I have lived in many countries in the world and equally visited many. Emperically, I have not witnessed any country or people more openly currupt than Nigerians. I will tell you two stories in two countries that I have lived in recent past (lived not visited). Currently I live in Egypt and I can tell you there is a stack dfference even though I consider the country corrupt. The difference is like day and night. To let bring into perspective what I am sharing with you, I recently went to register my new born baby in one of the Egptian registries, I was surprised at the speed at wish I was attendend to and assumed that this was to get some money off me. Note the service was first rendered and with speed and niceities. After the whole registration had taken place, I asked my driver, if I should give a tip to the clerk for a good job done… Note, this was after the job has been done and this is a tip not a bribe. I was shocked at the man’s comment. The man responded to my driver after a lot of persuation to take the money that “If I were to be Egyptian, he would have taken the money, but as a foreigner, he would not like me to have the impression that Egyptians are corrupt”. The man simply refused to take the money. My other story was when I went for my driver’s licence in Cote D’ivoire – all papers complete, my licence based on the fact that I carry a Nigerian licence already was processed in 1 week, same for my wife and for all other persons that I know, without any one of us parting with anything. Now I will like you to contrast your own experience in your Nigeria with these. Let me give you three recent happenings to me on my short visits to Lagos in 2009.

1. MM Airport. On arrival my passport was referred to be cleared for whatever reasons. I was sent to an officer who explained to me that I was carrying two valid passports which is not supposed to be. I explained to him that I just got a new passport from the embassy in Egypt – as I ran out of leaflets and no one informed me that the old passport has to be cancelled. I equally explained to him that I have valid visas to the US etc on my old passport. The man referred me to a lady who simply insisted that I need to settle them. Please note, I have used my two passports attached to may countries without any problems. Even when such was noticed at Heathrow and I explained to the officer what happened, they simply granted me entry without asking me to cancel my old passport. You can draw your conclusion from this.
2. Sometime in 2009 also, I was travelling back to Cairo and the had some food items I bought for my family. At the baggage clearance section, I was asked to settle for carrying food items. I asked the officer “am I not allowed to carry food items for my family”, he would not answer my question directly so I refused to pay. This was in the open and in loud voices. I asked him over and over again if I had committed any offence and what would be the right proceedure for carrying food items, he just would not respond reasonably and held my bags. Eventually in the edn he said, “Oga, at least make you give your boys something for coffee. I no say you do anyting wrong”. So in a loud voice I told the man, this should by no means be considered a bribe and I am just giving you this for coffee as requested. To my amazement the man collected my N500 and went openly to give it to his boss, while pointing at me saying “That Oga gave us N500″. His boss shamelessly pocked the money and looked another way-
3. In the same 2009, after buying tiles for my new house in Apapa, rented a truck to ship them to lekki, we were stopped at police check point and after presenting receipts and way bill as I bought the tiles from a repuatable company in Apapa, the inspector in charge of the check point openly demanded that I settle his boys even though there was nothing he could find wrong and claimed that even if nothing was wrong with my tile shipment, he could find one thousand and one thing wrong with the truck driver. Well, the conclusion is yours again here.

As I mentioned to you, I have lived in many countries in Africa , Europe and Asia, till date, I have never been accosted by any public officers in those country to pay bribes, nor unreasonably challenged. In 2009 alone, for every visit I made to Nigeria, there were always incidents of open demand for bribes.

Now, please tell us your own experience both in Nigeria and outside, otherwise, please consider this your write up as just and excersie in “English Composition”

Best regards