Where leadership is license for looting

Nigeria's immediate past Oil minister, Diezani Alison Madueke is believed to have stolen over $15 billion

When Nigeria got independence from Britain in 1960, most people had hoped that, as the most populous black nation on the planet, other black nations would derive inspiration from her and as a result get their acts together.  This would now appear to be a dream deferred.

The situation has certainly not been helped by a gang of desperate, rapacious thieves masquerading as leaders.  It is a tragedy of history that the country has never been blessed with good leaders.

Despite the fact that the country has earned hundreds of billions of dollars from oil since her independence from the British, she actually has nothing to show for it.

Nigeria's capital, Abuja


The roads have become veritable death traps while hospitals have become centres of despair.  Other institutions have been shamelessly ravaged by leaders who are unrepentantly self-centred.  The present government has tried to recover some of the nation's stolen patrimony.  Several multi-million dollar mansions bought with stolen money by military generals and questionable business moguls have been seized and a few billion dollars ( in raw cash) have been recovered.  Several billions hidden in other countries around the world remain unrecovered.

However, there is the constant fear that the monies recovered may again be re-looted.  Despite the country's wealth and immense potentials, many Nigerians desperately hope that the country will not become another Haiti.

For instance, the immediate past Oil minister, Diezani Alison Madueke, who is currently hibernating in London is believed to have plundered enough money to build ten world-class international airports, fund the nation's ailing agriculture and inject life into the country's comatose rail projects.

Meanwhile, Nigeria's president, Buhari, has been away from the country for over three months.  He is holed up somewhere in London receiving treatment for an undisclosed illness.