On the 11th of August, 2014, under the auspices of the Economic & Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Abuja, I presented a paper titled "Women in the anti-economic & financial crimes crusade". The main thrust of the paper was that women as caregivers and the hands that rock the cradle, have a major role to play in the fight against corruption in Nigeria.
Some clarification is necessary at the outset. Both men and women could be corrupt, but the incidence seems to be less among the latter according to a survey of the crimes prosecuted by the EFCC since inception. According to Dr, David Tukura, a Director in EFCC, who represented the Chairman of the Commission at the event, about ninety percent of the crimes are committed by men, while women account for about five percent.
Women are the mistresses, wives, daughters, aunts, friends, etc of majority of the men who commit these crimes. They therefore could have considerable influence on their behavioural pattern. For instance, a man who commits a white collar crime has his wife as the last person he sees every night. Instead of asking the husband to provide a car or new house or clothes beyond his means, she could begin to discuss legitimate multiple streams of income which could put the family in good stead. That way, the family would still be able to afford some of the good things of life without getting involved in crime.
Besides, the mother is always the first teacher for any child - both male and female. The mother should inculcate in the children very early that a good name is better than silver and gold. The role of women is envisaged as mainly proactive, preventing crime by counseling loved ones at the level of the family, clan, village, workplace, etc..
It is envisaged that when corruption is reduced through the effort of women, then the "dividends of democracy would reach the populace, who have hitherto been deprived of same. A new generation of Nigerians nurtured by upright women may indeed be born. When citizens have basic amenities like education, housing, food, water, etc, we could be on the path of inclusiveness which may translate to sustainable peace...
19th September, 2016
*Corruption is addictive, like drugs - Pope Francis https://t.co/KQCfMuLOjy...
*NBA's fight against anti-corruption agencies by Femi Falana https://t.co/MigAlHb1gy
