In Nigeria and other African countries, corruption has generally been seen as the game of the elite. But a recent workshop organised by Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), in collaboration with Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA), has revealed that the cankerworm even thrives at the grassroots.
Not done, it also identified the causes of corruption at the grassroots or community level.
The public hearing was aimed at bringing together stakeholders and local residents from Lagos who are directly or indirectly affected by bad service delivery and corruption at the grassroots, which cut across their daily activities.
The forum also afforded the participants drawn from various groups such as trade unions, market women, transporters, landlords, artesans, and other stakeholders to share their experiences on how deep corruption has affected them in terms of service delivery by various social services agencies.
During the interaction, the participants were able to proffer possible solutions to the unfortunate and devastating situation.
Addressing the participants, the executive director of SERAP, Adetokunbo Mumuni, said that in previous fora, the people that mostly express their experiences are the elite, who do not represent accurately the experiences of the people at the grassroots, the local community.
He pointed out that in the instant forum, ordinary Nigerians are invited to express their practical life experiences and observations in social service delivery and the attendant corruption at the local/community level, adding that the contributions made by the participants will be collated, harmonised and the recommendations forwarded to the Lagos State Government and anti-corruption agencies that were indicted during the interaction.
A participant, Gloria Odafe, indicted the Nigeria Police of aiding corruption. She narrated an armed robbery incident in which the police in her area was alerted, but instead of coming immediately, they delayed so much, only to arrive when the robbers had gone. The next action the police took was to arrest some people who later got bail after paying some imposed amount.
Another participant, Babatunde Ayinde, attributed the thriving of corruption to lack of security in his neighbourhood, while Temitope Adebayo from Abule-Egba said corruption starts from individuals.
“Our foundation is faulty and our leaders must have the political will in championing a good cause,” Adebayo stressed.
For Akindeyi Ojo, “There is corruption in the church and mosque. Leaders have no fear of God. An injury for one citizen in this country is an injury to all.”
Ibrahim Idris added that “without the fear of God, nothing could be done. With fear of God by the leaders and the led, Nigeria will be better for us and corruption would disappear.”
The participants also indicted the judiciary, electricity workers, hospitals and other agents of social services of undermining the values of their services at the grassroots. For instance, electricity workers collect bills for light that is not available or regular.
The participants also lamented the plight of market women and the collection of exorbitant market dues by government officials and touts, extortion of petty traders by agents of local councils, extortion of money from transporters by the police, and even payment of levies to traditional leaders and market leaders.
It was agreed that corruption is a cankerworm that has eaten deep into the lives of Nigerians right from the grassroots; hence the media has a role to play in tackling the menace.
A representative of Amnesty International, Nigeria (AIN), Oyetibo Taiwo, who was represented at the event by Funmilola Kuku (SAN), while reacting on the allegation of corruption in the judiciary, advised that anybody who is aggrieved by the action of any official of the judiciary or judicial officer should write to the chief registrar of the court or the chief judge.
He lamented that nothing positive happens to the people at the local councils except extortion and raising touts. He advised Nigerians to know their rights and never compromise on any request for bribe and corruption.