Oduah: Nigeria losing her best to corruption allegation

Oduah: Nigeria losing her best to
corruption allegation
on november 13, 2013 at 12:11 pm in viewpoint
For some time now, the Nigerian media have been
inundated with stories of corruption allegation
levelled against the Minister of Aviation, Princess
Stella Oduah, concerning an unverified claim that
the Minister masterminded the procurement of two
bulletproof cars through the Nigerian Civil Aviation
Authority, NCAA, one of the agencies she
supervises.
The way and manner this story has been hitting the
front pages of national newspapers only proved that
there was more to it than meet the eye.
Anyway, the focus of this article is really on the flip
side, the unquantifiable damage of the whole
gimmicks of corruption allegation in Nigeria. Is it not
now very clear that some politicians and never-do-
wells who, by misadventure, have found themselves
at certain areas of our national economy, aviation
inclusive, wish to remain there even in their
unproductive age?
I have listened to one of them, Captain Dele Ore,
during a conference in Lagos. He has maintained
and continues to emphasize that aviation is all about
getting the human capital right. Then, he confused
his standpoint as he advocated and still advocates
that politicians should not be allowed to head
Aviation Ministry and agencies.
Here is the error: Is Capt. Ore saying that if an
aviation expert delves into politics, he should hands
off aviation matters? But again, is Ore apolitical? I
think his stand does not hold water. The world over,
you cannot separate economics from politics. The
Aviation Round Table expert, Capt.Ore, should have
known that the two are inseparable partners.
So, this Captain might just be seeking for something
he is not getting in aviation sector and Nigerians
now know that he will continue to move around the
table (Aviation Round Table!) until he gets it. And
what does he want? Like the Biblical Herodias, the
head of any Aviation Minister he did not appoint!
Anyway, we cannot continue to live in the past with
this man’s outdated argument in aviation matters.
The nation has clamoured overtime that her best
abroad should return home to facilitate
development. President Jonathan has harkened to
this clarion call. Then there was Prof. Bath Nnaji!
Did he find his feet in the murky politics of position
and grandstanding bedevilling our body politics?
What of Prof. Adenike Grange, the first female
Minister of Health during the late President
Yar’Adua’s administration? She was said to have
held many strategic international positions where
she has distinguished herself at the apogee of
health sector management and administration. But
did she survive the corruption allegation missile,
which has become the modern tool of political
witch-hunting in Nigeria? We can go on and on! And
this tactics is being used against the Minister of
Aviation, Princess Stella Oduah today.
Nigerians must begin to unravel the intents of those
who accuse others of corruption before joining the
bandwagon. Yes, it is true that Nigerians have
suffered mismanagement of bad rulers who
pounced on our collective wealth like the hungry
lion in the past.
But should we then kill today’s cook on account of
yesterday’s hunger if she was not responsible for
it? This is my point: If we cannot determine the
purpose for which such allegations are instituted, it
is incumbent on us to jettison them for the general
good of the society.
I say this because the Aviation Ministry brouhaha
has clearly shown that most of these accusations
are generated from questionable quarters, more
especially from those who have lost a bid to illegally
enrich themselves from our common wealth at the
detriment of the Nigerian people. This trend of
mouthing corruption against the nation’s finest, who
have made a success in their various careers in
life, must stop if Nigeria must attract her best home
to contribute their quota for accelerated national
development.
Mr Muhammed Olayinka, a public affairs analyst,
wrote from Ibadan