Olu Samuel

The Rector ,Kogi state polythecnic, Lokoja, Professor Salisu Ogbo Usman has blamed politicization of anti-corruption agencies and abuse of plea bargains as escape routes for the wealthy.

Professor Usman who delivered the 37th

inaugural lecture series of the Federal University Lokoja on Thursday also identified other factors such as institutional weakness, opaque regulatory agencies and weak enforcement mechanism as being responsible for thriving corrupt practices.

The lecture titled “Corruption Versus Corruption: Unpacking the Wuru-Wuru of Anti-Corruption Crusade in Nigeria.” Usman said “Resource-rich governments finance themselves through rents rather than taxes, weakening the social contract and reducing accountability to citizens”.

According to him, “Agencies like the unbundled NNPC have been criticised for opaque accounting systems and discretionary practices that enable corruption.l while Ineffective oversight allows illicit activities to flourish just as Oil theft and illegal bunkering,Protection rackets involving corrupt officials and security personnel also assisted .

In order to break the circle ,the professor of political Science said that the anti-corruption efforts need to be reframed beyond performative campaigns while focus must be shifted from targeting individuals to systemic reform and prevention.

He called for the Strengthening of institutions through genuine autonomy, transparency, checks and balances, and taxation-based accountability to reduce reliance on resource rents.

Professor Usman also called for the diversification of the economy to create productive opportunities outside the state sector, coupled with equitable distribution of resources to reduce desperation.

He said that ethical reorientation and civic values restoration must be priotised to rebuild the moral compass of society across all strata.

“We must reject ‘Wuru-Wuru’ and ‘Paddy-paddy’ arrangements. As Fela Kuti and African China sang, and as holy books admonish, true change requires sincerity, not just rhetoric. The ‘Beautyful Ones’ must be born now.” He said .

Earlier,the Vice-Chancellor of the institution, professor Olayemi Akinwumi had emphasized the role of citizens in the fight against corruption adding that we cannot leave the task to government alone.