On Thursday this week, pioneer Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Justice Mustapha Akanbi, who will be 80 on September 12 interacted with journalists in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, ADEKUNLE JIMOH was there

Pervasiveness of corruption in Nigeria

We grew up in a society where there was no attitude of greed and acquisitive instincts.

The rat race for grab, grab and grab was none existent. Our elders were contented with what they had. And we were also contended with what we had. Nigeria was not like this.

I came to Nigeria from Ghana in the colonial era and all through, people were contented with the little that they had, but after the military take over, people began to think of what we called sky scrappers, then corruption crept in. At that time, people with N1,000 were regarded in high esteem, but today we are talking of billions, trillions and in essence, we are making the younger generation believe that money is the be-all and end-all.

I always wonder when Nigeria will produce the likes of Nelson Mandella in South Africa, Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana, Julius Nyerere of Tanzania. What was it that made Abraham Lincoln a name? What was it that made Wilson Churchill a name? When can Nigeria produce this leadership? A country that is corrupt is incapable of having good leaders or role models. I want to believe that along the line we derailed. We placed too much premium and value on money. We started celebrating corrupt people.

When you are appointed to a post, people roll out the drums to celebrate you, for instance, when I was appointed as the chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), some people were saying it is my turn to make it. We can stop corruption by example and precept, but what we need is a reorientation of our people.

State police

I was a state counsel. I worked with the police. I was in private practice when I confronted the police and as a judge, I dealt with matters relating to the police. Honestly, even JP Dawodu, while advocating for state police said: 'When we set it up, we can now study the parameters and see how we can put it through." You don't take a dangerous risk.

We should study the parameters first and see whether the thing is workable or not. I lived in an era of the Yandokas, when local government police was operating. The operation then was phenomenal. If you had seen the oppression the local government police were meting out to people then, we will think twice about state police.

Most of the states cannot even pay workers' salaries. When states cannot pay workers' salaries, then how would they fund police? How would you have a police force that will look at the governor in the face and say 'no' I cannot do what you said I should do? By the time they put some naira notes in his pockets he is finished.

The question of state police is not the issue that bothers Nigeria now. What we need is an effective police, police reorientation, police that will appreciate that he has commitment to the nation and not to the individual. I don't support state police. It is a gradual disintegration of society. People who are not thinking of a united Nigeria and those who are not thinking how we will develop this country are the ones advocating for state police. When they divide the police, they divide the customs, divide the judiciary, divide the immigration etc, at the end of the day there will be no Nigeria.

Corruption in the judiciary

The calibre and quality of those appointed into the judiciary should be thoroughly examined. The method of appointment should be revised, so that we get the best. If you want to be a judge, like the catholic priest, you must take a vow of purity, vow of poverty. You are not expected to be that fabulously rich. But they are a contented people. What they are paying them today should be alright. We hear stories of judges being corrupt. Not too long ago I met with my brother, Justice Eso and he said, even the ICPC I left, they have spoilt it for me. And I retorted that they spoilt it for Nigeria. That is why people are now casting aspersions that the judiciary is not working for the common man. In fact, it is not working for the uncommon people.

The judiciary is my constituency and for several years I restrained myself from making address on the judiciary. But I'm beginning to have my fears, which has made me to ask: 'are we getting the right caliber of judicial officers on the bench?' I want to use this opportunity to tell journalists to focus more on the goings on within the judiciary so that we can have a better judiciary, because if the judiciary is finished this country is finished.

Helplessness of ICPC and EFCC

We laid a very solid foundation on very hard circumstances. But the person who took over from me believes more on enlightenment and public education which I believe NOA, the Mallams, the clerics are doing. In my time, the then Attorney-Genera, the late Bola Ige, gave me absolute support. He gave me the first team of lawyers to prosecute my cases.

He never for one day interfered with my work. Then Olujimi came on board and it was the same thing. Olujimi had appeared before me on several occasions on the Ibadan bench. He has tremendous respect for me. Chief Kano Agabi (SAN) never interfered. None of them interfered with my job. Section 13 of the law says that we will not be subjected to the control of any authority.

Admittedly, the attorney-general has powers under the constitution, but I don't think if you allow control to come from that place, the agencies will not be independent. I learnt the present Attorney-General said they (EFCC and ICPC) cannot do anything unless they clear from him. If it were my time I would pack my bag and baggage and come back to Ilorin. Secondly, whoever wants to head the ICPC or EFCC must not be someone looking for money, he must not be somebody who is afraid to leave the job, must not be a person who will lobby to get the job.

If you lobby, there must be an ulterior motive.Government itself must have the political will and commitment to make the anti-graft agencies work. God save us.What Nigeria needs now is leaders that will eschew religious bigotry. Leadership who will work for our unity, people who will not discriminate, but be their brothers' keepers, leaders who will ensure unity and oneness of our people.I got to where I was when there was unity.

May God bless Baba Olajide who got me appointed into the Northern service, who got me to read law, he was not an Ilorin man, he was an Egba man. Or Baba Gana and Ade John, all these people saw themselves as Nigerians. They saw me as a young Nigerian who had the brain and must be encouraged. And this is what I am doing now to help. I don't want to know where you hail from. We cannot go on like that, we want an Abraham Lincoln, Wilson Churchill. We want people who can sacrifice their lives for the cause of the people.