By Ayobami Ife, Abeokuta
An anti – corruption Ambassador, Dr Babatunde Adeyemo, on Wednesday said that corruption was fighting back the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu both locally and internationally ostensibly to sabotage the gains that the administration was making for country in the last two years.
Adeyemo, a veteran broadcast journalist – turned major player in the nation’s real estate industry, said that the prevailing gains of steady exchange rate, subsidy removal,reduction in oil theft and the recent introduction of oil import tariffs have combined to make Nigeria’s economy less vulnerable to the manipulations of corrupt actors – both locally and internationally, warning that corruption was fighting back to set the nation back again.
Citing the recent desperate attempts to portray Nigeria as a country of genocidal killings against Christians with the intention of mobilising the international community against the country as a case of a fight against Nigerian economic trajectory, he urged Nigerians to rally round the President at this critical time to concentrate and surmount the current challenges.
Adeyemo spoke in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, shortly after a Road Walk Against Corruption with member of the National Youths Service Corps (NYSC) as part activities to mark ‘Zero Tolerance For Corruption In Nigeria,’ an event being organised by the National Anti – Corruption Coalition (NACC).
The road walk which commenced at the MKO Abiola International Stadium Kuto, coursed through the long Kuto – Central Bank – Ibara road and Omida- Panseke – Oke Ilewo areas before terminating at the Iwe Iroyin Press Centre Okelewo, Abeokuta, had the Olu of Orile Ilawo, Abeokuta, Oba (Prof.) Alexander Macgregor, as a participant.
Adeyemo expressed concern that the youth who ought to rally round the present administration for making the economy turned the corner with its bold reforms were not doing so because of limited orientation making it difficult for them to recognise and identify that Nigeria is now making steady progress on the watch of President Tinubu.
He noted that it hss become seamless for travellers to obtain dollars using the Naira denominated cards abroad unlike what obtained before the present administration came on board, adding that even bankers now have confidence in transacting international business because of the stabilised exchange rate.
He said, “It’s a disheartening that corruption is fighting back this administration both locally and internationally. And unfortunately, most of our youth who are supposed to rally round with the present government that is making laudable impact are not reasoning along or being realistic. The problem is that there are lots of drain brains. The Western world has taken most of the best in Nigeria away for greener pasture and we’re now left largely with Yahoo Yahoo youth who could not be objective in their reasoning.
”In the last few years, we have realised that a lot of things are getting better in Nigeria, firstly the exchange rate. Those of us that usually travel out, if I want to travel out of the country you make use of forex all around, even when you have those money in your domiciliary accounts, you cannot have access to them because to withdraw it is a problem. But now you can go abroad and use your Naira card to withdraw dollars from foreign ATMs, it’s because the exchange rates is now stable and the banks now have more confidence to transact business in naira.
“Secondly, fuel and the crude oil are not finding their ways out of the shores of the country any longer. You know how it used to be before now, the rate of crude oil theft has reduced to the barest minimum. The subsidy has been targeted to those who really needs it. Infact, subsidy is gone.
“So, you shouldn’t expect corruption not to fight back both locally and intentionally. Take it or you leave it, intentionally, the western world would not like it when you see dollars falling against naira or pounds falling against naira. How do you expect them to feel or react?
“So,when you look at recent occurrence in Nigeria,, you will know we really need the present transformation. Though, we have challenges in this country, yes like security, but the way they are painting it now like turning it to Christian genocide. We cannot do that in Nigeria because it’s a very peaceful, we have some cases of extremists but their highly condemnable activities are not against one particular religion .
”Majority of those states that do experience security breach, especially the northern states are majority Muslims So,for someone to now carpet it as a genocide or intentional killing by the government or religious terrorists is not sincere enough. So, I believe at this point in time that we need proper orientation, most especially we have to start from the younger ones and they are the Corps numbers so that’s why we are here today.”
