GOOD GOVERNANCE CONUNDRUM: BEYOND A NEW GENERATION OF FREEDOM FIGHTERS/ANTI-CORRUPTION FIGHTERS IN NIGERI

Abstract

Corruption is not localized in Nigeria or Africa but has grown to be a global menace due to its devastating effects on not just the world economy but on every other sphere of life. Both international and regional instruments have provided help in the fight against corruption. These instruments also expanded the scope of corruption beyond bribery to include embezzlement, money laundering and other financial crimes. Nigeria is not left out in the global fight against corruption as seen by the various anti-corruption agencies and policies it has adopted over the years. However, this article tries to raise the opinion that the anti-corruption fight should not be left to these agencies alone. Other nongovernmental groups like the public and private sectors, among others should be involved for more effective and speedy results. The research highlights corruption in Africa and Nigeria in particular. It stressed the various weaknesses and failures both in military and democratic governance in the various governmental institutions like the police, judiciary, politicians and the need for their reforms if the fight against corruption will be a reality. It emphasized the roles of freedom fighters and the fact that the fight is beyond them and must embrace other facets of the system vis-a-vis the public and private sectors, media, etc. It expressed the view among other things, that all the three anti-corruption agencies in Nigeria-the Code of Conduct Bureau, ICPC and EFCC should come under one omnibus agency in different departments in order to avoid unnecessary duplicity, waste of resources and abuse of processes.