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.
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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