political leadership class to turn a
new leave by rejecting old habits of corruption which has hitherto hindered Nigeria from becoming a
modern, great, and developed nation. This is not in any way to undermine the need for strong
institutions. Nevertheless, no country can develop strong institutions without the benefits of good
leadership, leaders who will create the conditions necessary for building and sustaining strong
institutions. A positive change in the attitudes of the Nigerian leadership class is all that is needed to end
corruption in Nigeria and for the nation and its people to experience sustainable socio-economic
development.
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