Corruption is so rampant among everyone with power here that its no wonder this country is called a 3rd World country, and I expect it to be for the next half a century.
Two weeks ago when I was coming out of country, at the airport where the officer checks the passports of passengers going into the departure hall, I was asked for a donation. I would have given the donation if he had asked nicely. But he was very arrogant in his manner of speaking that I refused to give a single cent.
I admit that I do make more money than most of them. And I do give a lot, compared to all of my colleagues who despise them, despite coming to Nigeria and making tons of money at Nigerians' expense. But I have a different outlook to life. I am grateful for the opportunity that I have and I try to give atleast 20% back to the people around me.
But like any other human, I would like to be treated with respect. I don't like to be shouted at. So I felt angry when this young man, who's job was to just ensure that I had a passport to enter into the immigration section, was suddenly asking me for money just to get in. If he asked politely, he would have gotten some but since he didn't now courtesy, he ended up with nothing.
Nigeria, in my limited opinion, will never come out of the vicious cycle of war and poverty until the oil giants operating in the Niger Delta start giving back some money to the people living in that area. At the moment, all money goes to the utterly corrupted federal government. It is yet to see if President Goodluck is different from all the past, corrupted presidents. Goodluck seems to be something fresh that the people of Nigeria needs.
For those who are not familiar with what's happening in Nigeria, the oil companies rake maximum profit from the Delta region down south, close to Port Hartcourt but the people living there don't even have the basic amenities, like water supply or electricity or clean sanitation. The Nigerian Federal Government gets all the tax money and fills the purses of all the fat cats while the people remain poor. I hope President Goodluck can change this vicious cycle that's killing his country.
But corruption is everywhere.
I spent close to 10 years working in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. While there is no corruption on the street level, unlike Nigeria, corruption is rampant among government officials. The fat cats pad their pockets with money from everything. In Malaysia, getting a government contract is like winning the lottery. Stories are abound of such rampant misuse of public funds. You could sell an RM10 meal to Malaysian Airlines for RM50 and no one will balk. Isn't that free money or what?
And I've heard of corruption in Australia too. Australia is a developed nation. But yet! I think the most recent case was that of Indian Nationals bribing officials to pass their English test!
I think it is unfair that others can get something they want unfairly just because they have money.
