Re: USA Africa Dialogue Series - Corruption Investigations

Beautiful-

'If the intention of any corruption investigations by the Buhari Administration is to reset the direction, functioning and posture of the Nigeria's government business'

Anunoby, Ogugua

On 25 July 2015 at 19:30, Anunoby, Ogugua <AnunobyO@lincolnu.edu> wrote:

"Someone has to start somewhere" seems reasonable without deep thought. Anti-corruption measures to be truly effective, must enjoy the confidence of people all over the country. The impression must not be created that some dogs are sacred and others are cursed. That usually raises many questions which not only cry for answers but undermine good-faith, and the fairness and integrity of the investigations.
What does last regime mean in this case- the Jonathan Administration or the Yar 'Adua/Jonathan Administration? Is the administration before them not of interest because it was led by a bombastic and outlandish lawless former Military Dictator? What about the regimes before that one too. Nigeria is in the mess she is in today because bygones have too often been allowed to be bygones even when there are very good reasons for them not to be.
No one knows for sure how much public funds  have been stolen by Nigeria's public officials and their domestic and international cronies for many decades now. The stealing has continued mostly because existing laws are either not enforced or enforced selectively. As a result public officials are seldom seriously held to account for their service. They know that will be so. The law has always been that all stolen public funds must be recovered from those who steal them and sanctions imposed as appropriate. No public official should therefore be allowed to keep any stolen public funds in the least. This is what the Buhari Administration must try to do as President Buhari promised Nigerians. Yes, not all effort will be successful but there is no knowing which will be if the effort is never made. President Buhari should not allow himself to be seen by Nigerians as yet another leader who was well positioned to do right by them, had the ability and capacity, but did not have the will and resolve. He worked too hard to be elected president to not do the job as it needs to be done. He has a chance to lead Nigeria's rebirth. He may very well be Nigeria's latter day founding father
"Fresh" should not apply to government business- especially stolen money as it applies to vegetables in the grocery store. Is there a statute of limitation on the crime of stealing public funds? Fresh, as a justification for unequal treatment of corrupt administrations is maliciously disingenuous. How could anyone who has thought deeply and has a fair measure of the opportunity and other costs to Nigeria and Nigerians, of the organized plunder of public funds over many decades not be worried that needless boundaries are being drawn and exceptions being made? If cold cases can be resurrected and solved, why not investigation and prosecution of corrupted former government officials- especially leaders?
All governments keep records. They are obliged by law to do so. Not keeping government records or destroying them are themselves crimes in many cases. Many important players going back to even the Gowon Regime are still with us. If the records and the people are there, why not do what needs to be done  and can be done? That a crime cannot be solved is not a sufficient reason not to conduct necessary investigation of it. Who knows for sure that there will be no breakthroughs if incentives are offered for people with knowledge of the crimes to come forward for example?
Anti-corruption investigations of past administrations serve a number of important purposes that include, enforcing the law,  holding people paid to do their job accountable, recovering stolen government funds, deterring future similar or other abuses, and improving government practice.  If the intention of any corruption investigations by the Buhari Administration is to reset the direction, functioning and posture of the Nigeria's government business, it is important that the impression is never given that it is designed to punish some and not all who have lawlessly breached their oath of office/signed contracts with the state, and criminally enriched themselves, while they were paid to do their jobs.

 oa
-----Original Message-----
From: usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com [mailto:usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Segun Ogungbemi
Sent: Thursday, July 23, 2015 9:16 PM
To: usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com
Subject: Re: USA Africa Dialogue Series - Corruption Investigations

Lawrence,
Someone has to start somewhere and if it begins with the last regime, so be it. After all, President Jonathan told Nigerians that stealing is not corruption. President Buhari wants Nigerians to know that stealing is corruption. Since the documents of their stolen goods (corruption) are still fresh unlike the older regimes some of which might have been burnt or destroyed, it is better to begin with them.  Tracing those ones might be like tracing a shadow for reality. You will never get it.
Please leave sentiment, ethnic loyalty and patriotism out of this dialogue.

Prof. Segun Ogungbemi

Prof. Segun Ogungbemi

> On Jul 23, 2015, at 11:30 PM, Segun Ogungbemi <seguno2013@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> Lawrence,
> Someone has to somewhere and if it begins with the last regime so be it. The documents of their corruption are still fresh unlike the older regimes some of which might have been burnt or destroyed. Tracing those ones might be like tracing a shadow for reality. You will never get it.
> Please leave out sentiment, ethnic loyalty and patriotism.
>
> Prof. Segun Ogungbemi

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