“Why is everybody stealing in Nigeria? Please, why the stealing? Here, in our country, stealing seems like an act of worship, that if you didn’t steal, you might lose the eternal bliss. Therefore, everybody strives to steal, irrespective of its implication on the populace. In Nigeria, there’s pride in stealing!

Even those who are gainfully engaged still take pride in stealing. It’s no news that civil servants are super “stealers”. They steal as much as public servants. The higher the degree, the smarter the “stealers”. Professors can steal and “pretend” to faint. When you didn’t have the heart of Akpabio, why did you steal?

Academic scholars are usually entrusted with the “destiny” of their people because of the integrity of the books they read and write, the titles they carry with their names and whatever they profess in the field of study, but they end up stealing like the politicians they condemn with big big vocabs.

A PhD thesis is an instrument of change, for having identified a problem for which it provides a theoretical solution, but in Nigeria, PhD holders, like Prof Daniel Pondei, are parts of the problem that must be resolved. But who is actually dirtier between an academic and the gentlemen of the press, another gang of “stealers”?
But why is everyone stealing?

A friend told me that poverty has no relative or friends. Nigerians would hardly identify with an extreme lack. Here, the poor is doubly humiliated – by both his status and the people around him. We celebrate riches and the affluent. Thus, the impoverished poor succumbs to his folly when he becomes so desperate for a quick breakthrough!” (The above is from a post that went viral on social media recently; unfortunately, I do not know the author, so as to acknowledge him/her, but the readers of this article have probably come across the post. So, apologies if the author is not duly acknowledged or referenced).

It is obvious that there are so many reasons and circumstances to the issue of stealing and looting in Nigeria, and we tend to see it differently and in diverse opinions. But one thing is we are all agreed that stealing and looting and other forms of corruption exist and has become endemic in our society, greatly stunting our economic, technological and moral growths and developments, corroded public and international trust in the country, and impoverished the people of this country.

“Corruption is the single greatest obstacle preventing Nigeria from achieving its enormous potential. It drains billions of dollars a year from the country’s economy, stymies development, and weakens the social contract between the government and its people. Nigerians view their country as one of the world’s most corrupt and struggle daily to cope with the effects. Yet few analytical tools exist for examining the full range and complexity of corruption in Africa’s largest economy and most populous country”. SUMMARY from the book “A NEW TAXONOMY FOR CORRUPTION IN NIGERIA”, By Matthew T. Page
EVERYBODY is stealing because NOBODY is looking after the interest of ANYBODY. People without food for days might decide to either end life through suicide or go out and steal to keep the body together. Once they meet with little or no resistance, they turn stealing to profession. Students, male and female steal, cheat, and sell their bodies in order to pass through higher institutions.

Even the people who are blaming the system are also waiting for their slight opportunity to steal the public funds. I think the cleansing need to start from the top to the bottom and we need go orientation, because here in Nigeria, we don’t celebrate hard working people. We don’t celebrate integrity, but revere mediocrity and we like to cut corners to quickly get what we want in detriment of others.

A change of heart /circumcised heart is what we need, that’s my humble advice.