…As UNILAG VC calls for mindset shift
By Adesina Wahab
LAGOS — Experts have stressed that Nigerians’ high tolerance for corruption must change if the country is to effectively curb the menace and achieve meaningful progress.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of an international conference on anti-corruption hosted by the Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Lagos (UNILAG), in collaboration with the Panafricana Strategic and Policy Research Group and the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), Prof. Babatunde Babawale, retired General Ishola Williams, Mr. Auwal Musa and others urged a collective rethink in attitudes towards corruption.
Delivering the keynote address, Prof. Babawale, immediate past Provost of the National Anti-Corruption Academy, Abuja, described corruption in Nigeria as “a malignant tumour” that has reached the level of wickedness.
“It has become a threat to national development. Despite the presence of anti-graft agencies like the ICPC and EFCC, stealing is becoming official. That is why politics has turned into warfare and acquiring state power has become a matter of life and death. We must rework our justice system to remove tardiness. We cannot allow corruption to become a national identity,” he said.
He warned that unless followers ensure that leaders of integrity are recruited into power, the country will continue to suffer from policies shaped by corrupt individuals.
In her remarks, UNILAG Vice Chancellor, Prof. Folasade Ogunsola, stressed the need for a mindset shift, noting that corruption begins with intent.
“Occupying a position does not automatically make someone corrupt; it is the mindset that drives corruption. Nigerians must deal with this,” she said.
Also speaking, General Williams linked the worsening situation to the theory of primitive accumulation of wealth, while CISLAC’s Auwal Musa said only collective action from all Nigerians could free the country from corruption’s grip.
The Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences, UNILAG, Prof. Adelaja Odukoya, called for a reform of how corruption cases are treated, suggesting that the burden of proof should shift to the accused since corrupt acts are usually perpetrated in secrecy.
The conference also featured presentations from experts across various institutions, with discussions centred on practical strategies to strengthen the fight against corruption in Nigeria.
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