By Yaqoub POPOOLA
There was an outcry in 2006, when the then British Prime Minister, David Cameron was caught on camera ridiculing Nigeria as a “fantastically corrupt” country. A short video footage by British television station ITV News, thereafter, showed Mr. Cameron telling the British monarch Queen Elizabeth II that Nigeria and Afghanistan are “two of the most corrupt countries in the world”. Though, many Nigerians were angry with Cameron over his seeming sweeping remarks on Africa’s most populous black nation, the litany of corrupt cases uncovered under the Muhammadu Buhari’s administration, thereafter, may have justified the uncharitable remark.
The large-scale systemic corruption has pushed the nation deeper into poverty and insecurity as many of the country’s small- and large-scale industries have been shut down, throwing millions of Nigerians into labour market and abject poverty. Recent studies revealed that corruption impacts women and men in different ways but that the results of corruption often make women more vulnerable, leaving them excluded from decision-making roles and limiting their chances for educational and economic advancement.
The President of the United States of America (USA) Joe Biden said corruption is cancer that eats away at a citizen’s faith in democracy, diminishes the instinct for innovation and creativity. In 2021, Nigeria was ranked 26th most corrupt country out of 180 countries. Millions of Naira allocated for rural development are stolen and misused by corrupt officials under the guise of executing public services. When corruption erodes the efficiency of public services or reduces a state’s tax income base resulting in cuts to public services such as healthcare, education or social services, this is likely to impact more on women and children than men. Sadly, there is no way one would talk about poverty without mentioning corruption. The two economic viruses are like Siamese twins. Corruption breeds poverty and vice versa. Poverty is defined as the financial condition of a person, insufficient to sustain the vital needs of his/her own family. Any person or family which is unable to provide a square meal to the members or educate its children for the want of money is termed as poor and suffering from poverty. It is a curse to the society and restricts the economic and social growth of a nation. Corruption, on the other hand can be described as “the abuse of entrusted power for private gain or the improper use of a public office for private gain”. The anti-corruption initiative further explains that corruption “erodes trust, weakens democracy, hampers economic development and further exacerbates inequality, poverty, social division and the environmental crisis”.
Corruption is a global phenomenon, but there seems to be a consensus by stakeholders that corruption remains the biggest challenge preventing Nigeria from achieving its enormous potentials and hardly a day passes without one corruption case or another taking the front burner in the national debate. It flourishes because of the nation’s weak institutions occasioned by bad leadership. Corruption is a canker worm and it manifests in every sphere of national life; most noticeably in elections, the judiciary, government agencies, procurement/contracts, payroll, and in extortion by security agents.
In January 2022, Transparency International (TI) in its Corruption Perception Index (CPI) placed Nigeria in 154th position out of 180 countries surveyed. This simply ranked Nigeria as the 26th most corrupt country among the 180 countries reviewed.
The National Bureau of Statistics recently disclosed that inflation in the country rose to 22.41 per cent in May, which is the highest in about 19 years. Also, the NBS, in its National Multidimensional Poverty Index report, disclosed that 133 million Nigerians are multi-dimensionally poor. The NBS said 63 per cent of Nigerians were poor due to a lack of access to health, education, living standards, employment, and security. The Multidimensional Poverty Index offered a multivariate form of poverty assessment, identifying deprivations across health, education, living standards, work, and shocks. In its new report, the Washington-based bank noted that the loss of purchasing power increased the poverty headcount rate by an estimated two percentage points or 4 million.
To confront these economic realities, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, on May 29,2023 at the Eagle Square, Abuja announced the total removal of fuel subsidy payment. The President argued that the volume of corruption associated with subsidy payment could shut down the economy if urgent and courageous steps were not taken to avert it. According to Tinubu, only few privileged Nigerians were feeding fat on the nation’s commonwealth through subsidy payment thereby making a large chunk of the population more vulnerable and live at the mercy of poverty. Though, the World Bank says, Nigeria could save as much as N11Trillion from subsidy removal, but it equally expressed fear that the poor and economically insecure households could face an equivalent income loss of N5,700 per month, adding that without adequate compensation, an additional 7.1 million people could sink deeper into poverty.
The global monetary agency also said many newly poor and economically insecure households, would likely resort to consequential coping mechanisms, such as “not sending children to school, or not going to the health facilities to seek preventative healthcare or cutting back on nutritious dietary choices.”
Anti-colonial nationalist, Mahatma Gandhi was right when he described poverty as the worst form of violence against humanity.
To share a personal experience on endemic poverty in the land, around 8pm on December 20,2023, I received an anonymous call from a woman who simply begged for assistance. The woman, in an emotion laden voice was emphatic about her request when she said “Good evening, sir, I want you to assist me with whatever God has endowed you with, so that I can feed my family. We are dying of hunger. Please, I am not begging for money, if there is a way you can get some food stuffs across to us, I will appreciate it, I got your contact on a WhatsApp platform, please don’t be angry with me “. The call ended.
This is no doubt, the pathetic situation, an average Nigerian, most specially women pass through on daily basis under the nation’s weak democratic system laced with corruption and corrupt practices.
The growing insecurity in Nigeria may have worsened the challenge of poverty on female gender. One of the strategies of the terrorists’ groups in Nigeria, is gender tactics. They exploit female vulnerability. The groups victimised women by subjecting them to rape, armed abduction, forced marriage, and captivity. They also objectify women by using them as instruments and objects of war such as sex slaves, human shields, and suicide bombers.
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) disclosed that the terror group in the Northeast had killed over 350,000 people since the war broke out some 12years ago with women and children mostly affected.
Recall that Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, the nation’s pioneer Fourth Republic president, established two anti-graft agencies. The agencies established to solve the challenge of corruption have since become another problem to be solved.
Also, the immediate past President Buhari at the inception of his administration in 2015 said” Nigeria must kill corruption before it kills her”.
Buhari also introduced some policies like the Single Treasury Account (TSA) and IPPIS aimed at combating fraud in the system. But policies appeared ineffective in the face of huge scam which trailed the former administration.
The truth of the matter is that women feel the heat of the current economic hardships more than men due to their obvious disadvantaged position. Women often find it difficult to survive in men-dominated political environment and a system characterised by bribery.
“Already, many more have died from the indirect effects of the conflict,” said the UNDP, citing damage to agriculture, water, trade, food and healthcare. Children younger than five account for more than nine out of 10 of those killed, with 170 dying every day, the UNDP said.
If the conflict continues to 2030, more than 1.1 million people may die. Destruction and displacement have set back development in the region by decades, and continued conflict will only further scar the region,” United Nations Women report has revealed that 48 per cent of Nigerian women have experienced at least one form of violence since the COVID-19 pandemic. “Verbal abuse and denial of basic resources were the most common forms of VAW reported (23 per cent) since the pandemic began; denial of communication (21 per cent) although these may have been the result of measures taken to limit the spread of the pandemic, such as lockdowns, curfews, and social distancing. Similarly, 16 per cent reported sexual harassment and 15 percent reported physical abuse,” the report said.
However, Voice of Women has taken a bold step in addressing the challenge of poverty at the grassroots. The far-reaching efforts to unmask the impact of corruption on a neglected vulnerable group in the country, was a radio programme called “Unmasking the Truth” initiated by St. Ives Communications, in partnership with Voice of Women Empowerment Foundation and supported by MacArthur Foundation. This focuses on how corruption affects women at the grassroots level. Outlining the specific interventions, the executive producer Toun Okewale Sonaiya, who is also the Chief Executive Officer of Women Radio 91.7 disclosed that “unmasking the Truth” radio programme was a humble way of amplifying the unheard voices of marginalised groups of women in Nigeria.
She explained that the programme had broadcast 144 episodes in 24 months on six radio stations across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones. The programme x-rayed explorations women at the grassroots were subjected to.
According to her, the team goes to the inner communities to hear what corruption looks like at grassroots, how bribery and fraud by people in authority is destroying the livelihoods of these disadvantaged women and how the women have formed community-based solutions to fight corruption.
“From the roadside market woman who pays illegal taxes, young girls extorted by lecturers to small female petty traders who can no longer continue due to zero electricity supply and inflation.
“We are grateful to MacArthur Foundation for supporting this initiative that allows us to empower and engage with women at the grassroots to tackle corruption in their own way. We broadcast on Sobi 109.1FM Ilorin for North Central, Borno Radio 55.3FM for North East, Garkuwa 95.5FM Sokoto for North West, Darling 107.3FM Imo for South-East. Others are Premier 89.9FM Akwa Ibom for South-South and Women Radio 91.7 FM in Lagos/Ogun for South West.
“The women speak boldly in their local languages in Yoruba, Hausa, Igbo, and pidgin, telling us the actions they are taking to actively participate in the fight against corruption while promoting transparency and accountability.
On whether corruption is gender based, Okewale Sonaiya said: “We all suffer the consequences of corruption, but when the economy is bad, women, children, and persons with disabilities suffer the most. The women living in rural communities who encounter and must live daily with corruption are the worst hit.
“They are already vulnerable because of their economic and social deprivation and sadly experience exploitation and abuse of power by persons in authority expected to protect them. These are women who encounter firsthand bribery by fraudulent people in authority, leading to loss of their petty trading livelihoods and with no choice than to withdraw their children from school. However, one is inspired by how the women unite to support and empower themselves financially and speak up against corruption by engaging their traditional and faith leaders to condemn corruption in their communities.”
Proffering solution to the menace of poverty, the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, said for Nigeria to reduce poverty, her wealth should be circulated more among the poor.
The foremost Yoruba monarch argued that “to reduce poverty among Nigerians, the country’s wealth must be made to circulate more among the citizens.
“As it stands today, Nigeria has a population of few men controlling the economy, while countless others are languishing in poverty. We cannot continue like this.
“For us to progress as a country and reduce poverty, we must ensure that our wealth goes round especially to the poor and other vulnerable members of society. We cannot keep having stinkingly rich few Nigerians and uncountable ones wallowing in abject poverty.”
Also expressing concern about Nigeria’s frightening poverty index, Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and immediate past Chairman, Body of Benchers, Chief Wole Olanipekun said “I doubt if there is any one in the Nigeria today, who can boldly say I am okay “
Speaking in parables, Olanipekun said” If you are sleeping and snoring in your house and you care less about your neighbour, the cries of your neighbours will wake you up one day and you may not be able to sleep again. We have a lot of people that are hungry, thirsty, poverty stricken in the society. We have to lift up souls. The essence of today is, how do we add value to humanity.”
Olanipekun spoke at the 27th edition of the Scholarship Award and 4th Empowerment Programme for widows, youths and the aged. Chief Olanipekun who disclosed that the economic crisis had assumed a global dimension called on well to do Nigerians to rise to occasion and give back to the society.
The foundation had lifted over 1050 beneficiaries in the 2023 edition. Of these numbers, 250 Students benefitted from the Scholarship schemes ranging from Secondary Schools to University / Law School Education levels. 100 Youths were included in the Entrepreneurship Grant of N50,000 each. In addition to this, 100 aged and widows got grants of N30,000 each. This year’s event came with another pleasant twist and flavour with the addition of 600 palliative beneficiaries which is beyond the normal annual beneficiaries.
The legal icon warned that the current hardship, particularly in Nigeria could trigger transfer of aggression among frustrated Nigerians which no one, including the rich would be saved from its dire consequences.
“How much it is essential to lift people up from their ugly and terrible situations. I came from this environment and I have been trying to lift people up to help them to grow and be lifted up. It takes grace to give, it takes grace to recognize people that are in need”.
“The essence of humanity is to add value to lives, adding that, there are lots of hungry people who have been affected by the economic downturn, as such, called for more collaborations from well-meaning Nigerians.
“There are transfer of aggression against people like you and I in the society today, and that is what we need to address. In a situation where we have almost 50 percent of people who are stinkingly poor, and another 20 percent who are losing their jobs, while only the remaining 30 percent are the ones saying they are okay. Then, we must do something to avert the unexpected situation. “
In her intervention, the First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu is lifting no fewer than 180,000 women out of poverty nationwide through her ‘No Woman, No Nation’s initiative.
Mrs Tinubu plans to empower 5,000 women from each of the 36 states of the federation. The National Chairman of the programme, Ambassador Akintola Oluwasayo Julius, while flagging off the programme in Jigawa State hinted that the estimated cost of the project is N10 million per state.
According to him, these include purchase of chemical, ingredients and materials to be used for practical in various departments during the training. Other expenditures include transportation, logistics expenses, feeding and welfare package for facilitators, training materials for all participants and supporting the accommodation and feeding of trainers, among others. According to him, the source of funding of this vital project is fund raising through government parastatals, Non- Governmental Organizations, (NGOs) Civil Society, Religious Organizations, Community-bases Associations, Private Organizations, Foundations and Philanthropists. The Vocational training Project is Specific, measurable, Achievable, Rewarding and Time-bound (SMART), and in completion, it is expected to promote self-reliance by systematically prospecting and executing development projects and programmes which will impact positively on the socio-economic development of the host state and local government councils in each state of the federation. Lending his voice to advocacy, Catholic Bishop of Ekiti Diocese, Most Rev. Felix Ajakaye, called on political leaders to eradicate poverty in the country, stressing that there is no justification for it among Nigerians. He spoke at the graduation of vocational skills trainees and distribution of Start-Up Kits for 400 persons trained by the Caritas Nigeria, in Ekiti State.
The Non-profit organisation established by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria, with the theme: “Building Sustainable Livelihoods in Vibrant Community (B-SLiC) Project, was held at the Pope John Paul II, Pastoral Centre, in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State capital.
“Nigeria has no reason to be poor, but sadly enough, we are still far away from good governance, bad roads, unemployment, and poverty in the land. If we want to eradicate poverty in Nigeria, we can do it, but our government and citizens must mean it, not about the government alone, let everybody be involved in the process.
“Government should be able to provide an enabling environment, where people can be able to help themselves, and create an environment where people can learn skills. Citizens on their own should be willing to take up their responsibilities. Government cannot cater for all, but if you show your skills and develop interest, it will be better for society.
The District Head of Malumfashi in Katsina State, Justice Sadiq Mahuta (retd.), has called on Nigerians to join hands with their leaders to fight poverty by developing their respective communities.
The traditional ruler also stressed the need for selfless service for the community to enhance economic growth and development, especially at the grassroots. He said, “There is a need for the people in the community to enhance the development of their community because the government alone cannot shoulder the full responsibility. For me, community development is about trying to improve the lives of the people and the community in general through community-oriented programmes. He commended the association’s executive members for their desire and commitment towards the town’s development.
Above all, rural women should be made to go through various vocational and skills acquisition programmes that will help them acquire the necessary expertise and capacities needed to improve their economic status and independence.
Similarly, government should come up with proper identification of the skill and capacity needs of rural women to reduce uncertainty and enable them to identify various alternatives to livelihood. Part of the solutions us to allowed women to participate and engage in decision making on matters concerning them for increased agricultural output and productivity, reduced poverty and enhance food security.
In addition, policy making processes must involve women at conception, formulation and implementation to ensure inclusiveness and effectiveness.
Finally, women should have unrestrained or unhindered access to agricultural inputs such as fertilizers, among others. More female agriculture extension workers should be trained to be able to serve the woman better in the rural areas. Relevant NGOs should intensify advocacy on challenges of the rural women and provide technical support to the women towards women empowerment.
Yaqoub POPOOLA, Journalist/ Media Consultant, is the Executive Director, Journalists for Open Government & Inclusion (JOGI).