Oyewale Oluwaseun
A major offensive aimed at taming the monster of corruption in Nigeria was unveiled, yesterday, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in conjunction with the wife of the President, Aisha Buhari, with calls for more involvement of women in the anti-graft fight.
Wife of the President, Aisha Buhari, who launched the project tagged “Nigerian Women Against Corruption” WAC, said she and the wife of the Vice President, Dolapo Osinbajo, had opted to remain at the forefront of the anti-graft fight by leading by example and maintaining integrity and transparency in all their dealings.
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The joint project spearheaded by the President’s wife, would be launched in all the states by the wives of the governors as part of a nationwide offensive against corruption.
Mrs. Buhari said that she would lead the campaign by serving as a model for other women, remaining transparent and keeping her integrity intact by not accepting any form of gifts from individuals and groups as wife of the President.
The President’s wife who lamented that corruption had eaten deep into the nation’s fabric, said however that Nigerians were feeling the effect in poor infrastructure, appalling health facilities and economic recession.
She also lamented that women were the most affected by the negative effects of corruption, which must be eliminated at all cost so as to save the nation from collapse.
Mrs. Buhari said, “People have been trying to bring some gift items to me but I have not been collecting them. Right from when I was campaigning with the wife of the Vice President for our husbands, we did not take a dime from anyone and we have continued like that till today.
“I have never collected any gift and I am not ready to do so even in the future,” she said, and received thunderous applause from the audience made up of top government officials, outstanding Nigerians women and businessmen.
Former Chief Justice of the Federation, Mariam Aloma Mukhtar, who was the Guest Speaker at the event, pleaded with women not to tempt their husbands into living above their means and getting into corrupt practices in the process.
Mukhtar said women who engage in such practices lead their spouses into yielding to the temptation of corruption, which hinders the development of the nation.
The former CJN said, “Once women jettison the virtue of contentment and develop the habit of keeping with the Joneses, so to speak, they contribute to corruption by influencing the men folk who sometimes bow and succumb to corrupt practices in order to please and satisfy their wives.
She said women should rather be empowered economically and politically to be self sufficient in order to prevent such women from being tempted to engage in corrupt practices.
Mukhtar explained that it will also be of great importance, if organizations are encouraged to support women who vie for political positions as it would alleviate their problems and give them a sense of belonging in the formulation and implementation of policies that help tame the menace of corruption.
“In keeping with the joneses, so to speak, women contribute to corruption by pressurizing their husbands to live above their means. And this is wrong!
“Men, in order to please and satisfy their wives, also bow and succumb to corrupt practices. Women should be contented and refrain from leading the men to yield to the temptation of corruption. To avert these occurrences, women should be empowered both economically and politically, to be self-sufficient.
“Participation of women in commercial activities should be encouraged as it will definitely, obviate the penchant to push the men to seek for bribes and undue financial gratifications.
“In this wise, women should be assisted by financial institutions in the form of soft loans and expert advice to start small scale businesses. This will definitely alleviate the sufferings of not only the women but their families.
“The government should encourage self-reliance. Women have been participating in farming and this has contributed to economic development of the nation.
“The political scene must not be forgotten in this discussion. It is unfortunate that it is not yet ‘rule for women involved in politicking. The political atmosphere is not yet conducive for women. Though, women are not there, they should not give up easily.
“In the political scene, it will be of great importance if organizations are encouraged to support women who vie for political positions as it will alleviate their problems and give them a sense of belonging in the formulation and implementation of policies that help tame the menace of corruption,” she said.
On her part, wife of the Vice President, Mrs. Dolapo Osinbajo, expressed the belief that women can make immense contribution in the fight against corruption saying that women are indefatigable change agents.
Explaining why the campaign became necessary, the Acting Chairman of the EFCC, Mr. Ibrahim Magu, said that corruption must be killed before it kills Nigerians and called on all Nigerians to back the fight.
Magu said, “I therefore call on women in the 36 states, including the FCT and the 774 local governments across the federation to be prepared to carry on the torch of probity and transparency in the conduct of public affairs.
“Nigerian women, heed the clarion call to duty. Consider yourselves from now on, as soldiers in the anti-corruption army. I enjoin you to pick up your battle axe and march with us into the battlefield to take on corruption wherever it rears its ugly head.
“My message to you all is to lead from the front in the war against corruption. We must begin the fight against corruption from our homes by ensuring that our children, brothers and husbands are not involved in activities that could bring the family’s name to shame.
“I am persuaded that if women can fight corruption from their homes by rejecting ‘fortunes’ not supported by the family’s legitimate earning, the fight against corruption would be easily won.
“Nigerians have come to the realization that corruption is at the centre of all our development challenges. It is the reason the country has been unable to transform its rich natural and human resource endowment into prosperity. It is the reason for endemic and embarrassing poverty in the midst of plenty.
“We certainly cannot continue this way. It is time to break with the past and deliver hope to future generations. We at EFCC are convinced that the power to change the destiny of our nation lies in the hands of women,” Magu said.
SOURCE.. VANGUARD
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