Moral Corruption

Nigeria is morally corrupt.  To try to explain the true depth of the corruption in this place to someone who has never visited Lagos, would be like describing Mozart’s 1785 Piano Concerto to someone who has never seen a piano.  This analogy is really too pretty to be used to describe the scheming, stinking hypocrisy I’m about to share with you but you get the picture.

I was naïve when I arrived at the security gate in Murtala Mohammed Airport the first time, I caught glimpses of the ‘I’m out for myself’ attitude as I meandered through my first month or two here.  I was able to forgive people for accepting bribes and paying bribes and forever changing prices because they were a means to an end in the context of Lagos living.  I forgave many sins because I thought poverty excused them.  People are poor and have no choice but to make the most of a situation in a country whose government gives back nothing was my tag line.

I have changed.  It is this acceptance and excuse conjuring towards corruption, permeating all levels of Nigerian society, which is EXACTLY the problem.  Everyone accepts day to day corruption and, although they may not like it they accept it; even when it is startlingly obvious and unfair.  It is the norm.

The parking attendant making an extra twenty pence by extorting a bribe from impatient drivers has the same attitude as the President who condones the ultimate sin of bribery in the oil, electricity and import/export industries – effectively keeping the fat cats fat and everyone else in poverty, darkness and desperation.  No one takes any responsibility; people bribe, accept bribes and pay bribes in every which way you can imagine.  A side effect of this is that everybody is suspicious, unforgiving and pessimistic towards others.

Individuals in Nigeria literally own billions of pounds; they make thousands every day that they are alive but do absolutely nothing to help the plight of starving villages, people living in days of darkness or the deaths of babies born into impoverished, devastated families.  The rich don’t care, and so the cycle continues all the way down the class ladder to the poorest people:  The Oga of an extremely poor fishing village uses a charitable donation to secure a water tank and DSTV aerial for his house only (the only house in the village might I add), the raffle prize ticket picker who only adds the names of his friends and family to the box, the facilities manager who on receiving a substantial dash from a happy contractor to share with his pitifully paid team – keeps it to himself.

There is no ‘for the greater good’, there is no charity and there is no way Nigeria can grow economically or socially to become the successful and powerful African nation it should be until Joe Blogs on the street makes a stand and takes responsibility for others as well as himself.

The politics of corruption are so truly fucked up here it is actually too depressing for words.  The underlying agendas and deceit are truly too sprawling and impenetrable to comprehend, especially as a foreigner.

Of course, there are exceptions to the rules in Nigeria.  You have to take every situation as it comes.  For example, I always give money to children if they tap on my car window but only small notes as I don’t want them to get beaten by their brothers and sisters for a big note.  Also I recently read about Aliko Dangote, the Nigerian cement magnate and billionaire.  He established a humanitarian foundation in 1993 and has helped many.

I am aware of the situation in Nigeria, as you can see from my rant BUT I’m regularly told I’m too naïve.  This is because instead of being pessimistic and hating, I refuse to change my attitude towards people here.  Everyone, in my eyes, has a chance to be good and straight and morally above the water line. 

I try to meet everyone with an open mind and I try to give everyone the benefit of the doubt.  I take people seriously, I listen to peoples’ stories and I don’t immediately suspect ulterior motives.  I also don’t pay bribes (anymore), I don’t try to jump the queue at the airport and I don’t cut corners by flashing cash at people.  
 
Optimism, positive interactions and a stand against the ‘all about me’ indoctrination will make a difference eventually.

Phew . . . . . . . . . rant over.