From Paul Orude, Bauchi
Prof Mansur Usman Malumfashi has expressed regret that a majority of Nigerians are not wholly bought into the Buhari administration’s war on corruption.
Prof Malumfashi, who is of the Faculty of Education, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU) Bauchi, observed that perhaps President Muhammadu Buhari was the only person committed to the fight against corruption.
‘Whether other government officials are really doing so, is another question for another day,’ he stated
He attributed the nonchalant attitude of Nigerians in the fight against corruption to the plural nature of the country.
He opined that unless Nigerians changed their attitude and fully support President Muhammadu Buhari’s drive to fight corruption in Nigeria to a standstill, eradicating the menace would be a mirage.
The Sarkin Malaman Galadiman Katsina made this view known in an interaction with journalists in Bauchi on Thursday.
‘A lot of work needs to be done because all of us must have a change of our attitude in order to succeed in the fight against corruption,’ he stated.
‘So if we really want to make headway then certainly, we must all have to change of our attitude.’
The university don argued that Nigerians must begin to look consider themselves as part and parcel of the government to succeed in the fight against corruption.
‘But more often than not, citizens don’t do that because of our population, plurality and diversity.
‘How many people are really educated to understand that, how many people are really educated to understand the dynamics of the society? The dynamics of the economy? The implications of the economy on the larger population?,’ he queried.
‘Unemployment is there, political thuggery is there, pre and post-election violence is there. All these put together constitute a problem for society. So people must be aware that yes, we are convinced that corruption is cancer that must be attacked by all.’
He warned on the implication of corruption overwhelming the system because of I-don’t-care-attitude.
‘If we don’t kill corruption, corruption will kill us, and incidentally, our President is the only person that is really committed to the fight against corruption; whether other government officials are really doing so, is another question for another day,’ he said.
‘But really if we want to kill corruption, we must join hands together to fight corruption otherwise, corruption will kill us.
‘So the generality of the people must be made aware that they are part and parcel of the government, and the politicians must be held accountable for the inflation and insecurity out there.’