Wednesday, August 29, 2012
Nigeria "The Hidden Cost of Corruption"
After having read the article: http://www.pbs.org/frontlineworld/stories/bribe/2009/04/nigeria-the-hidden-cost-of-corruption.html briefly respond to the following questions:
1. According to Kennedy, in what two ways does corruption hurts Nigerian society? Do you think his claims about how corruption affects Nigeria are accurate? Why or why not?
2. After reading this article do you think that Nuhu Ribadu's mission of defeating corruption has any chance of succeeding in Nigeria? Why or Why not?
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1:
ReplyDeleteThe Corruption hurts society through the governments bottom line and by neutralizing corruptions effects on the public servants. Because of the corruption an estimated $400 billion in oil revenue has been pocketed or misspent since Nigerias Independence in 1960. The money was often used to bribe or "settle" Nigerian officials. I think his claims about how corruption affects Nigeria are very accurate because you can see it when you look at how the money is distributed. 80% of the oil revenue ends up in the hands to NIgeria's top 1%. The rest of the population is forced to live on an average of less than 1$ per day.
2:
I don't think that Nuhu Ribadu's mission of defeating corruption doesn't really have a chance at succeeding in NIgeria because the scale of corruption is so high. NIgeria is the most corrupt country in the world, so stopping the corruption really has to be stopped by the governments of the countries that are funding the corruption.
1.) The author Kennedy makes two clear points on how corruption is damaging for Nigeria and most other societies. Firstly, Kennedy makes a point about how corruption has a “neutralizing” effect on public servants. That is, police officers, politicians, and governments workers alike can all be bought off. This is clearly troubling for society, in particular Nigeria, because everything seems to open up and large corporations or people have free reign to do what they want. Just this has happened in Nigeria. Oil companies have bribed there way into being able to exploit all the oil reserves in Nigeria. Not only as this resulted in intense pollution, but it has left many Nigerian citizens impoverished. In essence, Kennedy makes his first point on how corruption completely dismantles the system. Secondly, Kennedy makes a point how corruption on a large scale has crippled the entire country. It is noted tat the government has stolen close to $400 billion dollars in oil revenues. This means that there is $400 billion dollars less in the Nigerian economy. Those who struggle to survive off $1 dollar a day desperately need some government support. Since, the government is so corrupt and has stolen this money impoverished Nigerians will never receive any form of aid. In summary, the government has “skimmed” off a huge amount of money that Nigerian citizens are in need of.
ReplyDeleteI think the accounts of how corruption has affected Nigeria are very accurate. I think there is a ton of evidence that shows how desperate the Nigerian people have become due to the corruption. It is clear that in oil “dense” regions (Niger Delta) the people living there have had their livelihoods completely destroyed. Moreover, on a larger scale, every citizen has been impacted by corruption simply because there is less money in the local
economy due to the government’s stealing.
2.) I think Nuhu Ribadu’s mission can be effective on a smaller scale. I think stopping corruption on a lower level is definitely possible. On the contrary, stopping corruption in its entirety is just simply not possible for Nigeria. There is so much money at the disposal of oil companies and contractors alike that anybody can be bought off. The motivation to turn down a bribe is simply not there, especially with such an early death rate. Moreover, there are such strong incentives to have control of oil worldwide that any place with large oil reserves will be ruthlessly pursued. With this in mind, since Nigeria has large oil reserves, oil companies will stop at nothing to gain influence. As a result of this, bribery will continue to occur.
Furthermore, if one looks at different regions where oil is plentiful it is inevitable that issues similar to these will come up. Notably in the Middle East, violence and corruption occur almost daily over oil. The pursuit of oil in the Middle East has been happening for a while and still today there are wars and other issues such as corruption going on as a result of it. Though the Middle East’s oil is different from Nigeria’s it is clear that there has been unavoidable strife happening for quite awhile. Perhaps something similar is happening which draws back to the point of how stopping corruption could not be possible in an oil rich region.
1. The two points Kennedy makes in the article is how corruption has a "neutralizing" effect on public servants and how corruption has affected the country in a negative way. Kennedy takes about how the government took $400 billion in oil revenue and either misspent it or saved it since the independence. I think Kennedy points on corruption are correct. He makes information statement on how corruption has affected Niagara and supported it with facts.
ReplyDelete2. Because the corruption in Niagara is so large the Nuhu Ribadu's mission has no chance at succeeding. Corruption in Niagara is such a big business a mission like that would need more time to develop in order to take it down. If the corruption in Niagara wasn't as big the mission would have a chance of succeeding.
1. The most prevalent affect corruption has on the Nigerian society is its "neutralizing effect on public servants." The second affect that corruption has on the Nigerian society is the impact of the government's bottom line. I think that both of his claims are accurate because in both instances the use of money and who receives the money are greatly affected which causes struggle. By neutralizing the role of public servants, the high officials of the Nigerian government have basically taken money that could be spent on bettering the educational systems and judicial systems and pocketing the money, not spending it where it needs to go within the country. The impact of the government's bottom line basically shows that the majority of the money that is made from the oil trade has ended up in the pocket's of the top one percent in Nigeria. For these reasons I strongly agree with the assertions that Kennedy has made about the corruption of the governmental bottom line, the wealth disparity of the oil line, lack of education, and health care.
ReplyDelete2. I think that Nuhu Ribadu’s mission cannot be successful on a large scale. However, on a smaller scale I believe fully that Ribadu’s mission is completely attainable. To have a mission like Ribadu’s to work for an entire country, there needs to be governmental stability within the country, which has not been seen within Nigeria. As an example, during one type of government within Nigeria, Ribadu was the head of the special police force, which enabled him to make decisions and act based upon his mission. However, once this government was overruled, Ribadu was forced out of office and not allowed to take the same action that he was able to make before.
On a smaller scale, however, actions like his prove to be effective for day-to-day living. The corruption seen in Nigeria takes place in both the governmental levels, which are practically impossible to influence as someone without as much power, and the daily life levels. If someone makes an effort to not give in to corruption and try to live life ethically they would help to reduce the level of corruption found on the daily level. However, acting like this would take a great level of determination, strength, and will power because most of the citizens are used to corruption. Also, it would be normal for anti-corruption acts to be combated by those in power who benefit from corruption.
Kim Foss
Kim, A solid response to the dilemma facing Ribadu and all of Nigeria. Thank you!
Delete1. Kennedy states that :the most obvious way corruption hurts society is its neutralizing effect on public servants." This is a valid point because after a government official is paid off, they will no longer do their job effectively. Therefore, the functions of a society that must be completed by government workers do not get completed. The second problem that arises from corruption is the "impact on the government's bottom line." If money is being used to pay off certain officials, then there is no left over capital to use on education, law enforcement, a postal service, military, and many more government functions. This issue is of great significance because it effects everyone. Both of these claims that Kennedy makes about Nigerian corruption are valid and accurate.
ReplyDelete2. I think that Ribadu's mission of defeating corruption can't be accomplished. Humans, by nature, are greedy. Although it is possible to minimize corruption, complete eradication of the action is impossible. I believe Ribadu did a great job by getting a corrupt governor behind bars.
Kennedy expresses the two ways that corruption can affect a society very obviously. He begins with the less prominent but very important “neutralizing effect on public servants be they police or politicians, or anyone in between.” This means that money can control the behavior and decisions of the social leaders or protectors. With outside bribery, corruption can spread extremely easily as the power is tarnished through dirty money. Kennedy then segues to the “impact on the government's bottom line.” The upper-class in turn affects the lower class, which is the rest of the population of Nigeria. Living in poverty, life is extremely difficult and it is impossible to escape the reality of the corruption. It is very obvious from the infrastructure and the death rates that Nigeria is completely destroyed due to several reasons such as conflicts between ethnic groups and the Dutch’s disease in the oil industry which is brought together by bribes.
ReplyDeleteNuhu Ribadu valiantly went against the common and very appealing act of accepting bribes. He in turn denied a bribe and turned the 15 million dollars over to the authorities. Most “public servants” are very corrupted due to the bribes mainly from the oil industries that want to drill in the very environmentally sensitive areas of the Nigerian Gulf. This is only one issue in Nigeria, as there has been internal conflict between the ethnic groups in a war known as the Nigerian-Biafran War. Personally I believe that Mr. Ribadu cannot fix all of the issues in the dense country of Nigeria but he can only contribute on a smaller level. The issues of Nigeria are far too grand for one man to handle, and it may never be able to be completely cleaned up.
Katie Nardo
ReplyDelete1. Kennedy states that Nigeria is corrupt because of “its neutralizing effect on public servants.” This means that the nation bribes the important contributors to a community, such as, teachers, doctors, law enforcement, etc. This is an obvious form of corruption because the most needed workforce is altering their effort and the country in turn, collapses. The sheer amount of money collected from the oil industry, around $400 billion, that has been stolen and misused for over 50 years. The bribery trend was so powerful that even a twice-elected president against corruption, could not end what had become such a strong component to achieving success in Nigeria. The oil in the delta causes wealth disparity in Nigeria. Thus, there are a few very wealthy people, while the rest of the nation is starving in poverty. Thus, the second problem is the “government’s bottom line.” As a result of the financial corruption Nigeria has faced, a majority of the country is quite poor and other issues such as ethnic group feuds, lack of healthcare and education, and increase of crime has become present in Nigerian society.
2. Although one person can make a difference, I think that it is impossible for them to change the course of a country without having direct control of it. Because the corruption has infiltrated through the government and many the nation’s people, a force much greater than one person, such as a revolt or an outside country’s assistance, would be much more helpful in a case this immense.
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ReplyDelete1. According to Kennedy, the most obvious outcome of a corrupt government is it’s neutralizing effect on public servants (politicians, police, etc.). For Nigeria especially, this is a problem. Nigeria’s government seems to operate on a system in which corporations make large bids to government officials in order to gain control of oil reserves. This would be great if all of the profits from this business operation went to the people. However, the money coming from these huge corporations flows right into the pockets of government officials. Another claim that Kennedy makes about Nigeria’s corrupt government is that it significantly hurts the “governments bottom line.” Since Nigeria became a country in 1960, 400 billion dollars of the revenue made from Nigeria’s oil reserves has been stolen, or “misspent.” Ninety percent of what Nigeria exports is oil, but 80% percent of the profits made from oil reserves goes to 1% of the population. That is an absolutely staggering statistic. Billions of dollars are going to only 1% of the people in the most populated country in Africa. This means that everyone else in the country is left with little or no income to live on. Proof of this can be seen in the schools especially. There are barely any teachers, desks, books, materials, or even students. This claim that Kennedy makes about a corrupt government hurting the government’s bottom line is without a doubt true, and it would be impossible to find a way to denounce that claim.
ReplyDelete2. I think that Nuhu Ribadu’s mission of defeating corruption in Nigeria is an incredible goal to be working towards. However, Nigeria’s government has dug itself into such a deep hole of corruption that it may almost be impossible to completely defeat it. The problem is that there is not just one person who is responsible for the corruption, the entire government is. So in order to completely rid the country of corruption, the entire government would have to be replaced. This is quite a lofty goal. If he could work towards changing the government one little step at a time, it could theoretically work. However, it could take a very, very long time to completely cleanse the government of corruption. Hopefully, this will happen sometime in the future, but for now, I don’t think there is that can be done
Sarah Means
ReplyDelete1. Kennedy says that way corruption hurts Nigeria is its “neutralizing effect on public servants”. This means that public servants are being paid off and are not caring or contributing to the society as they should. I think that this is accurate because this corruption causes publics servants, such as Politian’s and police, to do less for the people they are supposed to serve, which leads to less education, more crime, etc. , that is present in Nigerian society.
The other way that Kennedy talks about is how corruption hurt’s the Nigerian government’s “bottom line”. Millions of dollars are going into Nigeria but because of corruption, there is a huge wealth disparity: few people are wealthy and the majority is in poverty. Little of the wealth is reaching the majority of the people. This is seen by the “teacher-less, desk-less schools” In Nigeria. I would have to agree with Kennedy in that corruption is hurting Nigeria’s “bottom line” because “An estimated $400 billion of the country's oil revenue has been stolen or misspent since the country's independence in 1960.”
2. Nuhu Ribadu actions did make a small difference in Nigeria, mostly by providing hope. He, as one man, cannot altogether rid an entire country of corruption alone. It will take an entire country to rid a country of corruption. Ribadu’s mission does have a chance of success if the Nigerian people actively support him, but he cannot do it on his own.
(Quotes are from the article)
Kennedy explains that “neutralizing effects on public servants” is one of the most corrupt ways to desensitize and destroy a country. When a government allows their public officials to be bribed it ultimately erodes the power and authority of the central government. Allowing even the smallest corruption to continue without going unpunished paves the way for others in government to follow suit. This type of corruption especially in the oil industry devalues not only the authority of the central government but the laws they establish for broader society. When people do not respect the laws nor the power of the central government to protect their natural resources, society deteriorates to the survival of the fittest. This is shown when the government has stolen $400 billion dollars in oil revenue, which takes away from the average Nigerian who can barely survive on a dollar a day. The Nigerian government is clearly not in favor of its people and this devastation will lead to collapsed nation. Yes, I do believe that Kennedy’s claims are accurate because without the support of the central government a country cannot be an independent, productive, and sovereign nation.
ReplyDeleteI believe Nuhu Ribadu’s mission of defeating corruption is possible by taking small and appropriate steps for Nigeria. The regulation of the country and its government will definitely have to be improved, but this transformation is possible and will take time to succeed.
1. Kennedy says that the two ways that corruption is harming Nigera are how corruption has a "neutralizing" effect on the public servants. This means that anyone in the government from police officers to politicians can be bought off. Also corruption hurts Nigera's bottom line. It is estimated that $400 billion has been misused or misplaced. I do agree and believe with Kenndy's claims about corruption in Nigera because if everyone in power is just looking out for themselves, then the country cannot prosper.
ReplyDelete2. Although I think Nuhu Ribadu's attempts were noble, I do not think that they will be able to succeed. Nuhu was very valiant in his effort to try and stop corruption, but this is one of those situations were one person cannot stop the problem, and this is shown clearly when police refused to let him graduate and he was shot at and almost killed.
1. Corruption in Nigeria has bred a lack of basic healthcare and education. Kennedy estimates that the Nigerian ‘government’ (I put government in quotations for I am hesitant to call it just that) took $400 billion of oil money and spent it on non-important things. If Nigeria is going to get out of its current situation, with people living off of $1 a day, the government needs to take responsibility for this situation. This oil money should be spent on healthcare and education as to grow a potentially powerful nation. Corruption with governmental workers is also very damaging to Nigerian society. In such desperate times, people with normally authoritative positions such as the police force or politicians can be bought off so corrupt organizations have no opposition. Not only does Nigeria struggle with famine, but there have also been many environmental disasters. Acid rain and oil spills are common in the area, which kills life that many of the local people live off of. I think that the cycle of famine, corruption, lack of education and healthcare is very accurate. Nigeria is currently trapped in a situation that will be very difficult for the people of Nigeria to get out of. I think that a related question is: should other countries, like the United States, intervene to place a competent government in an unbiased manner? I think that Nigeria has the chance to be a profitable and modern nation because of such abundant natural resources. It is a shame that an area with so much potential should be subject to such intense corruption.
ReplyDelete2. For poverty to become abolished in Nigeria, bigger steps need to be taken. The people running Nigeria’s oil market and government should take responsibility for the overall well being of their country. In what world do corrupt leaders take care of their people, half of which they have no connection to (different religions)? I think that ending corruption in Nigeria is almost impossible. With this in mind, it pains me to say that while Ribadu’s intensions are revolutionary, it is too little too late. Declining a bribe is absolutely a step in the right direction, however, bribes with equal or greater importance are executed daily in Nigeria. Greater leaps need to be taken for Nigeria to become the nation that they can be.
1. Kennedy states that the two major threats corruption poses to Nigerian society are “its neutralizing effect on public servants” and “its impact on the government’s bottom line”. Essentially any Nigerian official could be accepting bribes from corrupt businesses, turning their heads on justice and looking only towards profit. Approximately 72% of all Nigeria’s export profits are taken by one percent of the population, leaving many public positions, such as teachers and doctors, unfilled due to lack of funding.
ReplyDelete2. I do not think Nuhu Ribadu’s goal of liberating Nigeria from the powerful influence of corruption has a good chance of succeeding. Though the citizens of Nigeria openly embrace his goals, the corrupt ones he opposes have their reaches in all corners of Nigeria, extending their tendrils into the government and helping line the pockets of the oil exporting companies. The only way to eliminate an entity so ingrained in Nigeria’s government would be to overthrow the government itself, and one of the many ramifications of such action may be the destabilization of Nigeria as a whole.
1.
ReplyDeleteThe corruption in Nigeria is hurting its society in two ways. Kennedy believes one major reason is the “neutralizing effect on public servants” and the other more significant reason is the impact of the government’s bottom line. I believe Kennedy’s statement about the corruption in society is accurate because he notices the different trends in which money controls the behavior of the government officials. The government officials do not finish there jobs effectively once they are paid, which results in the government officials jobs not getting fulfilled and finished correctly. This then leads to the officials pocketing all the money that the country receives and leaving none left over for the mass majority of people within Nigeria. Which explains the hunger and corruption brought upon the country. I agree with Kennedy’s observations on the corruption within Nigeria.
2.
I believe that Nuhu Ribadu’s mission of defeating corruption will become a strong part in the downfall of corruption, but will not defeat it. He is persistent enough to make some sort of mark with the defeat but will not end corruption. I believe he is the first step to helping Nigeria’s problems. Just like Steve Biko with helping South Africa. I believe that Ribadu will make a difference but not end corruption within Nigeria completely.
1.
ReplyDeleteKennedy states that corruption hurts Nigeria in two main ways: it basically renders public officials useless, and takes resources from an already depleted country. I think these claims are absolutely spot on, the "neutralizing" of public officials takes a tremendous toll on having a balanced and structured government system in Nigeria which they so desperately need to have any hope of taking advantage of their resources such as their oil. Corruption also takes resources out of the pockets of the Nigerians not just in money but in education. The money that these officials are pocketing could easily go toward schooling so that in the future their countries economy is not dominated by just oil and drug trade.
2.
I think Nuhu Ribadu is a sad but true example of what happens when you try and fight corruption. There are so many layers of corruption in Nigeria that once you peel away the first layer and get the corrupted officials out of office more just come in to take their place. because of this i feel that while Ribadu made an excellent example for officials in years to come, the fight against corruption will be a long and tireless process fought by many nigerian people
1. According to Kennedy, the two main ways that corruption hurts Nigerian society is that it increases income disparity and decreases the effectiveness of Nigeria’s public servants. Kennedy’s correctly states that bribery and other forms of corruption cause most of the money in that enters a society, such oil revenue in the case of Nigeria, to be pocketed by a few individuals. The result is the rest of the population is left with next to nothing. For example, Kennedy cites that 400 million dollars worth of oil revenue was stolen throughout Nigeria’s short history. All this money is now in the hands of a few individuals and almost none of it “trickles down” to the rest of society. Nigeria’s culture of corruption also allows those who have the money to exert political influence by bribing others in order to keep society the way it is and silence those who disagree with their views.
ReplyDeleteKennedy states that Nigeria’s culture of corruption causes its public servants to be concerned more with pleasing those who line their pockets with bribe money than the well being of Nigerian society as a whole. This causes much of Nigeria’s government to be more focused on extracting as much bribe money from Western and Chinese Oil companies than the well being of its own population. The high levels of poverty among Nigeria’s people means that they have no possible way to rival the influence of foreign interest.
2. Ribadu’s mission to defeat corruption is likely to end in failure, because many Nigerians view corruption as a normal way of life. According to Kennedy, the roots of Nigerian’s corruption are found throughout society, from the wealthiest politician to those who live in Nigeria’s most impoverished slums. Corruption is woven into the nation’s culture on every possible level. Even if you were to remove corrupt politicians from office, Nigeria’s culture of corruption would likely mean their replacements would be just as corrupt. For the battle against Nigeria’s corruption to succeed, it would require a massive change in the entire nation’s culture.
1. Kennedy mentions a few different factors that hurt Nigerian society, but he focuses in on two; the first way being corruption's "neutralising effect" on public servants. The rampant corruption of officials and the goverment at large by foreign companies is-technically-legal, and the rest of society suffers for it and has no way to effectively fight it. Kennedy's second argument for corruption's effect on Nigerian society is its significant impact on the government's bottom line. In less than 50 years, an ridiculous sum has disappeared from the country's oil revenue, and what is left is distributed in such an incredibly out of balance system that the rest of the country has no hope of recovering. According to Kennedy and the World Bank, oil accounts for 90% of Nigeria's exports, and "80 percent of that money ends up in the hands of one percent of the population". I think his claims are absolutely true, as it's effects are seem throughout the country in widespread poverty and hunger.
ReplyDelete2. Unfortunately, I do not think Ribadu's mission but be ultimately successful. As Haleigh said, I believe that he may make some mark in the history of corruption, but it simply isn't enough to bring such a supported and profitable (for the privileged few) system down. Corruption has become ingrained in Nigerian society, and for it to be phased out would take incredible co-operation-not only on the Nigerian officials part but with the outside companies as well. As long as bribes are being made, there will be people taking them. To end end corruption would be an incredible feat, and at this point, I fear it may be impossible for Nigeria.
1. Author Sam Kennedy focuses largely on two points in his article about corruption in Nigeria – the neutralizing effect that widespread corruption has on Nigerian government, and the embezzlement of hundreds of millions of dollars that could be used to help millions of poverty-stricken Nigerians. The rampant corruption that is present in Nigeria means that public officials like judges, politicians, and policemen will turn a blind eye to the actions of paying foreign corporations, and prevents the enforcement/enactment of laws that could be used to prevent further environmentally devastating acts like flaring. The second point Kennedy makes about corruption is its tendency for government officials to misappropriate revenue at their pleasure – resulting in an estimated loss of $400 billion dollars at the time this article was written (2009). In a country where schools are nearly non-existent, and the majority of the population lives on less than $1 dollar a day, $400 billion well-spent dollars could completely transform Nigeria. I believe Kennedy’s claims about corruption are accurate – the article itself lists several cases in which individuals are found guilty of attempting to bribe Nigerian officials, and I’m sure there are plenty of other cases of corruption not yet exposed. The predominant issue with corruption is that it tends to help the wealthy elite, while hurting the poor majority, and in a country like Nigeria that has a massive imbalance in wealth distribution, the effects of corruption are felt more harshly than they would in a country like America or China.
ReplyDelete2. I think Nuhu Ribadu should be admired for his dedication to defeating corruption in Nigeria, but I don’t believe he will succeed on his own. He needs support from both within and without Nigeria, a step that has already begun with an award from the World Bank. Ribadu needs the support of both the masses and some of the wealthy elite. If he can bring about massive reform, corruption in Nigeria could be a thing of the past. If Ribadu truly wants to succeed, he needs to bring together Nigerians over both political and ethnic/religious bounds to bring an end to the rampant corruption plaguing Nigeria.
Kennedy says that corruption hurts Nigeria in two ways, by neutralization public servants and hurting Nigeria's bottom line. the wide spread corruption civil servants, like Police officers, Judges, and even high ranking politicians, turn a blind eye to the criminal actions of foreign corporations and prevents many crucial environmental policies from being enforced. Corruption also has a massive negative impact Nigeria's national integrity, because it robs the nation of massive ammounts of money. It is estimated that 400 billion dollars have been stolen by corrupt officials, while teh rest fo the the nation scrapes by on less that a dollar a day.
ReplyDeleteI think tat Nuhu Ribadu strive to rid Nigeria of poverty is a truly amazing thing, but i also believe that he has no real chance of succeeding by himself. The system that he is fighting is simply two powerful for a single man to take down. if he is ever to succeed he will not only need the support all of Nigeria's diverse population people but the support of those in power, and as long Nigeria remains in its current socioeconomic state the chances of these groups cooperating is slim to none.
1. According to Kennedy corruption hurts Nigerian Society by neutralizing or in Nigerian terms “settling” government officials. Via bribery most oil companies are able to get what they want. The majority of public servants are vain or useless regarding the real needs of Nigeria. The involvement of foreign oil companies essentially bleeds the only true export of Nigeria from an already depleted nation. Kennedy’s claims of the “settling” of government officials are correct. The money taken from oil bribes could easily be put into public service programs like Nigeria’s currently dysfunctional school system. Education in itself is the solution to the problems offered by foreign oil companies. Nigeria does not stand a chance without the education of it’s people to enlighten them on the practices of ethical business and how to maintain and control the resource they have.
ReplyDeleteKennedy also mentions that corruption negatively impacts Nigeria’s bottom line. Kennedy explains that, “an estimated $400 billion of the country's oil revenue has been stolen or misspent since the country's independence in 1960.” Kennedy is correct because corruption strengthens the corrupted and weakens the common man. Those who are “settled” will pocket the money, rather than improve the well-being of their country.
2. Ribadu has little to no chance to defeat corruption in Nigeria due to the already corrupted nature of the country. Although the people support Ribadu the avaricious politicians of Nigeria will keep their nation corrupted. The education of the Nigerian youth with the assistance of a leader like Ribadu could spark a radical movement but Ribadu himself is not capable of dismantling the constant corruption of Nigeria single-handedly.
1. The neutralizing effect on public servants due to corruption weakens the effectiveness of government as a whole. When politicians, police and military officials can be bought off, the government’s power to enforce that what gives it strength, its laws, is eradicated. Corruption also heavily impacts the country’s bottom line. $400 billion has been misspent in Nigeria, leaving the government with no money for public works projects. In a nation suffering from extreme poverty, many individuals need all the help they can get. With some Nigerians living on only one dollar day, misappropriated funds can have a long lasting effect on the quality of life in the country. Kennedy’s observations are correct; corruption’s main victim is always the public. Those who need the most help are most devastated while the wealthy, corrupt or not ,are left to prosper
ReplyDelete2. I do not believe that Nuhu Ribadu’s personal crusade against corruption can have a substantial effect on Nigeria’s situation. However, if he can rally support by creating nationalism, it may be possible to slowly grow the cause, and create gradual change. The everlasting problem with the fight against corruption is that if you are not part of the corruption, there is always someone else who is willing to be.
Kennedy argues that the two most harmful ways that corruption hurts a society is by neutralizing the effects of public servants and the misappropriation of funds that Nigeria needs in order to help the poverty-stricken country. This means that all government officials can be bought off by criminals and corporations. Government officials have taken more than four hundred billion dollars, while the schools are practically non-existant and the rest of the population survives on less than a dollar a day. This is a huge problem, as oil corporations are taking advantage of Nigeria’s corrupt legal system by paying them off. The presence of foreign oil companies is depleting Nigeria’s true resource and is one of the main causes for Nigeria’s corruption.
ReplyDelete2. While I admire his effort, I do not think that Ribadu will be successful. There are just too many officials and too many foreign organizations that he would have to fight alone. If he were to educate fellow Nigerians about the corruption in their country, that would be a foot in the right direction, but in his lifetime, he will not see the eradication of corruption in his country.
1. Firstly, Kennedy states that corruption in Nigeria affects the work of public servants. The bribes given to this portion of the population prevents the police, politicians, or judges from doing their jobs correctly. Judges let criminals go, and the Nigerian government, which allows it to continue in the country, does not handle corruption cases. Corruption also prevents the Nigerian government from benefiting its country and its citizens. The $400 million oil revenue that was stolen or misspent could have been responsibly used to benefit the entire country. I think that these statements about corruption in Nigeria are accurate, but I also believe that Nigeria’s continuing corruption leads to an increasing feeling of hopelessness and apathy in the average citizen. This could lead to less confidence in the government and result in Nigerians identifying more with their respective ethnic groups than others throughout their country. The apathy could also lead a declining moral code and result in Nigerians not caring whether or not they do the right thing. The constant corruption in the Nigerian government could be something that causes Nigerians to stop believing that their situation can improve, and thus stop striving for improvement in their lives.
ReplyDelete2. I believe that Mr. Ribadu’s anti-corruption mission is honorable, but will not succeed unless all Nigerians realize the importance of his mission and rise up en masse to fight corruption. I believe that he simply does not have enough influence as one person to make a large difference. The criminals running the entrenched institution of corruption in Nigerian simply have too much power; they are able to break laws and go to extremes in order to stop people like Ribadu. Someone is needed to unite the Nigerian people and convince them to stand up together against corruption.
According to Kennedy, there are two ways that corruption hurts Nigerian Society. First, Kennedy states that corruption hurts the society in its “neutralizing effect on public servants”. Big oil companies are “settling” government workers and police officers so that they can exploit all of the oil reserves in Nigeria. When government workers agree to bribes and take large sums of money for themselves, the Nigerian people are left with nothing. Because bribing is such a huge part of the corruption in Nigeria, it leads to the starvation of most Nigerian people because they don’t have enough income to buy food. With most Nigerian people surviving on only one dollar a day, hunger is a major worry. Not only does it lead to poverty, but it leads to pollution as well. With pollution comes disease and lack of plants and animals to sell or eat. Kennedys claim is quite accurate. According to Caroline Duffield from the BBC news, a local Nigerian, Pirri, said that pollution, “kills our fish, destroys our skin, spoils our streams, we cannot drink. I have no livestock left to eat or sell.” The oil companies cause pollution through oil spills and air pollution. This pollution and the “settling” of authority figures are the major causes of hunger and poverty in Nigeria. Second, Kennedy claims that corruptions “impact on the government’s bottom line” is possibly a more significant factor hurting the Nigerian society. He states that an estimated $400 billion dollars has been stolen from the country. A $400 billion dollars that was needed by the Nigerian people for food, education, medicine, and much more. This is also an accurate claim by Kennedy because Nigeria cannot have any progress as a country if none of the money is going to the Nigerian people. I think that Nuhu Ribadu’s mission of defeating corruption does have a chance at success. Ribadu is right in that if corruption is not addressed, there is no hope for Nigeria. I think that Ribadu is the kind of person Nigeria needs as a leader. It will take time, but if Ribadu gains authority in Nigeria, and could set an example for other government workers by not taking bribes, Nigeria could have a bright future.
ReplyDelete1. The two ways that corruption hurts Nigerian society according to Kennedy’s article are “its neutralizing effect on public servants” and “its impact on the government’s bottom line.” Bribery runs rampant throughout the region, and is furthered by both locals and foreign businesses.
ReplyDeleteThe reports coming out of Nigeria, especially concerning bribes and oil companies, only reaffirm Kennedy’s points, and offer us bystanders some insight into the situation itself on the ground.
According to the CIA World Factbook, Nigeria is among the top ten in terms of its confirmed oil and natural gas reserves, so it is not a wonder that the petroleum industry tops Nigeria’s foreign exports. The foreign oil companies, which include Shell, Chevron, and Exxon-Mobil, took full advantage of the oil in the delta, and the country itself is suffering because of it.
The money flow in Nigeria at this point almost entirely bypasses the Nigerian people, and ends up mostly in the coffers of the corporations, with the spare change used as bribe money for government officials. Any government efforts, in the form of economic aid, to help its people, who live in terrible conditions, end up being pocketed by corrupt officials, which leads us to Kennedy’s second point about the continuation of poverty and lack of development in the country.
Kennedy’s second point ties the unlimited corruption of Nigeria to its devastating effect upon the people, citing the World Bank about the extreme disparity of wealth in the country. The oil money is only reaching a select few, and is leading to a blatant disregard for the environment, as well as human rights. When a country has a life expectancy of 50 years (CIA World Factbook), the mentality of the people is more conducive to the culture of corruption. Kennedy weaves all the facts and the consequences of the oil trade in Nigeria into an accurate article that details the unfortunate country of Nigeria.
2. Unfortunately, Mr. Ribadu’s mission of defeating corruption in Nigeria has a very slim chance of succeeding. The reasons for this can be found in the history of corruption in Nigeria, the current environmental catastrophe that is the Niger River Delta, and the history and nature of foreign oil companies meddling with developing nations.
While I would like to see him succeed, he would have to turn the industry, and the culture, on its head; pretty much an insurmountable task. The culture of corruption in my opinion, started way back during the colonial times, when Britain ruled over Nigeria. The British managed to rule over such a large empire with both military and political might. The British would often turn tribes or ethnic groups against each other; the resulting weakness would in turn, make ruling over the region easier. Accepting money or resources from a foreigner then doesn’t seem like such a novel idea or concept in post-colonial Nigeria.
Furthermore, oil companies have involved themselves politically in several oil-rich regions in the world, and as history shows, when they meddle in a fledgling country’s affairs, very rarely does good come of it. For example, British Petroleum essentially helped orchestrate a coup to overthrow Iran’s first prime minister after independence in the 1950s, because of his actions against the foreign company.
Parallels can easily be drawn from 1950s Iran and post-colonial Nigeria, as oil companies have established themselves, even more so than in Iran, in the Niger Delta. The reason that the environmental catastrophes, mentioned in Kennedy’s article, are even allowed to happen is because of the lack of government regulation, which can be traced back to corruption.
Mr. Ribadu has quite the task, and as seen in recent history, a simple change in administration could set his progress back several years, allowing the cycle of corruption to perpetuate itself. Only when the oil companies are put in check will the battle against corruption become a realistic prospect.
1) Kennedy asserts that corruption hurts Nigerian society in two ways: (1) Nigeria’s natural wealth – which could easily be used to ameliorate many of the country’s problems – has been misspent or expropriated by the ruling class, and (2), The integrity of Nigeria’s political system and civil society.
ReplyDeleteWhile Nigeria is one of the most oil-rich countries in the World, its people remain in abject poverty. Nigerians’ suffering is due, at least in part, to foreign intrusion into their domestic economy. In a corruption-free government, the people would benefit from the immense wealth from the country’s oil. As Kennedy makes clear, profits from Nigerian crude could go to building schools and providing healthcare. Instead, because of louche deals struck between western capitalists and Nigerian officials, much of the nation’s wealth is exported to western corporations.
Bribes accepted from foreign businessmen keep the Muslim junta in Nigeria viable, and allows for the oppression of many Nigerian Christian ethnic minorities in the south. Moreover, corruption “settles” politicians and public servants—settled is a uniquely Nigerian term, employed when an official has become so corrupt that he is no longer effective at his job. Rampant and widespread corruption, Kennedy asserts, has crippled Nigerian society.
Kennedy’s assertions regarding corruption are correct, and his analysis of Nigeria and the problems that it faces today is lucid. A civil society is essential to any nation, and this sort of society is based on the sanctity of law and the efficiency and veracity of the state bureaucracy.
2) Although some recent reforms bring hope regarding Nigeria’s battle against corruption, I doubt that any substantive progress will be made. When, as Kennedy states, corruption becomes an engrained part of society, it is nearly impossible to eliminate it. Nigeria has fallen into such disrepair that it will be impossible to make it a viable society.
1. Kennedy claims that Nigeria is hurt by corruption in two distinct fashions: nullifying the effects of public servants, and its impact on the “government bottom-line,” in addition to harming the teaching environment. Nigeria has a corrupt central government, allowing the judges, and politicians to serve themselves before the country and its people. Government officials begin to take bribes and support foreign companies from China and the United States over the domestic companies. These pipelines cause severe environmental damage, about 50 times more than the Exxon oil spill in Alaska. This damage is almost irreversible. The other reason corruption hurts Nigeria is the damage to the economy and the gap between the wealthy elite and impoverished. Millions of dollars are accepted in the form of bribes, and over 400 million dollars are taken from the government budget illegally while the majority of the population makes less than $1 a day. Kennedy is correct in his claims about the spread of corruption and how it affects those living in the country. In addition, he makes the argument that because of international interest in oil, the corruption in the government is escalating. I agree with his statements regarding the conflict and believe that Nigeria is remaining stagnant in its development.
ReplyDelete2. I believe that Nuhu Ribadu’s goal of eliminating corruption from Nigeria is noble, but unattainable. The objective of eradicating all poverty is very difficult where that that habit is deeply seeded in the government and its public servants. In order to help alleviate the crisis in Nigeria, Ribadu needs international support, not just recognition for his achievements. This will allow the global community to slowly change the country into a more balanced and fair society.
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ReplyDelete1) Kennedy's first assertion is that corruption hurts societies by undermining the integrity of governmental institutions--that is, a society where corruption is rampant experiences a "neutralizing effect" on its civil servants and those who are reliant on its civil servants, the people. The second assertion is quite predictable and states that corruption hurts a country's "bottom line." Kennedy explains that money has been squandered in Nigeria due to government corruption, money to which the people of Nigeria should have access through civil service projects and aid money, but which instead goes into the pockets of government bureaucrats.
ReplyDeleteI would agree with both of Kennedy's assertions regarding corruption's corrosive effect on societies because I believe that once integrity is compromised, it is very hard to reestablish. Likewise, I agree with the second assertion because I have seen many oil-rich countries, particularly Nigeria, miss-out on hundreds of billions of dollars of oil-money that, instead of reaching citizens who deserve the money, ended up with bribe-takers in government. I think we can all agree that this is not right.
2) Though Nuhu has not made much progress yet in terms of combating corruption, his goal may be achieved obliquely, whereby people around Nigeria take to following his example. If Nuhu can inspire his fellow countrymen to exhibit the integrity that it took him to refuse a bribe of fifteen Million Dollars then he has the chance to make real progress. Currently though, the oil-industry in Nigeria and much of Nigeria's government is hostile to the efforts of Nuhu, so he is not likely to combat corruption on a large scale singlehandedly.
In his article, Kennedy states that corruption has a “neutralizing effect on public servants” and can “impact on the government’s bottom line.” While Kennedy presents these two consequences as separate from each other, they are very much intertwined—and very true as well. In general, the strength of a countries economy is measured by the rate of the flow of cash throughout the nation—money exchanging hands at a faster rate signifies a healthy economy. Conversely, a stagnant flow of cash represents a weaker one. However, Nigeria’s economy does not seem to follow this pattern: there is an abundance of oil assets in the country, yet the GDP per capita does not nearly correspond with the resource assets found in the country. However, upon further inspection, we see that Nigeria’s corruption has created an exception to the rule; bribes and money taken through corrupt practices have effectively created a separate “pool” of assets out of the reach of ordinary citizens. As a result, one economy (the “corrupt” economy) thrives—corrupt officials seem to have all the money they need. On the other hand, the ordinary citizens cannot even have basic enough health benefits to expect to live past 50 years old.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, Nuhu Ribadu’s mission is a difficult one to succeed in. Ribadu is a needle in a haystack—and he is lost in the massive amounts of corruption that surround him. By himself, the task is impossible; he alone can only target a few select instances of corruption, but the larger issue will be untouched. However, with enough people, Ribadu may build enough momentum and influence to destroy the corrupt system in place. Even that would not be easy: going along with the previous example, completely cleansing the system of corruption would mean taking apart an entire hidden economy within the country—where would most of the money flowing within the hands of the politicians and corporations go? While it is easy to present an idealistic answer (“to the people, of course!”), there are many cultures, traditions, and systematic procedures that must be broken in the process
1. According to Kennedy, corruption hurts Nigerian society in that it defeats the purpose of employing public servants. Essentially, corruption creates an ‘every man for himself’ culture in which there are no trustworthy government officials or programs because even they only have their best interests in mind. Corruption has bred a society in which bribes are the only incentive. For public servants to be effective, they must be driven by their own will to do good and help a country; corruption completely negates this necessity and turns the entire structure into a destructive rather than a positive form of government.
ReplyDeleteThe second backlash of corruption that Kennedy describes is its impact on the government’s monetary dedication to Nigeria. Despite the fact that 90 percent of the value of Nigeria’s exports comes from oil, about 80 percent of that money goes directly to the government elite (about one percent of the population). Essentially, the paradox of a country being wealthy with resources yet poor for all intents and purposes of daily life for an average citizen, holds up. Although Nigeria technically has an excess of money, it is so concentrated in the greedy top one percent of the population that for the vast majority of its citizens, the country is impoverished.
I do think that Kennedy’s claims are correct, but I think it is important to see beyond the sheer statistics of the situation. Kennedy explains that corruption has become a sort of way of life. I think that is an essential fact that must not be overlooked. Seeing the value in social and cultural education could save the country.
2. Putting corrupt politicians in jail is a good beginning, but there must be a second part to Ribadu’s plan. Since Kennedy explains that corruption has become a way of life in Nigeria, an investment in the re-education of future generations is necessary. With this two-step plan, Ribadu’s mission of defeating corruption in Nigeria does stand a solid chance of succeeding because it will be both impactful and sustainable.
In the most simplistic sense, Sam Kennedy argues that there are 2 ways corruption hurts Nigeria. Kennedy's first argument is that "The most obvious way corruption hurts society is its neutralizing effect on public servants…" His second and in my opinion more substantial argument is that "corruption hurts... the government's bottom line -- and those teacher-less, desk-less schools only hint at the extent of the problem in Nigeria."
ReplyDeleteWhile I don't whole-heartedly agree with Kennedy's stance on the issue, it is a logical fallacy to say that corruption only affects a certain portion of Nigeria's population. Corruption affects everyone from Goodluck Ebele Azikiwe Jonathan to the common man working on one of Nigeria's many cocoa fields. Where Kennedy's argument seems to be lacking is regarding the way in which corruption digs itself into the roots of society and from there establishes an atmosphere of immoral and deceitful practices. If one is to make an argument about how corruption negatively impacts a society, one must also talk about societal norms that are established due to corruption and this is what Kennedy seems to leaves out. It is not uncommon for a man or woman to illegally siphon gas in the middle of the night from a petroleum drilling site to make an extra buck. It is not uncommon for the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) to illegally fine you for a traffic crime you did not commit and then refuse to let you pass unless you pay them bribes. It is not uncommon for the local and municipal governments to put in place discriminatory laws against its people for the purposes of asserting its authority. When someone decides to use one's resources for dishonest gain, it sets a precedent for the future. Now whether this was done knowingly or unknowingly, the precedent has already been put in place for the next individual to follow in the same exact footsteps. Next thing you know, the only way for a man or woman to make it out alive in his or her community is to play the "corruption game." One bribe after another, one unjust deed following the next, all to repeat itself in hopes of living another day.
In regards to Nuhu Ribadu's mission of defeating corruption in Nigeria, I believe he is taking the first and necessary step to tackle the issue. Clearly he has a long way to go but the step had to be taken for there to be any progress whatsoever. The path of 1,000 miles starts with one step and this is exactly what Mr. Ribadu's is doing. Now I am not going to talk about how positive change will come rapidly to Nigeria or how people will start to realize overnight that corruption is unethical because neither of those things are the case. But Nuhu Ribadu couldn't have been more precise when he said "Unless we address the problem of corruption, there is no hope, there is no future." If we take the Petroleum Industry in Nigeria for example, it is the largest generator of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in the country. In the year 2010 alone, Nigeria was able to extract 37.2 billion barrels of oil; this is approximately 2.68% of the entire planet's reserves. Of course there is going to be corruption in an industry so prolific, but it just comes back to Nuhu Ribadu's idea of addressing the problem first and foremost. Once this step has been taken and the people of Nigeria start to realize that progress can be made, change will follow suit.
Jake Smith said:
ReplyDelete1.) The neutralization of public servants such as police and politicians, is directly related to corruption in Nigerian society. Also there is no money to support the public education system, the money remains behind the backs of conspirators, such as Jim Bob Brown. However, Brown’s million dollar bribe could do quite a bit for the public education system, but this is only a piece of the money floating behind the lines.
Corruption also, greatly affects the people at the bottom of the status ladder there is no money to support the bottom line, therefore starvation and disease are quite omnipresent in Nigeria. Kennedy’s claims seem solid and are supported with substantial evidence. The Jim Bob Brown case is the perfect example of how corruption is spreading through Nigeria. It displayed corruption on a small basis and then emphasized how large the amount of money being shared between conspirators is.
2.) Defeating corruption in Nigeria appears to be highly improbable especially in its current state. Nuhu Ribadu’s mission would be possible if he had a larger team of supporters backing his every move. However, it seems that corruption has a grip on even Ribadu’s right hand men and women. Ribadu is a great person and noble, unfortunately Nigeria’s government is infested with corrupted people trying to keep Nigeria in the dark.
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ReplyDelete(1) The first way of corruption hurts Nigeria society is government officers put oil money into their own pockets instead of putting it helping poor people, so that there are lots of crimes and "off-again armed resistance." the second way is government officers didn’t spend money on educational appropriations, employing teachers, buying desks and chairs.
ReplyDeleteI think his claims about how corruption affects Nigeria are accurate. In 2010 and the first half of 2011, theft of money was rated 34.8%, domestic violence was rated 13.7% and robbery was 13.5%. In 2003, 60.1% of all children of primary school age were attending elementary school, but just 35.1% of all children of secondary school age were attending high school. 7.8% of all children whose age is about to graduate from secondary school are still in elementary school.
(2)I think Nuhu Ribadu’s mission of defeating corruption just have a little chance to success. According to what I know about Chinese government corruption, if you got a high position on government, and you didn’t corrupt like others, you would be kicked out of the office, just like the article says about Nuhu, he was “stripped of his authority”, possibly you will never be an officer again. But Nigeria is not China, so I can’t say Nuhu has no chance to success, if he can go back and do it successfully, I am sure Nigeria will be much better than it used to be.
1. Kennedy states that corruption hurts Nigerian society “most [obviously]” by neutralizing public servants. The police and politicians subject to this corruption become the puppets of the bribers, changing policies and ignoring actions in ways that benefit the oil companies. The other way that Kennedy claims corruption hurts Nigerian society is by affecting the Nigerian government’s bottom line. According to Kennedy, since Nigeria’s independence in 1960, around $400 billion of oil revenue in Nigeria has been “stolen or misspent,” and while 90% of the value of the country’s exports is accounted for by the oil industry, 1% of the Nigerian population receives 80% of that wealth.
ReplyDeleteI think that Kennedy’s claims are accurate because of the state of poverty in the nation is so contradictory to the nation’s oil export values, and I believe corruption in the industry is the direct link between these two aspects of Nigeria.
2. I want Nuhu Ribadu’s mission in the Niger Delta to succeed, but I am doubtful that it will. The corruption is so deeply rooted in the country (as Kennedy says, the corruption is “a way of life” for Nigerians), that to overturn it will be all but impossible. I do believe, however, that Ribadu’s no-nonsense approach, demonstrated by his actions when confronted directly with bribery by the Delta governor, is vital to abolishing corruption in the Delta. In conclusion, I doubt that Ribadu will succeed, but if anyone can overturn the system, it is Ribadu or someone who shares his attitude towards corruption.
1. According to Kennedy, Nigerian society is hurt by corruption due to the neutralization of public servants (police and politicians etc.) and is also affecting places like the "desk-less and teacher-less" schools that exist throughout the region. I do think that Kennedy's claims about the corruption in Nigeria are accurate. I think he glazes the surface of the various social ramifications when he talks briefly about the schools, but he has the main ideas.
ReplyDeleteCorruption in its truest form, as seen in Nigeria affects all the citizens. It can positively affect those in power- the President and top 1% of Nigeria who receive upwards of 90% of the nation's exports, but more commonly it negatively affects the common man, who lives on less than a dollar a day, has no access to education and no ability to make a change in the corrupt nation he calls home.
2. I do think Nuhu Ribadu's mission has a chance in succeeding. I think Ribadu is in need of support, tangible support, both internally and externally. As nice as it is that the World Bank would give him the "Outstanding Public Service" award, but that does nothing to help his cause. I think his ideals are stellar and his practice is also idealistic, but if he were to receive enough support he could change a society with morally sound methods and bring at least a glimpse of justice into the lives of people who have never witnessed the meaning of that word. Ribadu simply uses the facts to achieve his goals. He holds steadfast to his morals and attempts to prevent the corruption from spreading.
I do think that his method will be a slow and gradual process, but the more support he receives the faster corruption will be abolished. His methods are no less than admirable, and if he keeps pushing, with a little luck on his side he will be more than successful.