Due to massive corruption, Nigeria is an hyperinflated society where many people adopt a lifestyle that is above their financial and material capability. As a result, they adopt the Oliver Twist character where they become artful dodgers by manipulating, tricking, pilfering, looting, intimidating, lying, conning, hustling, and conniving to acquire wealth without necessarily working for it. Hence, there are billionaires who have never produced any marketable product that enhances their wealth. There are some elected and appointed public officials who live in mansions that could be described as castles, own several properties, and even private planes despite the fact that their official salaries are only sufficient for them to live modestly. There are military, police, and other top-level security officers who are multimillionaires and own multiple properties even though their salaries are incapable of providing for such things. There are civil servants who own properties all over the country even though their salaries cannot be used to explain their sources of wealth. There are multi-millionaire contractors who keep getting contracts even though they have never executed any tangible contract. Daily, there are many individuals who look for quick ways to accumulate wealth without working honestly to do so. There are some parents who think they can make quick money by selling their children. There are also those who believe they can make quick money by engaging in ritual killing of their loved ones.
As a result of the fact that the state is the primary means for the accumulation of private wealth, the unemployment situation is unbearable because many of the so-called billionaires and millionaires are pilfering from the state instead of investing in businesses and industries to create employment to accommodate millions of Nigerians who need employment to take care of themselves and their families.
Thus, Nigeria is a dysfunctional society that lacks a sense of balance or what Aristotle refers to as the “golden mean.” As a result, people are scrambling to acquire wealth by any means necessary as if the national ship is sinking. Consequently, the country is being asphyxiated as its financial lifeblood is sucked mercilessly daily, especially by those who manage the affairs of the state. Apparently, Nigeria is like a theater where a sizable number of the people, especially public officials, and civil servants are actors and actresses. Nigeria is weird because the more Nigerians claim to be Christians and Muslims, the more they engage in behaviors that are far removed from the tenets of their adopted religions. It is not unusual for a Christian pastor and an Islamic imam to engage in ritual killings in order to increase the size of their congregations and make huge money while quoting the Bible and the Quran to demonstrate their depth of understanding of their adopted religions.
The Purpose of this Article
The purpose of this article is to explore the ways in which Nigerians engage in an exaggerated lifestyle and the almost pathological desire to acquire titles. To accomplish these two goals, the article is divided into two sections. The first section explores the ways in which Nigerians live an exaggerated manner. The second section examines the manner in which Nigerians seek titles in order to reinforce an exaggerated lifestyle. It is argued that the exaggerated lifestyle and the desire for unnecessary titles are products of corruption which has eaten deeply into the fabric of Nigerian society so much so that the country is turning into a failed state because it can no longer withstand the financial and political abuse being perpetrated against it, especially by it is own ruling elite. Thus, the ruling elite behaves like colonialists because they exploit the state for their self-gratification. Therefore, they are INTERNAL COLONIALISTS whose main interest is exploiting the state and the citizens to enrich themselves. It is inappropriate to refer to those who claim to be the ruling elite in Nigeria as leaders. They are not leaders but plutocrats and internal colonialists whose main interest is to exploit the people as much as possible, like the former external colonialists.
Section I: The Exaggerated Lifestyle
Nigeria’s survival as a modern state is in question because Nigerians have not been able to work together to build a united nation. Consequently, only a minority of the population seems patriotic. The most unpatriotic elements are members of the ruling elite (political, military, police, customs, business, religious, high-level public and civil servants, and educators) who have been greatly responsible for plundering the country with total disregard for societal consequences because they have a lifestyle dictated by corruption in which they must pilfer from the state to sustain. In realization of the extravagant lifestyle that the ruling elite or the internal colonialists maintain, other Nigerians follow suit, hence, the entire country is a make-believe nation where people strive to make money without necessarily working for it. As a result, Nigeria is a highly dysfunctional nation where the primary means of creating and acquiring personal wealth is by stealing from the state. Thus, Nigerians live an exaggerated lifestyle in various ways.
First, due to an overinflated lifestyle, Nigerian politicians do not believe in democracy but merely act to create the impression that they are representing somebody while they are singularly devoted to maintaining an artificial lifestyle that they have adopted to keep up with the Jones in the advanced world. They do so in many ways.
a. Elections are a do-or-die matter because having been socialized to live an inflated lifestyle that their financial means cannot sustain, the politicians do everything possible to prevail, including lying, bribing, rigging, paying off voters, intimidating potential voters for opposition political parties, killing, and engaging in ritual sacrifices to win elections and remain in power. They hire political thugs to do whatever is necessary to ensure that they prevail, knowing that electoral victory will increase their financial well-being. Nigerian political bosses expect their thugs to take whatever measures deemed necessary for them to prevail and occupy political offices.
b. Due to an inflated lifestyle that they cannot sustain on their salaries and financial holdings, elections in Nigeria will always be rigged because the stakes are too high. The reason is that by succeeding as elected officials, the politicians sustain a lifestyle that can only be sustained through exploiting the state financially. On the other hand, an electoral defeat can turn a Nigerian local government chair or a representative or a senator, or a governor from dancing with tons of public money stored away in private homes and foreign banks into a poverty-stricken commoner in an instant. Why? Because the primary source of private wealth in Nigeria is through pilfering from the state. It is not unusual for the local government chair or governor or representative or senator to literally hijack an entire public budget designed for a particular program into a personal wealth. There have been reports that some governors have private houses stored with tons of public money which they use to buy votes and rig elections in order to remain in power. A veteran Nigerian politician alleged that a governor in one of the northwestern states of Nigeria had N22 bn. stored away in his house (Odunsi, 2023, February 12). Obviously, in Nigeria, as soon as one occupies a public office, the individual is most likely to suddenly become wealthy by converting public funds into private wealth. On the other hand, an electoral defeat means a descent into political nobody since the individual would not be able to touch public funds freely. This means a road to financial drought.
Consequently, no matter the amount of money spent on innovating the electoral system by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), elections in Nigeria will continue to be bought and or rigged. Likewise, regardless of the technological innovation of the electoral system, politicians will do everything possible to weaken it so that they win elections or remain in office because they cannot afford to become commoners after living like wealthy robber barons. Apparently, the INEC will always be subjected to manipulation and rigging of election results because the politicians want to win elections or remain in power.
The 2023 presidential electoral drama was predictable since being in public office is tantamount to being wealthy. Hence, despite the promises made by the chairman of INEC, Prof. Mahmoud Yakubu to Nigerians and the world that BVAS will be used to automatically transmit election results, the promise was blatantly ignored, and manual collation was used in determining the outcome of the presidential election. Apparently, political promises made by public officials are not worth a kobo since the state is the source of private wealth and those seeking to milk the state will take any measure deemed necessary to prevail. Thus, the INEC has developed a psychological knack for raising the hopes of Nigerians in every presidential election by promising to conduct a free and fair election and then dashing their hopes when election time comes. The god of money is too powerful and intoxicating to allow Nigerian voters to determine the outcome of an election. Indeed, the INEC is like a student who never improves academically yet keeps promising his or her parents that he or she will do better in subsequent examinations. So, like a choreographed and rehearsed dramatic presentation, after every presidential election, the INEC would announce with fanfare that it will do better next time because it has learned from its mistakes. Of course, when election time comes, the same thing repeats itself with INEC officials giving incredulous reasons why the election did not go as promised.
c. The desire to acquire the make-believe lifestyle forces politicians to operate political parties like cartels as if they are running criminal mafia organizations. As a result, the political parties are mere instruments or platforms for encouraging and protecting members to do as they wish. Consequently, party promises, goals, agendas, and plans to develop the country and enhance the quality of life of the citizens are mere slogans to deceive the people into thinking that the politicians care about them. As soon as a political party wins most electoral offices for its members, that is the end of the promises as party members strategize to loot public funds to enrich themselves. Indeed, Nigeria does not have professional political parties, but political cartels intended to provide party members with access to public funds.
d. Since the political parties operate like financial cartels, they are devoid of ideological orientations. The parties drift around like dead fish in the middle of the ocean. The members are not interested in ideologies but are driven to join by promises of having their lifestyles and social statuses enhanced financially.
e. Due to maintaining a fake lifestyle that their salaries cannot sustain; many politicians jump from one political party to another in a twinkling of an eye. They do so because they must always gravitate toward the center of power where public funds flow like water in a waterfall. To remain loyal to a defeated party is tantamount to condemning oneself to poverty and not many Nigerian politicians are willing to do so after building castles made up of 15 to 20 bedrooms in the most expensive parts of Abuja, Lagos, Kaduna, Kano, and other places in the country and overseas. Loyalty to a political party is tantamount to depriving oneself of the ability to spend holidays in New York City, Washington D.C., Paris, London, Dubai, South Africa, and so on and so forth. Moreover, since most of them send their children to higher educational institutions overseas, they must hunt for the winning party that can provide avenues for them to touch public funds.
f. Most politicians do not believe in a democracy and neither do they care about the citizens. Hence, they have no qualms about not building modern hospitals, refurbishing, and modernizing schools, building dormitories for university students, maintaining roads that are crumbling, and providing for public safety. They do not even care about maintaining the police and other security agencies in the country, apart from protecting themselves. Their lack of faith in democracy and disinterest in the welfare of the citizens is demonstrated by the fact that most of them send their children to school overseas, patronize foreign hospitals, and deposit their funds abroad. This means that many Nigerian elected and appointed high-level senior officials do not believe in Nigeria. They are internal colonizers who inherited power from the external colonizers and simply use Nigeria as a mechanism for accumulating private wealth so that they can live luxuriously. So, they scramble to accumulate wealth, buy properties in high-brow areas around the world, and purchase private planes with public funds.
g. The legislative bodies (the National Assembly and the states’ Houses of Assembly) decided to forgo their independence and become part of the executive branch of government. Generally, legislators are supposed to be the guardians of the public purse and ensure good governance by controlling and exercising oversight over the executive branch. In Nigeria, the legislators allow the executive branch to hijack their responsibilities. As a result, at the national level, the executive branch does whatever it likes with public money while many legislators are mostly interested in padding the budgets so that they can have their personal financial shares included. This explains why the administrators of the ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) are not thoroughly vetted and neither are they questioned about the integrity of the budgets they submit to the National Assembly for approval. Many administrators of the MDAs have no respect for the legislators (Senators and Representatives) because they know that legislators are mostly interested in what they can get from the budgets of the government bureaucracies. It is not surprising that many government officials decline to attend legislative committee hearings when invited because they believe strongly that the legislators are looking for what they can get and nothing more. Samuel Akpan of the Cable News reported:
There is hardly a week at the national assembly without news of government ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) failing to obey summons issued by committees of the Senate and House of Representatives. Outsiders would think the lawmakers are not empowered by law to issue such summons, hence the usual disobedience. But that is far from the case (Akan, 2021, June 16).
It is impossible to blame former President Mohammadu Buhari’s administration for excessive and wasteful spending without pointing an accusing finger at the National Assembly for enabling the excesses to take place. The National Assembly also bears the burden for the suffering of Nigerians.
At the state level, the legislators forgo their constitutional responsibility and allow the governors to act like emperors. Hence, governors have almost total control of state budgets and spend as much as they like without legislative oversight. Instead of serving as the guardians of the public purse, they wait for the governors to give them their own share of the state budgets. As far as the governors are willing to give a percentage of the budgets to the legislators, the governors are free to dispense the funds the way they see fit. In some states, the legislators and governors have even attempted to give themselves retirement pensions for life for merely serving one or two terms as state officials. Who cares about the citizens?
h. The clearest evidence that many elected and appointed public officials in Nigeria only care about their personal financial interests, the oil wealth that would have propelled the country into an industrialized and prosperous nation is siphoned off into the private pockets of the officials who manage and coordinate the oil industry and their cronies in the private sector. Ifeanyi Izeze bemoaned the pathetic situation in the oil industry where the country does not know how much of the oil wealth is stolen by writing:
The federal government does not know; the nation’s apex oil concern and our representative in the oil and gas sector, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) does not know; our security agencies cannot tell; and even the foreign multinational oil companies either do not know also or are trying to play politics with figures of stolen crude for selfish gains and to blackmail the government. Haba! Na so country dey run? (2014, November 6).
i. Anything that touches the oil region is mired in corruption that benefits mostly public officials. For instance, the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) which is responsible for the infrastructural development of the oil region is mired in corruption because it serves as a financial source for private wealth of public officials. An audit of the NDDC in 2016 by the National Assembly showed that 80% of the projects carried out by the commission were uncompleted (Perouse de Montclos, 2018, November). Since most public policymakers and public officials responsible for managing the oil industry are scrambling to accumulate as much private wealth as possible from the oil wealth, Nigeria does not care about the massive pollution and the destruction of the oil region. The lives of the indigenes are endangered since there is no political will to clean up the pollution. Public officials have no interest in spending billions of dollars to clean the oil region because they want the funds for their private usage.
j. The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) which is now euphemistically regarded as the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) is nothing but a financial leech that has sucked the financial lifeblood out of the oil wealth to enrich a very tiny number of elites through the phantom fuel subsidy and other gimmicks for over forty years with no accountability to the Nigerian people. Nigeria is the only country that has three or four refineries that do not work, yet billions of dollars are spent to supposedly maintain them. Likewise, Nigeria is probably the only country in the world that produces oil yet spent billions of dollars to import refined petroleum from other countries at exorbitant prices. No oil producing country has been financially abused and exploited as Nigeria because of the greediness of some of the individuals who manage the oil industry in the country. These individuals do not believe in Nigeria at all.
k. It is not by accident that some elected public officials at the state level in some states have attempted to reward themselves with life pensions, houses, cars, and overseas vacations. These officials know full well that some of their citizens barely eat daily, yet they think that they are so important that they can exploit their states to enrich themselves through the pension system even though they are not civil servants.
l. Some public officials and government agencies prefer to do business with the American dollar instead of the Nigerian naira. Thus, they contribute to the deNigerianization of Nigeria by preferring to do business in foreign currencies instead of using the national currency. The motive is always to exploit the system to enrich themselves. It is even rumored or alleged that members of the National Assembly that want to lead various committees must cough out certain fees in American dollars to be awarded such key positions. The rumor seems to be corroborated by media report that the senatorial candidates for the President of the Senate position spent thousands of dollars to buy votes. The Sahara Reporters quoted an insider in the Senate who allegedly said, “The Senate Presidency may trade for between $5,000 and $10,000 or even more. Some of the senators-elects have started playing double game, collecting dollars from the two contending camps and signing up for them,” (“Senators-elect collect bribes In thousands of dollars from Senate President hopefuls, Akpabio, Yari ahead of inauguration,” 2023, June 12). The Sahara Reporters also reported that former governor Abdulaziz Yari spent about $70 million to contest the senatorial presidency. The online media outlet reported:
Sources told SaharaReporters on Monday that Yari lost at least $72 million in the process as he allegedly gave senators at least $500,000 each to secure their votes. It was however learnt that some of the senators who were paid by Yari ditched him at the last minute, landing the former governor in the foreign hospital (“EXCLUSIVE: Ex-Governor Yari Lands In London Hospital After Losing Senate Presidency To Tinubu’s Candidate, Akpabio Despite Paying Senators Millions Of Dollars,” (2023, June 19).
If the rumors are true, then it is unfortunate because the National Assembly is supposed to be the democratic heart of the country as the members represent various congressional districts. Yet, they are alleged to be trading in dollars for committee leadership positions.
m. Part of the scheme to loot the state dry both at the national and state levels, is the tendency of some elected and appointed high-level officials to exhaust the financial resources of the country and states, ministries, departments, and agencies by spending unnecessarily through creating programs, awarding of contracts, and employing of people as their terms of office are about to end. In other words, many officials who are leaving office tend to believe that they have an inalienable right to bankrupt the national government, their states, ministries, departments, and agencies before they leave office. It is through such reckless spending that they enrich themselves. This is the reason, especially at the state level, many new governors almost always inherit empty treasuries because their predecessors made sure that they carted away every available money before their departure. In keeping with the tradition of exhausting the treasury before departure from office, Terhemba Daka and Ameh Ochojila reported that the Federal Executive Council (FEC) approved contracts worth over N100bn while they had only forty days left to hand over to a new administration. Therefore, it is not strange that the Buhari administration appointed 33 directors in the aviation sector days to the end of the administration. The hiring ignited anger among workers in the sector (“Protest looms at major Nigerian airports over last minute appointment of 33 directors in aviation sector by former President Buhari,”2023, June 3), If not for self-centeredness, the Buhari administration would have left those positions open for the incoming administration to fill. It seems some former officials wanted to make a final financial killing before they handed over power to the new administration. This is the sad story of Nigeria where those who are supposed to run the affairs of the country are responsible for inflicting financial hardship on the state and the citizens (Daka and Ochojila, 2023, April 20).
n. Not to be outdone, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) or the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) or whatever it is called, is alleged to have secretly hired about 200 people without letting the public to know about it. The allegation is that most of those employed are the children of the ‘’high and mighty.” They did not even apply for the positions, but the top leadership of the organization decided to hire them by sending them letters of employment (“EXCLUSIVE: Secret recruitment: Nigeria’s Petroleum Company, NNPC CEO, Kyari employs children Of Ex-President Buhari’s aides, top politicians in managerial positions without due process,” 2023, May 31). It should be noted that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) had carried out a similar illegal employment in the early years of the Buhari administration. Meanwhile, the indigenes of the oil region are starving and being choked to death by lack of employment in the sector while they are bombarded with poisonous chemicals generated by oil and gas exploration. The NNPC or NNPCL has never shown any interest in enhancing the quality of life of the inhabitants of the oil region.
o. The Olympic Gold medal-winning stratagem to hoodwink Nigerians goes to those Nigerian public officials in the Ministry of Aviation who were involved in the Ethiopian Airline plane that was painted as belonging to the Nigeria Air, even though it was chartered from the Ethiopians. The plotters wanted to create the illusion that the national airline was right on target to meet the deadline for being activated as the nation’s airline. However, the plotters failed to change the registration number of the plane to reflect Nigerian ownership, hence discerning Nigerians caught the trick very quickly and informed the world that it was a sham. The Ethiopians might have been amused at the level Nigerian public officials can go to gain an advantage over the Nigerian state (“Nigerian Federal Lawmakers Confirm SaharaReporters’ Story, Declare Launch Of ‘Nigeria Air’ By Buhari Government A Fraud,” 2023, May 6). It should be noted that the former minister of Aviation alleged that the airline project was prevented from materializing due to demands made by some members of the national legislature for five percent of the shares of the airline. The legislators rejected the accusation.
p. The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), in the last eight or nine years, has been the coordinating center for the alleged financial decimation of the country. Perhaps, colonized by a very greedy cabal, the CBN bare-facedly initiated policies, programs, and actions that have impoverished the Nigerian people while enabling a few individuals to become billionaires and multimillionaires. One of the rumors or allegations that is floating around is that most of the loans the CBN loaned to Nigeria were actually funds owned by the Nigerian government. This means that Nigeria, under President Muhammadu Buhari was simply borrowing its own money and enabling some individuals to become very rich in the process. The funds for the loans were allegedly generated through the Stamp Tax but were treated as private funds, thereby forcing the Nigerian government to borrow them. Another allegation is that as soon as some Nigerians detected the anomaly of the Stamp Tax, the name was immediately changed to Electronic Transfer fees. A possible third allegation or rumor is that the naira change program was merely a sham even though huge sums of money was spent for the exercise.
In overall, some public officials in NNPC and CBN and their cronies who make up the invisible cabal won triple Olympic Gold Medals for displaying an unprecedented level of greed to the point of literally turning a very rich country like Nigeria that would have been competing with South Korea, Taiwan, India, France, Britain, and so forth, in technological and economic development into the poverty capital of the world.
Second, sensing that both elected and appointed public officials do not care about the country, except for themselves and their immediate families, an increasing number of citizens decided to adopt the extravagant lifestyle too to create an illusion of being wealthy. This is in line with the view that if you can’t beat them, you join them. As a result, they throw away any sense of morality and ethics and adopt Machiavellian tactics in order to survive. Evidently, lying, cunning, tricking, telling of tall tales, acting, kidnapping, killing, intimidating, and thieving have become part of the standard operating procedures in Nigeria. It is very difficult today to believe anything anybody says. Basically, the GOD OF MONEY NOW RULES NIGERIA.
Third, due to living beyond their means, some people have the habit of invading other people’s landed properties and asking for compensation as a form of community or neighborhood tax. Thus, in many parts of Nigeria, after an individual might have legally bought a piece of land, a group of touts who sometimes call themselves “area boys” will appear on the property and demand compensation as a form of tax for land that does not belong to them. Sometimes, even chiefs get into this tricking ang intimidation game. They would wait until someone buys a piece of land. After the land has been purchased and the individual might have started putting up a building, a chief and his boys will suddenly appear to inform the owner of the land that he or she needs to pay to use the land after the individual has already paid for the property. This is why it is necessary for any Nigerian who wishes to buy a piece of land to be careful, otherwise, the individual might end up losing the property or paying two or three times for the same piece of land. Even though the act is criminal, the police rarely intervene to stop the fraud.
a. As part of the effort to get free money to maintain the fake lifestyle, some landowners sometimes intentionally sell the same piece of land to two or three people at the same time. The purchasers are then forced to fight each other to the point that the richest among them might decide to pay extra money to gain an advantage over the other buyers. By playing this money trick, the original landowner ends up receiving two or three payments for the same piece of land. This game sometimes ends in death if the buyers are doggedly determined to ensure their rights by fighting to prevail over the land.
b. There are increasing cases whereby family members sell houses belonging to other family members without even informing the rightful owners. When the rightful owners realize that their properties have been sold without their permission by some family members, the fracas sometimes results in the police getting involved and making the situations even more complicated as they demand bribes from both sides of the issue.
Fourth, the need to live a good life has also compelled some family members to prey on their own children, brothers, sisters, uncles, and aunts who live overseas. Increasingly, when some of those who live overseas send money to their trusted family members to help them to buy land and build houses for them, the funds are commandeered the way some public officials and civil servants commandeer public funds. The funds are either used for other purposes instead of building the houses. There have been cases in which some trusted family members send fake pictures of houses being built to their family members overseas to deceive and encourage them to continue to send money even though no houses were being built at home.
a. There are also cases whereby family members take the money sent by their relatives overseas and use the money to build their own houses without any atom of guilt about the fraudulent act. Some Nigerians living overseas who sent money to their loved ones to build houses for them or invest in businesses have been killed by their family members when they return to Nigeria to find out what happened to the houses or businesses, they have been investing in. Imagine the case of a Nigerian lady who worked tirelessly in the U.S. to send money to her brother to build a house for her for years. She was devastated when she visited Nigeria and found out that after spending so much money, the house was still uncompleted, and the brother could not explain what happened to all the funds she has been sending for the house project. To add salt to the injury, other family members remained quiet while the brother perpetrated the fraud against her (“US based woman bewails over ‘uncompleted’ house brother built for her in Nigeria,” 2023, April 20).
b. It is increasingly sad in Nigeria that many people have lost any sense of guilt for defrauding their own family members just because they want to live an exaggerated lifestyle without working for the money. Imagine a case in which a couple in Lagos attempted to defraud their relatives living overseas of N5 million by staging a false kidnapping incident to compel the relatives to send them money. This case shows clearly that the GOD OF MONEY RULES Nigeria since the wife of the man who plotted the self-kidnapping plan was making about N150,000 from each of her clients as a massage therapist. Yet she went along with the husband to defraud their relatives overseas (“Couple arrested for faking kidnap to extort N5m from UK relatives.” 2023, April 30). This attempted fraud also highlights the fallacy that many Nigerians hold about the view that anyone who lives overseas is rich. It is unfortunate that millions of Nigerians assume that anyone who lives in the U.S. or Britain or France or Germany or Turkey or Russia or Spain or Italy must be rich. This is why they incessantly beg for money from their relatives who live overseas. In fact, millions of Nigerians have become shameless beggars. Azuka Onwuka wrote an interesting article about the begging epidemic in Nigeria. He noted, “It seems that begging has been normalised in Nigeria. It is ubiquitous. Virtually everybody is begging, irrespective of status” (2023, June 13).
It should be noted that just as there are rich and poor people in Nigeria, there are also rich and poor people in the USA, UK, France, Germany, Canada, Holland, Australia, Brazil, and so on and so forth. Consequently, some Nigerians who live overseas are doing well while some are struggling to even have money to pay their rents and other bills. Some Nigerians overseas do some of the dirtiest and back-breaking jobs that most Nigerians will not do at home simply to survive. Yet some of their relatives in Nigeria keep pressuring them to send money as if they own banks overseas. Due to a lack of correct information, many Nigerians are not aware that sometimes it takes about five to ten years or more to simply have a work permit to get a job legally in most foreign countries. It takes a lot of sacrifices to get work permits and in some cases GREEN CARDs to qualify for any government program or obtain certain kinds of jobs. There are some Nigerians who have spent twenty or more years and are still struggling to get GREEN CARDs in the United States.
Fifth, some crooks who are seeking to get rich without doing anything substantively played on the sensibilities of some Nigerians by promising to double their earnings if they contribute to a financial scheme in which payments are made on a regular basis as more people contribute to the plan. The financial schemes are known as:
Ponzi schemes, [which is] also known as pyramid sales schemes, are a money laundering system where investors are lured in with the promise of high returns on investment after a specified period. The system runs in a somewhat cyclic fashion by paying old investors with deposits of new investors. Usually, this cycle becomes unsustainable when the backlog of old investors eligible for payments exceeds the investments coming into the system (Dan-Awoh, 2022, July 22).
Generally, the crooks would make the initial payments to their clients, who get excited by the sudden influx of money and then encourage their friends and family members to contribute to the plan. Thus, as more people contribute financially to the plan, the crooks would suddenly disappear with millions of naira without paying the contributors who wait patiently to be rewarded for having contributed to the plan. In 2016, about three million Nigerians invested N18bn in the Ponzi scheme (Deborah Dan-Awoh, 2022, July 22). Some Nigerians have exhausted their savings because they fell prey to the Ponzi schemes and rendered themselves penniless. Some victims become depressed and suicidal having lost all their savings to the fraudsters.
Sixth, the mad rush to make quick and miraculous money, after some elected and appointed public officials and civil servants have set the stage for doing so, some Nigerians no longer have qualms about accumulating wealth through the killing of their own mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, wives, girlfriends, boyfriends, husbands, sons, daughters, and friends through money-making rituals. The temptation to acquire quick wealth is tempting to the extent that some young people now engage in ritual killings of their loved ones. A particularly painful case was the three young boys who killed a girlfriend of one of them and burnt her body. Ishola Oludare reported, “There was pandemonium in Oke Aregba area of Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, after some teenage boys were caught burning the head of a girl, said to be in a relationship with one of them, for money ritual”(2022, January 29). Some Nigerians killed their girlfriends and mothers and then had sex with the corpses as part of the process of completing the ritual to accumulate wealth magically. An 18-year-old Samuel Akpobome allegedly confessed to killing his mother and having sex with the body by saying:
I wanted to use her (Christiana) for money rituals. I strangled her; she was sleeping when I strangled her at about 5am. I was advised by a native doctor in Oghara to kill her. After killing her, I slept with her. The native doctor told me to do so and keep her corpse for two days.
“The native doctor told me to kill my mother and sleep with her corpse. But he did not tell me the number of days to sleep with her. My mother did not offend me. I killed her because of money (Okere, 2018, November 8).
Seventh, today drug addiction is ravishing some young Nigerians because some people want to make money fast, regardless of the negative side effects that mind-altering drugs have on their consumers and society. To make money fast and live like millionaires and billionaires, some Nigerians are trafficking dangerous addictive drugs. As a result, an increasing number of young men and women are becoming addicted to illegal hard drugs. No week goes by without a Nigerian being caught somewhere in the world for trafficking in illegal drugs.
Eighth, the god of money rules Nigeria with supreme authority. As a result, it is difficult to trust anyone, even your own workers. Increasingly, some Nigerians have been violently killed by their drivers, gatekeepers, and house workers who are looking for ways to make quick money as the god of money directs them to do. Two of the most heart-wrenching cases involved Mr. and Mrs. Kehinde Fatinoye of the Central Bank of Nigeria and Mr. Femi Egbeolua and his wife. Mr. and Mrs Fatinoye and their son were allegedly murdered by a group of killers arranged by their driver. The driver and his four conspirators killed and burnt the bodies of the couple while they threw the lifeless body of their son into a river in Abeokuta, Ogun State ( (Akintolan, 2023, February 10).The second brutal murder involved the killing of Mr. Femi Egbeolua and his wife Funmi in Lagos by their driver while the man was preparing to go overseas for medical treatment. The driver was alleged to have connived with another worker in the house to kill the couple. The attempt to kill a maid failed because she survived the ordeal and identified the driver as the main suspect (Usman, 2023, March 25).Some Nigerians have been killed by their gatemen who are supposed to protect them.
Ninth, the law enforcement and security forces are facing challenges due to a lack of financial accountability and communication between the senior officers and the non-commissioned officers. The most worrisome development is that both police officers and soldiers complained that sometimes their salaries and allowances are not paid on time. Sometimes, they are partially paid without any convincing explanation by the senior officers. Claire Mom reported:
Some soldiers of the Nigerian Army have expressed concerns over the delay in the payment of their July salaries. This is not the first time there have been reports on soldiers complaining over delays in the payment of their salaries. In January, there were reports of soldiers being owed salaries, but the Nigerian Army had dismissed the claims (Mom, 2022, August 5).
Iro Dan Fulani reported the frustration of some Nigerian soldiers, particularly the case of one solder:
In the first few months of his deployment, he received a monthly allowance of N30,000. Suddenly, over a year ago, even as the war against the insurgents intensified, his allowance was cut to N15,000. No explanations have been given to him and his colleagues about the pay slash.
Unlike before, our allowances are not being paid in full. Instead of the N30,000 monthly allowance we used to get, we now get N15,000. Somebody is sitting comfortably in Abuja, stealing our money, and we are here facing Boko Haram fire every day. God will judge them,” said the soldier in a voice thick with despondency (Fulani, 2014, May 5).
Apart from salary issues, the working conditions for both the members of the Nigerian Police Force and the Nigerian Army are not encouraging. Generally, police officers and soldiers lack appropriate equipment to perform their duties. No wonder, the World Internal Security and Police Index International (WISPI) in 2016 rated the Nigerian Police Force as the “worst in the world” (Ikuteyijo, 2022, March 22).
b. In Nigeria, as part of the effort to maintain a lifestyle that their official salaries cannot sustain, some police officers even arrest and detain suspects in civil cases involving citizens. Generally, in almost every country, civil cases are treated differently from criminal cases. While the police are expected to carry out an arrest in criminal cases, the police have no such automatic rights in civil cases. This means that if two individuals have an issue, they are supposed to go to court and file civil suits to address their grievances. In other words, in civil cases, complainants are expected to sue the defendants in court and seek redress or compensation. However, if a civil case has criminal implications, the police can arrest a suspect, pending full investigation. In Nigeria, it is not unusual for police officers to arrest an individual for a civil case involving two individuals or communities. They do so when one individual has paid them to purposely detain another person to inform the individual that the other individual has the money and power to influence the police to act on his or her behalf. As a result, some wealthy Nigerians use the police to punish those who oppose or challenge them by paying some police officers to arrest, beat and detain them. It is not unusual in Nigeria for an individual to be locked up for two or more months, even years for a civil case just because the other individual had instructed the police to teach the person a lesson. In fact, it should be recalled that Raymond Abbas, (aka Hushpuppy) allegedly paid former Deputy Commissioner of Police Abba Kyari money to detain an individual who betrayed him on a financial deal that went wrong in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Reuters reported, “Kyari was alleged to have taken money from Hushpuppi as a payment for arranging to have one of his accomplices locked up in Nigeria after a dispute among the conspirators” (“Nigerian Police chief indicted in U.S. over ‘Hushpuppi’ fraud,” 2021, July29). It should be noted that this case has not been resolved yet.
c. On a weekly basis, somewhere in Nigeria, a police officer is arresting and detaining an individual for a civil dispute because the complainant had paid and instructed the police to teach the helpless victim a lesson. Similarly, it is not unusual for someone to pay the police to arrest an individual who legitimately owns a house in a very desirable neighborhood where a big man or woman wants the land by all means necessary. While the police detains the legitimate owner, the rich man or woman would send a bulldozer to demolish the person’s property and begin to build on the land, with little or no consequences. Many police officers flaunt the law because they are scrambling to accumulate wealth.
Tenth, the Christian church is increasingly a big business in Nigeria and probably throughout Black Africa and church leaders compete with politicians to acquire wealth by any means necessary. They do so because many of them are motivated by a desire to live an exaggerated lifestyle. As a result, many Christian pastors are some of the richest elites in Nigeria. Some of them do not want to wait until they get to heaven to enjoy a luxurious never-ending life in paradise. They want to enjoy heaven on earth. Hence, they psychologically pressure their church members through preaching selected passages in the Bible to force them to give tithes. Through such efforts, many pastors who prefer to call themselves bishops, apostles, and prophets build huge mansions like politicians and high-level public officials and live luxuriously. Apart from building huge houses, they also buy expensive clothes and cars as if they are Hollywood actors and actresses. Some Nigerian pastors are not even happy having huge mansions and expensive cars. So, they buy private planes. In addition, some of them have invested in off-shore businesses to boost their financial standing for themselves and their children. Thus, it seems that most Nigerian and Black African pastors do not believe in paradise in the godly realm since their heaven is on Earth, and they want to enjoy all the things paradise can offer on Earth. Meanwhile, they tell their church members to wait for the coming of the lord.
Some of the pastors that have not made it financially engage in satanic rituals in order to increase their financial standing to enable them to live like millionaires. Thus, some pastors go as far as engaging in human sacrifices and burying human body parts in their churches to compel the congregation to donate money generously without thinking. In fact, some pastors have been arrested and charged with killing people with the intent to concoct money-making rituals (“Pastor kills secret lover for ritual purpose in Ogun,” 2-18, April3). The incidents of pastors killing people for ritual purposes is common throughout black Africa. Some pastors feel that being a “pastor” is insufficient psychologically, financially, and socially to satisfy the kind of lifestyle they desire, so they refer to themselves as bishops and prophets. Other members of the churches preferred to be called evangelists, apostles, and overseers. The words “humility” and “simplicity” that are generally associated with religion and spirituality do not exist in Nigeria and Black Africa. Nigerians who believe that their pastors will lead them to heaven need to reflect deeply on their lives.
It seems that many Nigerian pastors enter the priestly occupation just to make money and live large like business tycoons and politicians. As a result, many of them protested when the Federal Government instituted a lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic. The pastors reacted angrily because the locked-down affected their incomes negatively, hence, they pleaded to be allowed to continue their services despite the danger of spreading the virus in close quarters. When the government refused to allow them to open churches for services, some pleaded with their congregations to send money to them by the internet (“Pastor Ashimolowo sparks outrage for asking members to pay offerings online amid COVID-19 lockdown.” 2020, March 25). Thus, many Nigerian pastors worship money and not God.
Eleventh, since the ruling elites are interested in the maximization of their self-interest through pilfering of public funds, insufficient attention is being paid to educating Nigerian children because the funds allocated for public education at both the national and state levels are insufficient to enhance the quality of education. Politicians and public officials generally do not care about the dilapidated public primary and secondary school facilities in many parts of the country. Moreover, they have no concern at all about the children of the masses as far as their own children receive the best education possible. As a result, between 8 and 20 million children, depending on the sources of information, are not going to school in the country (“What is the number of Nigeria’s out-of-school children,” 2022, September 11). The situation is worse in Islamic northern Nigeria where religious feelings tend to foster anti-Western education posture. The former Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II alluded to the lack of commitment to Western education in the Islamic North. Chijioke Jannah of the Daily Post reported, “Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, has said the abhorrence of Western education in the name of practicing Islam has doomed northern part of Nigeria into becoming the poorest region in the country.” (2017, April 5).
Twelfth, since the ruling elite is interested in the maximization of self-interest through pilfering of public funds from the state, insufficient attention is being paid to educating Nigerian children because the budget for public education is not enough to enhance the quality of children’s education, both at the national and state levels. Thus, between 8 and 20 million children, depending on the sources of information, are not going to school in the country (“What is the number of Nigeria’s out-of-school children,” 2022, September 11, Nigeria Tribune. https://tribuneonlineng.com/what-is-the-number-of-nigerias-out-of-school-children/). The situation is worse in Islamic northern Nigeria where anti-Western education posture seems to discourage massive investment in the education of the children of the masses. The former Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II alluded to the problem by sa The number of out-of-school children is alarming but there is no serious effort being made to stop the dangerous trend since the elite sends their children to expensive private schools. Sadly, public funds that would have been allocated for building schools, buying equipment, and training teachers to educate the children of the masses are converted into personal wealth by members of the ruling elite. It seems the presidency, governors, representatives, senators, local government chairs, officials of the ministries of education, and some school administrators have closed their eyes to thimportance of education in raising children and building a progressive nation.
Twelfth, the desire to live an inflated life has negatively impacted the educational sector generally. Some of those responsible for managing the public educational system, including vice-chancellors, registrars, provosts, chairs, professors, lecturers, bursars, principals, headmasters, teachers, and education officials from the ministries of education today have forsaken their professional responsibilities and no longer care about the quality of education as they scramble to accumulate funds to build houses and save huge sums of money in order to live like millionaires and billionaires as the politicians and appointed high-government officials are noted for. In other words, some of those in the educational sector do not want to be left behind as others invade public treasuries to amass personal wealth. They devise various ways to exploit their students and divert funds meant for academic enhancement, infrastructural development and rehabilitation, and equipment enrichment into their private ownership. This explains why throughout Nigeria, most primary and secondary schools are like refugee camps set up in war zones. They are unkept with leaky roofs, broken desks and chairs, and poor teaching and laboratory equipment. In some schools, the students sit on the floor because there are no desks and chairs.
It should be noted that the breakdown in public schools started at the time some former public officials began to build expensive private schools. Therefore, it could be argued that some former public officials looted from the public educational sector to build expensive private schools to which only those who are financially endowed could send their children to attend. Therefore, it is not surprising that some of the best universities, colleges of technology, and secondary and primary schools today are for-profit-making private schools while public schools continued to be sacrificed due to lack of interest by public officials to maintain them.
In the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s when Nigerians lived modestly and manage their existence based on their incomes and business earnings, public schools (primary and secondary schools and universities) were some of the best not only in Nigeria but in the world. It is doubtful whether Kings College and Queens College in Lagos, Government College Umuahia, Hope Waddle Training Institute in Calabar, Government Comprehensive Secondary School in Port Harcourt, and so on and so forth of today can compete with the same schools of the 1960s and 1970s. The surprising thing is that there was less money in the 1970s and more money today, yet educational facilities in the 1970s were much better than the same facilities today. The difference could be explained by the fact that today, accumulating private wealth from the public treasury is the culture of doing educational business in Nigeria. In the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s, Nigerian students were treated with much regard and properly taken care of. Today, they are treated as FINANCIAL COMMODITIES that warrant exploitation. This is a major contributing factor toward the treatment of university students as exploitable refugees that must be cramped up in ill-equipped and overcrowded dormitories and hazardous private houses.
Like some public officials, some private school owners expect parents to pay their children’s school fees in American dollars instead of the Nigerian naira. In addition, some private schools charge all kinds of unexplainable fees, thereby making some of the schools even more expensive than private schools in Britain, France, and the United States. The proprietors of these private schools are bastardizing Nigeria by forcing Nigerians to pay school fees in foreign currency, thereby violating Nigerian sovereignty.
Neglected and abandoned by the state and school authorities, many male students join destructive cults or gangs where they engage in violent activities and illegal drug dealing to earn income and pretend to live the extravagant lifestyle. Many female students, especially in the universities, decided to gain membership in the world’s oldest profession in order to make money and live the extravagant lifestyle like celebrities. Thus, corruption is a major problem in the educational sector. For instance, Premium Times reported four cases of corruption involving public higher educational institutions. The first case of corruption deals with N800 million in the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), allegedly involving the Vice Chancellor, Pro-Chancellor, and the Bursar. The second case deals with the misappropriation of N24 million at the Federal University of Technology Akure (FUTA) allegedly involving the vice chancellor and the bursar. The third case involved the University of Calabar dealing with the allegations of fraud, forgery, and threat to life filed against the bursar. The fourth case involved the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) in which a former vice chancellor was alleged to have engaged in fraud amounting to N3.5bn (Onyeji, 2017, March 19).
Thirteenth, while the Arabs, Iranians, Pakistanis, Indonesians, and other Muslim societies are sending their female children to school in large numbers, in Nigeria, the Islamic elite prefer to continue to rear female children of the masses for marriage purposes only and frown at sending them to school en masse. As a result, girls between the ages 12 and 15 are married to men who sometimes already have two or more wives. Some men who marry young girls do not even have the means to take care of the children they already have given birth to yet are encouraged under the cloak of religion to marry more young girls and born more children. The foresighted former Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II noted the problem. while other northern Islamic leaders remained quiet. Again, Chijioke Jannah reported, “Going further, he questioned the right of people in having more children in the region without having the resource to take care of them” (2017, April 5). The lackadaisical attitude toward the education of female children is a threat to the national security of Nigeria. The reason is that it contributes to poverty. Moreover, it creates a sociological imbalance between females in the South and the North. Thus, while female children in the North are not allowed to be children and go to school in large numbers, female children in the South are going to school in large numbers. The implication is that many females in southern Nigeria are increasingly educated to become professionals, public officials, specialists, and business entrepreneurs while those in the North are compelled to remain behind. Therefore, as more young women in the South are educated and become successful in various occupations, they are more likely to take care of their children and families while many of their counterparts in the Islamic North will be ill-equipped to take care of their children if their husbands pass away. Similarly, more women in southern Nigeria will be able to generate wealth on their own personal effort than women in Islamic northern Nigeria. It is necessary for the Islamic elite in northern Nigeria to emulate Islamic leaders in Arabia and other parts of the Islamic world who are sending their female children to school in large numbers instead of restricting them to be married at earlier ages as the Taliban is attempting to do in Afghanistan.
Fourteenth, as part of the effort by the elite to discourage mass education, it could be said that some Fulani elites continue to encourage nomadic cattle herding where a large proportion of their masses are expected not to go to school but take care of the cattle that belong to rich individuals in society. As a result, many Fulani herders, their wives, and children are uneducated. They are expected to roam about with cattle belonging to rich people who do not want to invest robustly to take care of their cattle business. The poor herders cannot even send their wives and children to school, instead, roam with them and possibly sleep in forest camps as if they were operating in the 18th and 19th centuries. While the poor herders suffer all kinds of indignities since they are not sufficiently compensated for their services, the rich cattle owners pocket the wealth generated through the sufferings of the cattle herders. Therefore, it could be argued that the anger that has built up over decades of marginalization, discrimination, and lack of attention contributes to the bloody violence that some herders are carrying out to punish Nigerian society for neglecting them. It is time the Nigerian government compels all cattle business owners (whether Fulani or not) to invest in their business of raising cattle by establishing ranches and taking good care of the herders. It should be noted that many cattle owners today are not necessarily Fulani in Nigeria. In short, it is time for cattle barons in Nigeria to stop exploiting and treating herders as if they are sub-human beings who have no right whatsoever to aspire to a higher level of living like others in society. The feudalistic cattle breeding system must give way to allow children of herders to go to school.
Fifteenth, as a result of irrational behavior emanating from the exaggerated lifestyle that corruption has foisted on society, marriage has become a financial killer for most young people. Nigerians are spending exorbitantly to wed as if nothing else matter. First, they spend considerably to carry out traditional marriage ceremonies. Then, they arrange for a more expensive Christian or Islamic weddings that resemble carnivals. Thus, marriage has become a high-stake financial game that many young men and women cannot keep up with. The consequence is that many young men and women cannot get married early because they do not have the financial wherewithal to carry out a talk-of-the-town kind of wedding. Since most young men cannot afford to acquire the luxuries of life, marriage is being delayed. The desire to put up a grand wedding seems to encourage some men to embezzle public funds since that is the only way they can afford to create the image of an exaggerated lifestyle. Increasingly, as money has become the god of Nigeria, invited guests to wedding ceremonies are now being compelled to donate cash rather than material gifts ( Adegbesan, 2023, June 12). This means that any invited guest who attends a wedding ceremony must cough out money as a gift. It is MONEY, MONEY, and MORE MONEY. It is predictable that it is mostly those who have money to give that are likely to be invited so that they can donate money generously. SHAME!
The political and business elites are responsible for creating the Las Vegas kind of glamorous marriages in Nigeria. They do so by sometimes arranging to marry in Dubai or London or Paris. In Nigeria, it is not unusual for the elites to even hire private planes to ferry people to wedding locations where very glamorous marriages are conducted either for themselves or their children. Some high-level public officers even go as far as buying houses worth N300 million or more for their sons who are getting married. By setting such high financial trends, other Nigerians try to emulate them by arranging for glitzy wedding ceremonies and in the process, pilfer public funds. No wonder, some Nigerian parents are mow moving beyond the traditional list of requirements for dowry payments to include other items. Elizabeth Adegbesan of Vanguard reported:
Also, Economy & Lifestyle has discovered a growing trend where parents expand dowry lists to include some strange items not known to the marriage culture. Is it not surprising that, these days, dowry lists include elcetric generators, refrigerators, motor bikes, bundles of zinc, wheel barrows and many other items that are not culturally linked to marriage rites. Our discovery is that all these are due to the deterioriating economy (Adegbesan, 2023, July 17)..
Sixteenth, during the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s, when a person passes away, in the Middle Belt and southern Nigeria, the deceased was buried within two or three days, except if the individual was a king or queen or a traditional high chief. Today, most non-Muslims want to carry out carnival-like funerals to bury their loved ones. As a result, it is now an accepted part of the exaggerated social value system for those that have passed away to be kept in mortuaries for months, if not years, while the families struggle to accumulate large sums of money to organize grand funerals. Although very unnecessary, Nigerians have developed this crazy idea that millions of naira must be spent to bury family members that have passed away simply to boost the ego. The pressure to accumulate such funds forces many people who work in the public sector to loot public funds. Some engage in other criminal activities to obtain funds to carry out funerals. Thus, death in Nigeria today is like a curse to those families that cannot bury their loved ones in grand funerals. The Christian church in Nigeria is guilty of encouraging such excesses as some pastors demand certain privileges to conduct funeral services.
Thankfully, the Islamic North refuses to buy into the craziness in the Christian South and the Middle Belt. Hence, among Muslims, the deceased is buried a day after death in a simple funeral ceremony, regardless of the social status of the individual. It does not matter whether the individual is a head of state or an emir or not, as soon as the individual passes away, he or she is buried the following day in a simple funeral ceremony. In the Christian regions of Nigeria, large sums of money are spent to bury a high-status individual. This forces people to devise tricky ways to accumulate money for funerals.
The Nigerian government has not taken measures to stop this unnecessary extravagant and ego-boosting nonsense that puts undue pressure on Nigerian families. The reason the government has failed to do so is because it was some members of the ruling elite and their colleagues in the private sector that started the practice.
Seventeenth, to maintain an inflated lifestyle, the costs of all contracts in Nigeria are inflated to enable some people acquire additional income to boost their financial holdings. The reason is that many public officials who are responsible for approving government contracts, those in the finance offices that must do the paperwork, the political or administrative bosses, including the ministers, permanent secretaries, and directors of the agencies must get their cuts or kickbacks from the contracts. Having done so, those awarded contracts will then cut their share of the contracts before the execution or implementation of the contracts. Sometimes, the contractors simply abandon the contracts after pocketing what remains of the funds allocated for the contracts. This is responsible for the numerous uncompleted projects throughout Nigeria. It is a recurring experience in Nigeria and has become the culture of doing business in the country.
Generally, contracts are awarded to those contractors who are willing to play the game of 10 percent, i.e., giving back ten percent to the officials who signed off on the contracts. Any Nigerian contractor that wants to do a thorough contractual project that is not willing to make cuts or grease the palms of some officials is most certainly not going to be awarded a public contract. Only those who are willing to play the game are most likely to be awarded contracts, regardless of whether they qualify or not. The motivational factor is that the public officials who approve contracts must maintain their inflated financial status by making sure that they are able to increase their wealth to live like millionaires and billionaires.
Eighteenth, retirement benefits that are due to those who have meritoriously completed their years of services and have retired are treated as free money by some public officials who supervise and manage retirement accounts. As a result, instead of paying retirees diligently, the tendency in most of Nigeria’s public bureaucracies at the local, state, and national levels, is to intentionally withhold or delay payments and keep the funds in the banks to yield interests that benefit the public officials who manage retirement accounts. The more funds or benefits are withheld, the more money the public officials gain from interests on the principal accounts. Sometimes, retirement funds are embezzled outright by some public officials to increase their personal financial standings. Generally, due to lack of concern, retirees beg for years before they get benefits that are rightly theirs. Sometimes, the retirement funds are intentionally withheld hoping that the beneficiaries would pass away. If the beneficiaries pass away, in some cases, the funds are automatically converted into personal accounts by some public officials who coordinate retirement programs. The retirement system is very callous and deadly to retirees.
Nineteenth, a noticeable sad commentary on the inflated lifestyle in Nigeria is that continuity in government is not necessarily encouraged. For instance, if a local government chair or a governor embarks on a project that is likely to benefit the citizenry but is unable to complete the project during his or her tenure of office, the incoming local government chair or governor may hesitate to support the project. Several projects are abandoned throughout the country because the incoming political leaders are not enthusiastic about completing projects initiated by their predecessors. In their study, Okey Nwanekeze and Walpole Nwanguma cited previous studies which indicated that there were about 4,000 uncompleted or abandoned projects belonging to the Federal Government of Nigeria that amounted to about N300 billion in the 1990s. They identified “wrong estimates, inflation, inadequate planning, poor risk management, inadequate finance, etc.,” (2019). It is arguable that the primary motivation for the unwillingness to complete carry-over projects is that an incoming administrator, be it at the local or state, or national government level, might feel that he or she is not likely to gain personally from a project initiated by a predecessor. Thus, instead of bringing the project to fruition, the new political boss may allow the project to waste away so that he or she can create his or her own projects that are likely to maximize financial gains for the individual personally. Therefore, for many public officials in Nigeria, the concept of continuity in government is not financially a marketable idea because it short-changes the ability of the newcomer to create his or her own financial pet projects. New projects allow for the maximization of personal rewards as the budgets are padded in such a manner that provide sufficient financial percentages that could be subtracted from the funds so that the newcomer can build palatial mansions and buy properties around the country. The saddest examples of the lack of continuity in project management are the abandoned Tenapia Teampark and Obudu Ranch in Cross Rivers State. The parks were developed to meet international standards and tourists flocked to the parks. Unfortunately, as soon as Governor Donald Duke left following the expiration of his term of office, the parks were left to rot. Today, the parks an eye sore for Cross River State and Nigeria.
Twentieth, similarly, an unfortunate byproduct of living beyond one’s financial capability in Nigeria, because of an exaggerated lifestyle that the ruling elite has adopted is that Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) have been sacrificed for political expediency in the civil and public services. This allows for administrative impunity to take place in the public sector. Consequently, in Nigeria, it is rare to hear of a senior public official voluntarily quitting a position following a scandal or a conflict-of-interest situation. Nigerian public officials rarely resign regardless of the level of scandal that they are involved. For instance, in Britain, public officials resign as soon as their positions have been compromised to allow for new officials to take over. As a result, when Prime Minister Boris Johnson faced several criticisms, he was compelled to resign. Similarly, former British Prime Minster Liz Truss resigned barely six weeks in office. In Nigeria, President Mohammadu Buhari never thought about resigning after spending many months in a British hospital. Similarly, the first heads of the army, navy, air force, and police in Buhari’s administration refused to resign after completing their terms of service. Nigerians had to put pressure on President Buhari to replace them. It took the president a very long to make the decision to let them go. Throughout President Buhari’s administration, the only individual who resigned due to a scandal involving the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC)certification was Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, the former Minister of Finance. She quit the ministerial position because she had a British background and decided to leave. Other Nigerians stay put, regardless of the compromising nature of the scandal that involves them. Nigerian public officials tend to treat their official positions as God-given personal positions and rarely quit. The reason Nigerian public officials find it difficult to resign when they have been compromised or involved in scandalous circumstances is because the financial stakes are just too high since the primary means of accumulating private wealth in order to live an extravagant lifestyle is to remain in government. To quit a government position is tantamount to status degradation, both politically and financially.
Twenty-first, in trying to live like the politicians and public officials, young musicians and movie actors and actresses imitate the Hollywood crowd and entertainers in the United States. They want to live in huge mansions and buy expensive cars to show off their newly acquired status. They want to be addressed as CELEBRITIES and speak recklessly without caring about the consequences.
The funniest aspect of the celebrity culture in Nigeria is that almost all the movie actresses and music video models seemed to have originated from a planet made of light-skinned women and most of the men appeared to have originated from a dark-skinned planet, even though both are from the same country. Some of the young men too are bleaching extensively to join their female counterparts. It is not unusual to see a musician who was dark-skinned suddenly becoming light-skinned. This says a lot about the fakeness of the Nigerian celebrity lifestyle. Moreover, imitating their Western counterparts, an increasing number of the so-called celebrities are now dabbling in addictive hard drugs and other destructive habits, all in the name of being regarded as “CELEBRITIES.” They tend to copy the most negative aspects of the Western celebrity lifestyle without thinking about the consequences to themselves, their families, and the Nigerian society. To consolidate their statuses and financial wellbeing, many of them are alleged to have joined Western secret societies. It is pathetic and unfortunate.
Section II: Unnecessary Title
To live an exaggerated lifestyle as the corrupted culture demands, people inflate their egos. In Nigeria, many people do so by acquiring titles and always wanting to be addressed in a titled manner. Indeed, Nigeria is a land of titles and vaunted ego. It is necessary to identify the ways Nigerians boost their ego with titles.
First, it seems that many Nigerians feel undervalued without a title, hence, they deploy various tactics to acquire one and wish to be addressed as such.
Second, in other parts of the world, Christian pastors are happy with the positions they hold in their church hierarchies, hence have no qualms being addressed as pastors. In Nigeria, it seems that the word “pastor” is too belittling for many Christian leaders. As a result, many pastors prefer to be addressed as bishops, overseers, and prophets. Those below the pastors in the organizational hierarchy prefer to be addressed as evangelists and apostles because any other title is below their dignity. Thus, Nigeria has multitudes of prophets. To maintain the falsehood that they are prophets rather than pastors, they always announce to the Nigerian public with fanfare that God has spoken to them. Due to the frequency in which God speaks to Nigerian Christian “prophets,” it could be said that the only country that God enjoys speaking to earthly beings on regular basis is Nigeria. As a result, the prophets never shy away from saying that they just spoke to God and God told them this or that in a barefaced manner. Why is it that God rarely speaks to Christian pastors in other parts of the world?
Third, Islam was established in Arabia. Today, there are millions of Muslims in every part of the world. One of the sacred duties that a Muslim must carry out in his or her lifetime is going on a hajj or pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia. Thus, Muslims from every part of the world attend the hajj, including those from Nigeria. The difference between Nigerian Muslims and Arabian, Iranian, Pakistani, Afghan, and other Muslims is that they do not bear the title “Alhaji/Alhaja” the way Nigerians do. It is rare to hear of an Arab or Iranian or a Pakistani or an Indonesian being addressed as Alhaji or Alhaja. They know that the hajj is a sacred ritual that connects the individual to Allah, therefore, treat it with much respect. On the other hand, Nigerians who attend the hajj use the title as if it is an educational or professional qualification. Sometimes one wonders whether the Arabs really take Nigerian Muslims seriously because of the Nigerian tendency to exploit situations, even sacred rituals, and places, to the extent that people are publicly and officially addressed as “Alhaji or “Alhaja. It is sad that a sacred religious pilgrimage is converted into a secularized title to gain advantage in society.
Fourth, Nigeria has not established any major technological or engineering or architectural niche in spearheading innovation in the world, yet Nigerians now treat some of their qualifications as titles. Today, it is not unusual to address someone as “Engineer”, “Architect”, “Accountant” as both professional and social titles even when they are not engaged in the profession that they acquired their education. In the U.S., Japan, Canada, Germany, France, it is rare to hear someone being addressed as an “Engineer,” “Accountant,” Architect” when such a person is not actively engaged in the profession. Moreover, such titles are mostly recognized and addressed as such during professional conferences and working situations, but not necessarily in social gatherings. In Nigeria, even in social gatherings, instead of using the “Mr.” or Ms. or Mrs., an individual is likely to be addressed as “Engineer this, Accountant that, Architect that.” In other parts of the world, people are only addressed professionally when they are fully engaged in a working environment but not as a title in a social or political gathering. In Japan or Germany, it is possible to meet an Engineer or Architect who has accomplished so much in his or her field and yet is as simple and humble as possible. In Nigeria, the ego must be boosted, and everyone is obligated to know who is “Engineer John Doe, Architect Jane Doe, and Accountant John Doe.”
Fifth, due to the exaggerated lifestyle, almost all university teachers in Nigeria want to be addressed as “Professors” even when they are no longer teaching. The ego trip is so profound that even those who have Ph.Ds. prefer to be addressed as “Professor.” Again, in other parts of the world, people are not driven to bear professional titles outside the environment in which they perform their academic functions. In Nigeria, some individuals would not respond if they were not addressed as “Professor” or “Dr.” Therefore, it is very common in social and political gatherings in Nigeria for certain individuals to be addressed as “Professor This,” or “Professor that.” Even those who only teach part-time also prefer to be addressed as “professors”. For some of those who have PH.D., they feel insulted or belittled if the “Dr.” is not mentioned, even when they are in their villages among family and community members. Some Nigerians would go as far as possible to remind people to address them as Dr. In other parts of the world, it is not a big deal if a person is not addressed as a Dr., even though the individual has a Ph.D. degree.
Sixth, following the same pathological tendency toward ego-boosting, the members of the legal profession in Nigeria, especially those who have been knighted with the Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) title, it is a must that they are addressed as SAN, whether in the court of law or in a social gathering. Therefore, no day goes by on Nigerian television where an individual who is a lawyer and has acquired the senior advocate status is not addressed as a SAN. Like the Professor, Dr, Engineer, Accountant, Architect, the SAN must be acknowledged in any gathering otherwise the person might feel belittled or undervalued. Again, it is SAN this and SAN that. The Mr. or Ms. or Mrs. is not enough without the SAN in Nigeria. Nigerians have a tendency to copy from others and then overindulge in exercising or expressing the copied idea or practice.
Additionally, members of the legal profession simply can’t get their acts together. It is not unusual for two judges to render different judicial decisions on the same case. Likewise, it is not unusual for a politician to take a case that is being tried in one court to another court to seek a favorable ruling from a judge who is more sympathetic to his or her point of view. At the end, the judges end up rendering confusing and contradictory decisions that baffle the population. Even judges at the Supreme Court suffer from this malaise. On several occasions, cases that involved powerful individuals in society are dismissed on TECHNICAL GROUNDS even when there is strong or sufficient evidence to support conviction. This is the reason Nigerians have no faith in the legal system. Similarly, perhaps to join the political bandwagon, some lawyers want to get rich very quickly, hence, ask for indefensible amounts when they file civil suits for their clients by asking for N500 million, N2billion, N10 billion or even N50 billion as damages. This is an abuse of professional conduct. Again, everything is reduced to MONEY, MONEY, and MONEY. If this pattern of behavior continues, high legal fees and damages in civil cases could contribute to massive corruption and the wrecking of the country financially.
Seventh, in Nigeria, when an individual publishes a book, the launching of the book is treated like a carnival. In particular, if the writer is a public official or a politician or a university professor or a recognizable public figure, the book launching is turned into a huge gathering, and every “who and who” in the country must attend to show his or her face. Then speeches are made to honor the writer and the attendees are expected to buy a copy of the book before departing from the gathering. The media will carry the news to inform Nigerians about the book. In other parts of the world, it is not a big deal to write and publish a book. It is not unusual to have an individual who has written ten or more books simply go about life without informing the entire society about his or her accomplishments. In Nigeria, the ego must be boosted, hence the carnival-like atmosphere in book launching.
Eighth, due to the need for an ego-boosting image since it is not fashionable to be without a recognizable title, the desire for the chieftaincy title sometimes turns brothers against each other, families against families, and communities against communities as individuals fight tooth and nail to be bequeathed the chieftaincy title. It is not unusual for those who have money to spend lavishly to influence the elite in the community who serve as kingmakers and chief-makers so that they are given the title. In some cases, where two or more people in the same family or community compete to be honored with a title, people die while fighting to acquire a chieftaincy title.
Ninth, a popular unofficial title that Nigerian masses bestow on their elites is “Big Man/Big Woman.” This sycophantic title is bestowed on those who have acquired higher educational qualifications or occupy high-level positions in their places of work. It is also bestowed on those who have acquired recognizable wealth through business. Generally, in Nigeria, it is assumed that because an individual has a higher educational qualification and or occupies a high-level government position, the individual must be in possession of substantial wealth. This is why it is not unusual for a Nigerian to refer to a highly educated or a high-level government official as a “big man” or “big woman.” The expectation is that such a big man or a big woman is supposed to live in a big house and drive very expensive cars, as well as possess substantial amount of money in the bank. Thus, if an individual who is referred to as a big man or big woman lives in a small house, and drives a less expensive car, some Nigerian might be tempted to say, “A big man or big woman like you dey live in this small house and you dey drive that cheap car.” It is not unusual for even family members to tell their big man son or daughter, “your status requires you to have a big house in GRA and drive an expensive car to match your status”. It could be inferred that due to the tremendous pressure put on those who are highly educated or are high-level government officials to live up to the public expectation that they are “big men and big women,” many individuals who fall under such category end up embezzling public funds in order to live the big man or big woman lifestyle. The reason is that whenever money is needed, those in the family or in the community certainly expect their big man son or daughter to cough out money to take care of pressing issues anytime. Thus, if the mother or father or wife or husband of a big man or woman passes away, the individuals is expected to carry out a grand funeral as if a festival is taking place. Such a funeral costs money and those who do not have it are forced to borrow or inflate public budgets to commandeer some of it for the grand funerals for their deceased loved ones. It should be noted that Fela Anikulapo Kuti hated the “big man’ and “big woman” syndrome that he decided to carry firewood in a Mercedes Benz to inform Nigerians that there was nothing special about possessing the vehicle in the 1970s.
Generally, any individual who is referred to as a big man or woman is expected to spend more and do more in the family and in the community or in any demanding financial situation. Thus, the big man/big woman syndrome is a major causative factor in influencing many public officials and civil servants to embezzle public funds.
Tenth, Nigerian rulers enjoy all the panoply of power, like their former colonial masters. Hence those elites who have had the opportunity to serve as governors and heads of state feel entitled to be addressed as “Your Excellency.” To call any current or former governor without addressing the person as “Your Excellency” would be regarded as an insult. As a result, the governor is always addressed as ‘Your Excellency.” While Nigerians insist on the title, outside Africa, governors, especially in the US, do not care about such a bombastic title. A governor in the US is more likely to be addressed as “Mr. Governor” rather than “Your Excellency.” On the other hand, Nigerians, like other Africans, enjoy mimicking everything of social value that their former colonial master passed on to them. Therefore, it is a welcome delight to hear Mallam Dikko Kadda, the new governor of Kaduna State to say that he will not want to be addressed as “Excellency.” Makare Majeed of Premium Times quoted him:
I don’t like the word Excellency because one can only be called an Excellency after the administration has ended. At that time people will determine whether I am Excellent or not. So I think it’s better for people to call me Mr. Governor than to call me His Excellency. I will prefer that and that will not put my head somewhere.
I want to be as normal as anybody because I don’t want that thing (Excellency) to get into my head. That is why I don’t want the word Excellency attached to my name now but I will prefer if people can call me Mr. Governor or my name Mallam Dikko Radda ( Majeed, 2023, March 27).
Imitating the British that created Nigeria, Nigerian elected and appointed public officials and civil servants love to be knighted like the way the British do. In Nigeria, the knighthood comes in the forms of (1) Grand Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic (GCFR), (2) Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic (CFR), Officer of the Order of the Federal Republic (OFR) and (4) Member of the Order of the Federal Republic (MFR). The unpalatable part of these titles is that they are sometimes awarded to some of the greatest embezzlers in the country. Some Nigerians prefer to hold onto their British titles, hence, are addressed as “Sirs” in a supposedly independent country. It should be noted that the British knighted former President Bill Clinton of the United States, but Americans rarely refer to him as “Sir Bill Clinton.” They call him Mr. President Clinton.
Why Do Nigerians Engage in Exaggerated Lifestyle?
Nigerians engage in this unnecessary, wasteful, and destructive antisocial behavior because the country is built on a faulty foundation. The country was established by a foreign power (Britain) to enhance its strategic interest as it competed with other European powers to boost its hegemonic control of the world. Thus, Nigeria was never created to satisfy the needs of the indigenous ethnic groups that constitute the country. On independence, the country transitioned from external colonialism to internal colonialism where the members of the ruling elite assume that they must always remain in power. Not only that, but they also believe that they have an inalienable right to transfer public wealth into their private wealth. Therefore, the purpose of governance in Nigeria is simply to get into power and hijack public funds to build private financial empires. This explains the resistance toward the restructuring of the country because those who wield power are afraid that restructuring, including a new constitution, would diminish their stranglehold on the contraption that they feed upon like leeches.
As a result, there is massive corruption as the ruling elite wine and dine with the people’s wealth, while at the same time, transferring a sizable chunk of the public wealth into private wealth. Consequently, the generality of the population is short-changed since public funds are not trickling down in the form of budgetary allocations for education, public health, public insurance, social welfare, business development, and the general well-being of the population. Millions of Nigerians face a bleak existence since there is no clear-cut retirement program, no unemployment benefit, no impact-creating public housing program, and no subsidized public health system that citizens can use to take care of their medical needs. Hence, on retirement from public service, the retiree is immediately forced into poverty as benefits are tactically withheld so that some public officials can make money. This is why many retirees die before they get their retirement benefits in Nigeria.
Since the public sector is the surest route to create private wealth, any government program designed to assist the citizens is turned into a private wealth-generating mechanism. This is the reason sometimes scholarship fees are not paid on time for Nigerian students abroad. This also explains why during the COVID-19 epidemic, Nigeria spent billions of naira on palliatives, and yet most Nigerians did not even smell a naira of the funds. Even members of the National Assembly were not convinced of the total amount that the Federal Government spent on COVID-19 palliatives. Obinna Ezuguw reported:
The leadership of NASS had expressed doubt and reservations over the ability of the ministry to handle the distribution effectively to reach Nigerians in good time to alleviate their suffering. Citing the poor implementation of the Social Investment programme of government which transfers N5000 monthly to the most vulnerable Nigerians, the law makers lamented that after spending over N700 billion in the scheme, the impact cannot be felt in any part of the country (2020, April 20).
This also explained the reason an effort to evacuate Nigerians fleeing from the Sudanese civil war faced logistical difficulties before the problems were resolved. While the government claimed that $1.5 million had been allocated for transporting Nigerians to safety, bus drivers complained that they had not been compensated, hence, stopped the buses in the middle of the desert as a form of protest to express their feelings. Gift Habib of Punch reported:
Nigerians are currently stranded on the journey from Khartoum to Cairo after the drivers of the buses paid to evacuate them complained that their fuel finished and that Federal Government has not remunerated them for the service.
As of the time of filing this report at 2:20 pm, our correspondent gathered that none of the Embassy officials are on the ground to explain to stranded Nigerians, especially the students why the drivers have stopped the buses over their claim (2023, April 27).
It is argued that public funds are ferreted recklessly because members of the ruling elite do not believe in Nigeria. Thus, Nigeria must be restructured to avoid the ongoing “smoke-and-mirrors” game in the expenditure of public funds by public officials.
Conclusion
Nigeria is a product of British creation that does not reflect the beliefs, values, norms, and practices of the indigenous groups that make up the entity. Due to a failure to restructure the political entity, Nigeria transitioned from external colonialism to internal colonialism. As a result, Nigeria simply glides along with no direction as the ruling elite, acting like internal colonialists, are invading, attacking, and sucking the financial lifeblood of the country. They do so because they are mimicking the British who created the political machine. By mimicking the behavior of the external colonizers, Nigeria’s ruling elites adopt an exaggerated lifestyle that is beyond their financial means. Hence, to sustain such a lifestyle they turned to the state by embezzling public funds mercilessly just as the external colonialists exploited the resources of the colony to ensure their financial wherewithal. Consequently, a large proportion of the private wealth in Nigeria is pilfered from the public purse.
To feel important, Nigerian rulers and elites have developed the habit of crowning themselves with titles to clearly demonstrate that they have made it in life. Those who have served either as elected or appointment public officials prefer to be referred to as “Senators,” “Representatives.” “Excellencies,” “Executive Governors,” in addition to national titles such as the “Grand Commander of Order of the Federal Republic” (GCFR), “Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic (CFR), “Officer of the Order of the Federal Republic (OFR), and Member of the Order of the Federal Republic (MFR) always. It is obvious that it is a mimicry of the British titled nobility. The habit has been nationalized to the extent that the entire country is addicted to titles. So, in Nigeria, it is not uncommon for someone to be a Chief/Dr/Prof./Gen. at the same time. Following the habit, Christian leaders prefer to be called evangelists, general overseers, bishops, apostles, and prophets. Nigerians who attend the hajj prefer to be called Alhaji/Alhaja as if the title is an educational and professional qualification, even though the hajj is a sacred religious ritual. Those who have taught at higher educational institutions prefer to be called “Professor” always, even when they are not in an academic setting anymore. Some Nigerians react disapprovingly if they are not identified with their titles such as Chief, Prince, Princess, Emir, Professor, Gen. Col. Dr., Eng. Arch. Acct., SAN, and so on and so forth.
The lack of humility leads to arrogance and impunity. This in turn leads to a lack of respect for government institutions, public funds, and citizens. This is the reason some individuals are above the state. Since they are mightier than the state, they are above the law and cannot be subjected to the tenets of the law. Hence, the police, EFCC and other law and security enforcement agencies dance around in perpetual circles without actually doing anything to stop high-level public officials from literally carting away billions of naira as if there is no functioning government in Nigeria. No week goes by in Nigeria without a public official being alleged to have embezzled billions of naira with little or no consequences.
To clean up the mess and sanitize the polity, Nigeria needs to purge the nation of the internal colonialists (cabals) and their collaborators who have sucked the financial lifeblood of the country to the point where millions of Nigerians have been pauperized and rendered desperate. Doing so requires purging the extravagant social value system that forces people to live above their financial means, thereby compelling them to incessantly steal from the state to enrich themselves and acquire unnecessary titles. It is sad that many of the so-called billionaires and millionaires acquired their wealth from poaching the state. It is also necessary to reform government institutions like the Independent National Electoral Commission, NNPCL, CBN, ICPC, EFCC and other critical agencies. Otherwise, the country could expire due to financial and political exhaustion.
References
Adegbesan, E. (2023, June 12). New trend: Wedding invitations now comes with ‘Cash only’ gift request. Vanguard. https://www.vanguardngr.com/2023/06/new-trend-wedding-invitations-now-come-with-cash-only-gift-requests/.
Adegbesan, E. (2023, July 17). How bad economy now creates outrageous marriage list. Vanguard. https://www.vanguardngr.com/2023/07/how-bad-economy-now-creates-outrageous-marriage-lists/.
Akan, S. (2021, June 16). Matters arising: No ‘penalty’ for absence – and other reasons MDAs ignore n’assembly summons. The Cable. https://www.thecable.ng/matters-arising-no-penalty-for-absence-and-other-reasons-mdas-ignore-nassembly-summons.
Akintolan, O. ( 2023, February 10). Police parade suspects in a New Year’s day murder of three family members in Ogun. Premium Times. https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/581089-police-parade-suspects-in-new-years-day-murder-of-three-family-members-in-ogun.html.
A study of causes of uncompleted projects/abandoned building projects and their effect on real property in Uyo Metropolis. (2019). Uyo, Nigeria: Scientific and Academic Publishing. http://article.sapub.org/10.5923.j.arch.20190902.03.html.
Couple arrested for faking kidnap to extort N5m from UK relatives. (2023, April 30). Vanguard. https://www.vanguardngr.com/2023/04/couple-plans-self-kidnap-demands-n5m-ransom-police/.
Daka, T. and Ochoiila, A. (2023, April 20). 40 days to go, FEC approves over N100b contracts. The Guardian. https://guardian.ng/news/40-days-to-go-fec-approves-over-n100b-contracts/.
Dan-Awoh, D. (2022, July 22). How economic hardships pushes Nigerians into Ponzi schemes. Punch. https://punchng.com/how-economic-hardship-pushes-nigerians-into-ponzi-schemes/.
EXCLUSIVE: Ex-Governor Yari Lands In London Hospital After Losing Senate Presidency To Tinubu’s Candidate, Akpabio Despite Paying Senators Millions Of Dollars. (2023, June 19). Sahara Reporters. https://saharareporters.com/2023/06/19/exclusive-ex-governor-yari-lands-london-hospital-after-losing-senate-presidency-tinubus.
Ezugwu, O. (2020, April 20). Controversy trails COVID-19 cash transfer. Business hallmark. https://hallmarknews.com/controversy-trails-covid-19-palliative-cash-transfer/).
Fulani, I. (2014, May 5). How corrupt army commanders undermine fight against Boko Haram. International Center for Investigative Reporting. (https://www.icirnigeria.org/how-corrupt-army-commanders-undermine-fight-agains.
Habib, G. (2023, April 27). Sudan: Nigerians stranded in the desert, lament after buses fuel finished. Punch. https://punchng.com/sudan-nigerians-stranded-in-desert-lament-after-buses-fuel-finished/.
Ikuteyijo, L. (2022, March 22). Nigeria’s police work under terrible conditions: What needs to be fixed. Defence Web. https://www.defenceweb.co.za/security/civil-security/nigerias-police-work-under-terrible-conditions-what-needs-to-be-fixed/.
Mom, C. (2022, August 5). We are used to delay – soldiers lament unpaid July salaries. The Cable. https://www.thecable.ng/we-are-now-used-to-delay-soldiers-lament-unpaid-july-salaries.
EXCLUSIVE: Secret recruitment: Nigeria’s Petroleum Company, NNPC CEO, Kyari employs children Of Ex-President Buhari’s aides, top politicians In managerial positions without due process. 2023, May 31. Sahara Reporters. https://saharareporters.com/2023/05.31/exclusive-secret-recruitment-nigerias-petroleum-company-nnpc-ceo-kyari-employs-children.
Nigerian Police chief indicted in U.S. over ‘Hushpuppi’ fraud. (2021, July 29). Reuters. https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/nigerian-police-chief-indicted-us-over-hushpuppi-fraud-2021-07-29/.
Nwanekeze, O. and Nwanguma, W. ( 2019). A study of causes of uncompleted projects/abandoned building projects and its effect on real property in Uyo Metropolis. Uyo, Nigeria: Scientific and Academic Publishing. http://article.sapub.org/10.5923.j.arch.20190902.03.html.
Odunsi, W. (2023, February 12). Northern governor hiding N22bn old naira notes – Buba Galadima. Daily Post. https://dailypost.ng/2023/02/12/northern-governor-hiding-n22bn-old-naira-notes-buba-galadima/.
Okere, A. (2018, November 8). I killed my mother and slept with her corpse for money ritual – suspect. Punch. https://punchng.com/i-killed-my-mother-slept-with-her-corpse-for-money-ritual-suspect/.
Oludare, I. (2022, January 29). Teenage boys slaughter girlfriend for money ritual in Ogun State. Daily Post. https://dailypost.ng/2022/01/29/teenage-boys-slaughter-girlfriend-burn-her-head-for-money-ritual-in-ogun/.
Onwuka, A. (2023, June 13). The begging epidemic in Nigeria. Punch. https://punchng.com/the-begging-epidemic-in-nigeria/.
Onyeji, E. (2017, March 19). Vice Chancellors, bursars involved in corruption in Nigerian universities. Premium Times. https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/226511-vice-chancellors-bursars-involved-corruption-nigerian-universities.html).
Pastor Ashimolowo sparks outrage for asking members to pay offerings online amid COVID-19 lockdown. (2020, March 25). Ripples Nigeria. https://www.ripplesnigeria.com/pastor-ashimolowo-sparks-outrage-for-asking-members-to-pay-offerings-online-amid-covid-19-lockdown/.
Pastor kills secret lover for ritual purpose in Ogun. (2018, April 3). Tribune. https://tribuneonlineng.com/pastor-allegedly-kills-secret-lover-for-ritual-purpose-in-ogun/.
Perouse de Montclos, M. (2018, November). Oil rent and corruption: The case of Nigeria. IFRI. https://www.ifri.org/sites/default/files/atoms/files/oil_rent_and_corruption_the_case_of_nigeria.pdf).
Pastor kills secret lover for ritual purpose in Ogun. (2018, April 3). Tribune. https://tribuneonlineng.com/pastor-allegedly-kills-secret-lover-for-ritual-purpose-in-ogun/.
Protest looms at major Nigerian airports over last minute appointment of 33 directors in aviation sector by former President Buhari. (2023, June 3). Sahara Reporters. https://saharareporters.com/2023/06/03/protest-looms-major-nigerian-airports-over-last-minute-appointment-33-directors-aviation#:~:text=Videos%20Photos%20Documents-,Protest%20Looms%20At%20Major%20Nigerian%20Airports%20Over%20Last%2DMinute%20Appointment,Sector%20By%20Former%20President%2C%20Buhari&text=Recall%20that%20Buhari%20had%20approved,the%20end%20of%20his%20administration.
Senators-elect collect bribes In thousands of dollars from Senate President hopefuls, Akpabio, Yari ahead of inauguration. (2023, June 12). Sahara Reporters. https://saharareporters.com/2023/06/12/senators-elect-collect-bribes-thousands-dollars-senate-president-hopefuls-akpabio-yari.
US based woman bewails over ‘uncompleted’ house brother built for her in Nigeria’” 2023, Appril 20, Nigeriaworld.com. https://nigeriaworld.com/news/source/2023/apr/19/326.html
Usman, E. (2023, March 25). How driver, house help killed Lagos couple with shoes, wood and pliers. Nigeriaworld.com. https://nigeriaworld.com/news/source/2023/mar/25/303.html.
What is the number of Nigeria’s out-of-school children. (2022, September 11). Nigeria Tribune. https://tribuneonlineng.com/what-is-the-number-of-nigerias-out-of-school-children/.
Priye S. Torulagha
torulaghareportsdotcom 