Severing Corruption from Everyday Life: Some Reflections from Nigerian Political Space

Corruption In Nigeria: Its Growth And Spread

Corruption, often described as anti-social behaviour conferring improper benefits that are against the legal and moral norms of the land (Osoba, 1996 in Dike 2000) on people; it is a situation whereby an individual or group of people misuse public power (financially or otherwise) for personal purpose, usually carried out in secret and the act may not be discovered immediately (Obasanjo 1994). Obasanjo’s (1994) definition may not aptly fit in to Nigeria situation. Corruption in Nigeria seems to have become a way of life that is practiced openly and without restraints. Nye (1967) opined that people engage in corrupt practices without blinking their eyes and other people around see it as normal. This was corroborated by Jubril (2010) in his paper on corruption and he argued that the menace calls for concern based on the ‘degree to which they are practiced by Nigerians and our openness and discretion in doing so’. Lipset and Lenz (2000) see corruption as efforts to ‘secure wealth or power through illegal means, private gain at public expense, or a misuse of public power for private benefit’. Transparent International defines corruption as the abuse of entrusted power for private gain whether in the private or public sector (Transparency International, 2011). The ones put forward by T.I and Lipset and Lenz (2000) appear broad and capture different sides of corruption, yet it in spite of its limitations, the definitions have thrown some light regarding corruption; it is an act against the accepted rules and regulations of the land and people engage in it in order to enrich or put themselves in advantage positions.