If most of our African leaders are not corrupt the health system would have been reformed long time ago and there wouldn’t be anyone running to Europe or America for special treatments while local citizens die daily due to lack of proper health care system amongst every other form of corruption like embezzlement and stealing as they are all intertwined.

For example, former military head of state Sani Abacha had stolen so much from the Nigerian treasury and stacked the financial resources all over North America and Europe. If he realised that he would die someday and leave all behind, maybe or maybe not, he would have judiciously utilised the financial resources radically for major infrastructural development programmes. Those monies now being recovered from offshore accounts all over the globe would have been invested where they were most needed. But, unfortunately, greed took over the mindset of the average leader then and now.

Corruption starts from the grassroots of every individual’s childhood and follows them through till they grow older in that evil practice and later find themselves in a position of authority. With that mindset the individual continues in acts of corruption and the next thing one day the news will break that a fellow has been charged for corruption worth billions of naira, all because their childhood reflects in them. After all, the wise King Solomon said: “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he grows old, he will not depart from it.” (Proverbs 22: 6)

When a mother tells his/her child to lie to the dad when he gets back from work about a certain grocery that was bought for just N1,000 to tell him they bought it for N5,000; just because the woman needs someone on her team to get herself what she wants while corrupting such a child in the process, when the child grows up, what do you expect from such dishonest upbringing? What manner of public servant or private sector executive would such a child be? Your guess is as good as mine.

Why will an individual nurture evil thoughts that he wants to embezzle billions of naira and stash it in offshore accounts where if he suddenly dies, the monies automatically becomes the property of the host country. And the situation is made worse by the fact that not even his family members are aware of the secret account. So then, why do you enrich yourself with what you cannot finish off before you die and leave it to someone who has not even worked hard for a penny? The magnitude is such that even your 20th generation still cannot finish spending what you've stolen while on earth. Wealth not properly used while on earth is a great misfortune.

I am not going to tell the wicked to continue to be wicked, but to remember deep down that someday all they have will vanish before their eyes. That brings me to the mental slavery that has really eaten us deep in Africa and everyone believes that all goods produced locally in Africa is sub-standard, unlike the foreign items they patronise. This is mental slavery. And that is why goods produced in Aba, Abia State in South-eastern Nigeria produces certain items, for example, a Gucci slip-on, a popular designer that the world recognizes. Instead of encrusting “Made in Aba” on it, they easily apply “Made in America” on it because they know that everyone is mentally enslaved to believe that the white man's product is the best. And, don't ever forget that Gucci slip-ons produced in Aba will look exactly the same like the one made in America, no deficiency.

Not until mental slavery is eradicated, Africa will never forward nor get to their Promised Land.

More essentially, the white man has mentally enslaved the multitudes to the extent that we all now believe that to be successful, you have to travel to far away Europe and America. Yet, everyone can get engaged in what will move Africa forward if we start embracing locally-made products and boldly encrust “Made in Nigeria”, if a good is made here or “Made in Tanzania”, if an item is made there. The dexterity with which the white man has enslaved Africans is disturbing: to the point whereby they will come here to take our most-valued and treasured resources and tell the supposed leaders that they will help them create an account and put it in their various foreign reserves. If not for corruption, why will someone tell you he will help you save your money in his country and make use of it any time he feels like, and not in your country where your resources has been taken away.

It’s time leaders in Africa should come to their right senses and get whatever they call foreign reserves and get it back here. For example in Nigeria, to improve basic infrastructure like the roads, electricity and provide basic amenities for her citizens. I asked a friend some time ago that lives in faraway Australia why he travelled that far. He plainly and basically said it’s simply because of electricity; that he can be creative with his new ideas. He is a cinematographer. Tears rolled out of my eyes when he said that just because of ordinary electricity; when God has given us freely to tap our electricity from different sources, such as dams, like Kainji and water resources, gas, coal and sufficient sunlight for solar energy. That is why someone from Nigeria builds drones for the American army in the United States of America. So many of our most treasured citizens are doing wonderful things for other countries because they gave them everything they need. For example, electricity, absence of which drove my friend to far Australia, just to explore his creativity.

Corruption started since when I do not know but mental slavery has to be abolished. No one should be allowed to seek for greener pastures elsewhere. When Nigerians travel overseas, let it be specifically for tourism and not for any other purpose. Africa must stand up now to these stylish 21st century slavery and do all it takes to make it right and get everywhere developed; just like the sporadic development in United Arab Emirates, most especially Dubai. Today, Dubai has become a global tourist destination.

Let greed be taken out of our leaders' minds because it's now a circle that everyone aiming at the position of authority is only thinking of an opportunity to steal, embezzle and exploit the poor. We need a messiah and may God someday send us one, most especially in Nigeria.

•Mike-Nifty is a curator, economist and public affairs analyst: nifty.mics@yahoo.com .

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