Chidi Samuel || Prof Akin Oyebode on Thursday said that corruption will lead to the eventual demise of Nigeria unless something drastic is done to curtail the menace.
The respected professor of International law and Jurisprudence spoke at a roundtable organised by Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) in collaboration with the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) in Ikeja, Lagos.
Oyebode said, “The people must be enlisted in the war against corruption. Nigerians should start anti-corruption clubs in schools, radio jingles should be put in place to fight corruption, carry placards, go outside, organise sit-ins like SERAP is doing presently, Nigerians should be mobilised against corruption and now take their destiny in their hands.”
“The fight should not be left alone to organisations like SERAP and when the state wants to attack organisations like SERAP, the masses should fight for them.
“The recent attempt by the national assembly with the NGO bill to control, monitor and eventually sequester CSOs all because of the excuse that some CSOs are corrupt should not be allowed. Cutting off the head is not the cure for headache, the bill is an overkill. If they cage organisations like SERAP, who will fight for the masses? The government do not want anybody to act as an impediment to their thievery activities.
“Corruption is now thriving more than ever before, despite the ongoing fight against it. However, international law has really helped with a plethora of laws against corruption, it now behoves on citizens to take advantage of this laws to fight against corruption.”