President Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria
Some Nigerians on Wednesday expressed displeasure over statement credited to the British Prime Minister, David Cameron, that Nigeria was a “fantastically corrupt” country.
Cameron was caught on camera telling Queen Elizabeth on Tuesday that leaders of some “fantastically corrupt” countries, including Nigeria and Afghanistan, were due to attend the anti-corruption summit holding in London.
Some Nigerians interviewed on the matter in Abuja agreed that corruption was a major problem confronting the rapid development of the country and should be condemned.
Ms Helen Aliyu, a journalist, said that Cameron’s remark should serve as a wake-up call for Nigerians to shun corrupt practices.
“I don’t really know why the fuss about the remarks when we know the truth.
“I think he is being fair to us if he had said `fantastically corrupt’. I think he is trying to manage the right words; even if he said we are rottenly corrupt, it is his own opinion and as a Nigerian it is unfortunate we are corrupt.
“If anyone says your mouth is wide, he is simply saying you should close your mouth; so, it is coming at the right time and I think we should learn to stop corruption,” she said.
Aliyu advocated for attitudinal change among Nigerians in the fight against corruption.
“I know that the present government means well but eliminating corruption should start with attitudinal change or from our homes. Curbing corruption is not something that we should wait for the government to do alone,” she added.
Mr Hamzat Abubakar, a trader at Wuse Market, described the remark as “undiplomatic”.
According to him, if a man marries an ugly woman, it is for him to pronounce her so and not for another man to tell him that the wife is ugly.
Mr Emmanuel Oyedele, an economist, said that …Read More
Source:: PM Newspaper
