Cleric, Others Launch Movement against Corruption
A Canada-based Nigerian pastor, Amos Dele Dada has joined United States Citizens, Christian author, Myrna Etheridge, Pastor Charles Thomas, Bishop Golden Darrell and other Nigerians to launch a “Say No to Corruption” movement in Nigeria.
Sun reports that Pastor Dada’s launch of a book, titled “To The Rescue (Say No To Corruption)” took place recently at the Treasure Hall 11, Alaguntan area of Iyana Ipaja, Lagos state.
He explained that the initiative was part of his efforts to assist the government in its fight against corruption, “In making this nation great, I believe there are so many questions we can ask. The two that I consider most relevant and appropriate are, how did we get to this state of disrepair and how can we repair our nation?
“Corruption is, in my opinion, responsible for our decadence, dilapidation, degradation and failure as a nation. Therefore, the solution is simple, eliminate or reduce corruption.
“To be fair to ourselves, there is no nation without corrupt people. Human beings have the propensity to be corrupt. But nations have the capacity to identify their locusts, caterpillars, palmerworms and cankerworms and deal with them. Nigeria has to do this. In as much as we use judicial manipulations, tribal sentiments, lack of political will, and refuse to deal with corruption and corrupters, we are only rubbing pepper on our sores and it will continue to hurt us,” the cleric said.
“This movement starts with every one of us present here today, with everyone reading or hearing this message. It is time for you to say no to corruption. If all of us in our various areas of influence say no to corruption, we will leave a legacy that will build a Nigeria that we can all be proud of,” Dada added.
Speaking on the anti-graft war of the current government, he said, “The approach of the Federal Government for now could be tagged crisis management or an ad hoc approach to fighting corruption.
“A case where some looters soil their hands with misappropriation of funds or engage in one form of corruption or the other and the government is spending a fortune to recover some money and jail the culprit, laudable as it sounds, cannot deter the looters. They will exploit the legal system and avoid justice.”
He advised the Federal Government to create special courts that will try corrupt culprits in order to ensure they face the wrath of the law, adding that proactive approaches in fighting corruption includes instructing and educating the youths, “That is why I have written this novel.
“The best use is to put these books in the hands of the youth, through universities, polytechnic, Bible institutions as general knowledge studies, just as Joseph Ayodele Babalola University has done,” he said.
Guests from the United States present at the event admonished Nigerians, especially youths to shun corrupt practices, tasking leaders to be sincere in fighting the menace, as corruption is the reason for the nation’s backwardness.
A Nigerian youth at the event, Adedamola Alonge challenged the government to tackle corruption from the homes and schools so as to build a corruption-free generation.
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