Tuesday 13 October 2015

THE STUDY OF CORRUPTION IN NOVELS OF ADAOBI TRICIA’S I DO NOT COME TO YOU BY CHANCE AND LABOYARI’S THE CLIMATE OF CORRUPTION: BSC ENG001

CHAPTER ONE
          INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Study
Of all the challenges that has faced the African countries; especially Nigeria over the years is the issue of corruption and its deliberating ancillaries, bribery, graft, fraud and nepotism. Political corruption essentially means that the official powers and resources available to a government are being used for unsavory purpose and personal gain. Political corruption and its stand is now a newcomer to the Nigerian nation, after the creation of a more modern and democratic public system of government in the country, there has been numerous cases of official misconduct for personal enrichment.
Corruption is a behaviour which deviates from the normal duties of a public role regarding family, close private clique, peculiarly or status gains or violates rules against the exercise of certain types of private regarding influence. This includes such behaviour as bribery (use of reward to pervert the judgment of a person in a position of trust) nepotism, (bestowal of patronage by reason as a secretive relationship rather than merit), and misappropriation (illegal appropriation of public resources for private regarding uses).In Africa, many people see corruption as a practical problem involving the Outright theft, embezzlement of funds or appropriation of state property, nepotism and the granting of favours to personal acquaintances the use of public authority and position to exact payments and privilege.
In post independence Nigeria, all political coalitions and groups have been engaged in determined efforts to capture the apparatus of state in order to use the state’s redistributive powers to a mass wealth for themselves. Soon after capturing the government, the incumbent regime usually erects significant barriers to entry and monopolizes the study of legislation, thus making certain that other groups do not participate in the allocation of resources. For locked out groups, participation in the economic systems must be obtained through payment of bribes to incumbent bureaucrats, all of whom are members of the politically dominant group.
Nigeria is not the only country in Africa in which the apparatus of government has become an instrument for the enrichment of members of the politically dominant group. South Africa, long regarded by many scholars in the West as a bastion for free enterprise in Africa, has for many years promoted laws that allowed white minority to use the redistributive powers of the state to enrich itself, while sentencing the black majority to perpetual poverty and deprivation
(Mbaku).
Corruption at the level of religion is the act of using fear and ignorance to control and manipulate people for the betterment of a select group or individuals.
At the level of education, corruption is any attempt to influence, illegitimately, the
Process of endorsing the capacity of learners for a higher academic level, acquisition of knowledge or skills with a view to obtaining undue advantages for one or more parties. Advanced Fee Fraud is a phrase used to describe scam related offences on large scale projects and investments or illegal huge currency transactions. Basically, the scam involves prepayment of some amount of money to the fraudster for an agreed course of action, which the fraudster may never execute.
Corruption has become deep seated in the country that it has stunted growth in sectors and has been the primary reason behind the country’s difficulties in developing fast. Transparency International, an independent global watch on corruption ranks Nigeria among the five most corrupt nations in the world, an inglorious record that has stunted growth in all areas of endeavor in the country.
The discovery of oil in Nigeria was a major event in the nation’s political history and has led the way for laundry list of unacceptable corrupt actions by government officials. It opened Nigeria to inflow of large sum of money. More money was made from oil in the year than had ever been made from agro-based sources for several years. In a bid to harness the new wealth to leverage infrastructure, road, bridges, airport e.t.c. huge contracts were awarded without regards for normal processes. Government spent money without much control, paving the way for corruption to take hold. Ever since it has spiraled out of control.
Over past decades, the Nigerian nation has seen its once mighty power and wealth diminish to a side of nothing with very little to show or raised standard of living for the common people. Nigerians have suffered and are still suffering because corruption has made it hard to run government transparently. Scandals have become rife; projects are plaque by corruption, which even seeps into so many private areas of people’s lives. Something needs to be done urgently so that the rate of corruption would be reduced.
Understandably, scholars have shown great deal of interest in the problems of corruption and have been equally pre-occupied with the work of literature and reinterpretation of the work by examining and re-examining of matters related to the social development of the country.
Some political and social scientists believe that there is little hope to save the people of Nigeria from the fall out that is coming fast. With almost all the major governmental figures and agencies commonly known to each is corrupt to some degree. Some have said that there is nothing to be proud of, because of economic downslide and collapse, most Nigerians are forced to use clothing that even the homeless in the advanced countries are not given to wear on their backs. The old ways and tradition of many native cultures are being subverted by poverty.
Many of the Nigerian writers have written and explored corruption as a theme in their works and have equally exposed the social ills in terms of socio-cultural, racial, political, economic exploitation in the Nigerian society. For instance, Achebe’s A Man of the People (1966) attacks corruption as a way of using one’s position to enrich oneself. Similarly, in Olu Obafemi’sWheels (1997) corruption is a dishonest way of misusing power for ones advantage especially for money. Also, in Helon Habila’sWaiting for an Angel (2002), corruption manifests through excessive government regulation that hinders the proper functioning of the people. Teju Cole’s Everyday for the Thief (2007) exhibits the greedy and selfish dimensions to corruption.
However, literature remains the most effective channel through which the government, the stakeholders and the general populace could be enlightened on the negative effect this terrible social vice could have on the society. This explains why such African literary writers as AdaobiNwaubani and LaboYari explore the theme of corruption in their works I do not come to you by chance and The Climate of Corruption respectively. The major attraction lies not only in its dramatic depiction of life in the Nigerian society but also in how the events and developments they describe fictionally for the contemporary society equally hold true under subsequent regimes in Nigeria. Adaobi and Lab however explore how ordinary people are affected by the larger issues especially that of corruption found in the Nigerian society.

1.2 Statement of the Problem
Over the years corruption has been the tiny thorns that trouble the head of crown universally. It is now a phenomenon that is deep-rooted in the soul and body of nations all over the world. Leaders because of their selfish interest no longer lead by examples and as such turn the nation’s money into their purse, which results in reducing the standard of living and development of the nation. Nigeria, a society that breeds and nurture people of corrupt minds struggle and fight their way to the governmental seat through political backings is not exempted in this vice of corruption. This vice that has greatly eaten deep down into the country is a concern to all concerned Nigerians. This is why this study sets to investigate how the issue of corruption is treated and the solution proffered through the works of Adaobi Nwaubani I Do Not Come To You By Chance and LaboYari The Climate of Corruption.


1.3 Research Questions
The research questions are:

[i] How did Adaobi Nwaubani and Labo Yari present the vice of corruption in their two novels Do Not Come to You By Chance and The Climate of Corruption.
[ii]Why do people engage in corruption practices?
[iii]What are the effects of corruption on the society?
[iv] How can corruption be eradicated in the society?

1.4 Purpose of the Study
The purpose of the study is to:
i. Identify the presentation of the theme of corruption in the two novels of Adaobi Nwaubani’s I Do Not Come to You By Chance and Labo Yari’s The Climate of Corruption .
ii. To examine the actions and reactions of both writers toward the problems of corruption and the way they have proffered solutions to solve the problems that faces many young Nigerian society most especially the issue of corruption.
iii. Discover the peculiar levels of corruption in two novels to show how corruption has eaten deep into the family, educational and religious institutions.
iv. See the effective role played by literary artists in correcting social ills in the society, which prompted the presentation of corruption in the two novels chosen in order to expose the social decadence in the Nigerian society.

1.5 Significance of the Study
1. This study is beneficial to the government as it helps to identify, classify and expose rots of corruption in the country and also give them overall knowledge of the operations of the corruption eating up the country’s democracy.
2.  This study would also play an important role in shaping Nigerians moral conduct by exposing the evil consequences of corruption on those who involve in them, as well as helping them construct correction techniques to curb corruption.
3. This study is important to institution management in exposing rot of corruption in the institution, especially in relations of lecturers and students.
4.  This study would also serve as a form of literature review for researchers in this field.

1.6 Delimitation of the Study
It is clear from the purpose of study that even though the impetus for this study was generated in the Nigerian society, the scope of the study has been restricted to the novels of Adaobi Nwaubani’s I Do Not Come To You By Chance and Labo Yari’s The Climate Of Corruption. This restriction has been dictated by the need to attempt social issues within the novels. This enables the researcher to focus attention on the aspects of religion, education and advanced fee fraud in the novels.

1.7 Limitation of the Study
Not withstanding the restriction, there is strong indication from the available literature that the conclusions will be generalized to many people in the contemporary Nigerian society.
1.8 Definition of Terms
Corruption: Lack of integrity or honesty (especially susceptibility to bribery); use of a position of trust for dishonest gain.
Bribery: The practice of offering something (usually money) in order to gain an illicit advantage.
Theme: The subject matter of a conversation or discussion.
Nepotism: Favoritism shown to relatives or close friends by those in power (as by giving them jobs).

Fraud: Intentional deception resulting in injury to another person.

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