Erstwhile Director of Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission, Patrick Lumumba on Tuesday declared that the African continent has been unable to fare well in most facets of human development because its largest country, Nigeria, has remained in poverty due to fraudulent activities in public service.
The leading anti-corruption campaigner, who spoke at the two-day anti-corruption summit which began this Tuesday at the Nigerian Air Force Conference Centre in Abuja, stressed that Nigerian leaders must do everything within their capacity to address endemic graft, stressing that doing so would refocus Africa on the path of prosperity.
During his keynote speech, he said it is time for Nigeria, and Africa as a whole, to abandon the culture of “punishing small thieves and electing big ones,” adding that “Africa is behind because Nigeria has not realized her potential. It’s time the leaders rise up because one in every five Africans is a Nigerian”.
The professor of law maintained that Nigeria is a microcosm of Africa and, as such, cannot afford to keep getting it wrong. He insisted that Behavioural change culture must be instilled in Nigeria,”advising that Nigeria must put in place stringent mechanism that would effectively caution against corruption.
”The three arms of government must strengthen and not undermine the institutions that are meant to fight corruption so that Nigeria can realise its potential,” he said.
“People must be made to know that if you reap where you have not sown there are consequences. Men only change their behaviours when there is a threat pain.”
Lumumba called for a wholesome support for President Muhammadu Buhari in his war against corruption, especially on the need to build lasting institutions.
“Institutions are the heart of the fight against corruption but he will not succeed if the legislature is not behind him and the institutions are not strengthened.
“Because only institutions defy time and outlive those that live on graft,” he said.
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