The World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, among others, define corruption as “the abuse of public office for private gains”. World Bank’s definition of corruption is flawed and corrupted. It is missing what made corruption corruption – abused private sector, abusing public office. It also ommited Political corruption? In the likes of vote rigging, influencing of laws and regulations, even bribes among private sector parties. Corruption is not always corruption and it’s sometimes all good. Its difficult to Understand. However, this singular omission discredit World Bank et al., and indirectly flaws the claim that Nigeria as one of the top ranking most corrupt nations. Afterall, some Nigerian corrupt governments in the past stole over $300 billion, and the loot was all sent to western economies, half alone went through London. World bank et al knew and and are complacent with this corruption. Then you faceback and talk about Nigerian corruption when ‘they‘ are not only some of the most corrupt nations in the world, but also along with ‘others‘ guilty of the most heinous genocides in the world. However, I will not blame anybody for our self created problem. Why? When you know someone has a hand in a problem it is up to one to cut off that hand or reduce its influence. Nigerians are 99.9% responsible for their problems.The sooner we realise this and start trying to change things the better it will be for all of usand ‘them’.

However, above argument is open inconsistency, becuase it is no news that Nigeria’s level of corruption and it’s fight flouted the law of diminishing returns. Not to loose hope,it is time Nigeria work against the trend and use it to experience good economic performance. After all, many school of thought (e.g. Lui Francis, in Journal of Political Economy; and Huntington, Political Order in Changing Societies. Yale University) have theorized “corruption can be like ‘grease,’speeding up the wheels of commerce”. The generalisability of much published talk on this issue is problematic, else how do one explain East Asian countries, because while the region seems corrupt, it is has continually attract lots of foreign investment and generate growth. Nigeria should not be an exception. Therefore, according to my friend’s prospective theory for Nigerian public office holders and politicians in a recent pub-table is “chop, but work”, and not solely “chop I chop“.

In addition, I like to agree that bribe-taking or corrupt bureaucrats in Nigeria works harder than their counterparts that do not take bribe (not all public officers in Nigeria take or give bribe?). Many analysts now argue that the strategy of giving or taking bribes has been successful and should be encourage ( at least in developing countries), else many records that could be a positive indicator for economic growth will continully be destroyed or never kept to cover tracks. The holy book is also of the same opinion, e.g. Proverbs 17:8, “A bribe works miracles like a magic charm that brings good luck.” God Bribed Abraham by promising to make his descendants a great nation, and to give him and his family the land of Canaan (Genesis 12:1-7). Satan even bribes Jesus, when he took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world, and offered Jesus a tremendous bribe, that “All this I will give you if you kneel down and worship me.” If going by the definition of bribe, Jesus himself bribed people, not with money, but with the assurance of eternal life and treasure in heaven if they obey God’s commandments (Matthew 19:16-26); pray and fast (Matthew 6:7-18), and repent (What Must I Do to Be Saved? published in 2004 by The Flatwoods Free Press). Frome the foregoing, Nigeria should not be deceived by negative report, confusing definitions by developed countries; rather we should look positively inwards of how to turn how ‘hereditary corruption tendency’ to economic advancement. This is because, God, Satan, the world, practiced bribery. The world’s growth and advancement is based on bribery, and Nigeria should not be left alone.

Enough of fake promises to clamp down on corrupt police officials, for example, former Inspector-General of Police – Tafa Balogun- dismisses about 800 police officers around Nigeria for a mere cumulative 789 dollars while siphoning over 780 Billions himself. This only shows our police are not corrupt, rather the people are corrupt. The system is corruption itself! It is a usual sight and a tradition on a daily basis to see police and military men virtually at every possible erectable checkpoint, stopping motorcycle and motor drivers to collect a mandatory “family support”. If the country cannot increase the outrageously low take home pay of a police officer, the unlawful activities should be turn to an economic revenue generation, by legalising the procedures, and formulating a sharing formulae between the police at the actual checkpoint and the government. This will officially increase police officers’ salary, after all, how much are the police officers’ paid.

However, if we are desirous of eradicating bribery and corruption, to conform to the standard of the developed world, first, Nigeria’s economy should be such that reduce the powers of government officials in the operation of business. Secondly, we should try to see how our lives would be less control by politicians, and then the less likely corruption would occur and flourish. Thirdly, recruitment and promotion for civil servants should be done by the private sector, and average wages for public officials should be relative to private sector. This is because the quality value of bureaucrats determines relatively how they are recruited, paid, and promoted, in turns determines how corruption flourish. Considering Nigeria’s peculiar level of corruption, there is nothing bad in paying civil servants well above their collegues in the private sector. Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew tried this in Singapore, and it was very successful in reducing corruption. Singapore is one of the least corrupt countries. Therefore, statistically speaking, to really eradicate corruption or reduce it to the Singapore level, Nigeria needs to raise the public sector’s pay by at least 600% to 800%. Although, while this might reduce corruption, some people will give and take bribe for selection into for public office. Lastly, Nigeria should triple her ability to detect acts of corruption and prosecute those guilty. While EFCC and ICPC are good channels for detection and punishment, Nigeria needs not a good system but an excellent system. Thebest way to go is by grassroots “watchdog” organizations; a highly publicised free telephone “hot line” where we could report ourselfs; public opinion surveys revealing corrupt departments from respondents’ experience; and a free press to make known official corruption. Lastly, let for example, corrupt judges accept secret bribes, and still let justice be done.