“We have been trying to make the country a better place for Nigerians especially the youth and generations yet to come, because the way corruption has been ravaging the country. If noting specifically is not done at least to stem it down we will be speaking a different tune in the next three to five years, especially the fall out effect on our youth”
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13 years ago
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Caxton Bode Olawoye is an extrovert, a Seasoned Security Officer and now the Ondo State Director, Anti-Corruption Awareness Organisation in Nigeria (ACAO). He shares his views:
About Anti-Corruption Awareness Organisation:
Anti Corruption Awareness Organisation in Nigeria has been around since 1969 working with all registered law enforcement agencies in detecting both minor and major crime and total eradication of corruption in Nigeria.
In actual fact, we are even suppose to call our-self the father of all anti-graft agencies because we’ve been around since 1969 and we’ve done such a lot for people to appreciate that we are existing.
Assessment of level of Corruption in the Country:
Corruption has been in Nigeria for over 30 years and talking about a 30 years old virus, it can’t be taken with levity. One needs to put everything into it in order to eradicate it.
Corruption is not something you can eradicate just like that. I would categorically say corruption has been reducing a little bit in Nigeria, thanks to the two major anti-graft agencies, ICPC and EFCC, alongside efforts of several other voluntary agencies like ours.
We have been trying to make the country a better place for Nigerians especially the youth and generations yet to come, because the way corruption has been ravaging the country. If noting specifically is not done at least to stem it down we will be speaking a different tune in the next three to five years, especially the fall out effect on our youth. Though, corruption is reducing a little bit because of the double edge hammer the anti-graft agencies have adopted in fighting the scourge.
Like our organisation, apart from chasing the corrupts we are also into enlightenment and with special focus on the youths to make them grow corrupt free. With what we are doing and efforts of other NGO’s I would say it is reducing. Within the next few years we will be able to say it loud that corruption is reducing.
Fighting Corruption through change in orientation and on get rich quick syndrome:
In Nigeria, nobody wants to die but we all want to go to heaven and that has brought about this get rich quick Syndrome. People want to get rich quick at the expense of the general populace even without education and work.
In the last ten years or thereabout, education has nosedive because of corruption. Nobody wants to work but we all want to make money. Hence, our organisation conceptualise an idea to promote integrity in our system by encouraging our youth to embrace education so that with proper education they will have everything to become wealthy legally and genuinely. So we came up with the idea of Operation Catch Them Young.
Catching them young so that our children will know and understand that corruption is a monster, a disease and a virus and they must not go close to it.
We are erecting over 500 billboards, covering all the 18 local governments in this state with an inscription that says “NO TO CORRUPTION, YES To GOOD EDUCATION, GOOD GOVERNANCE AND GOOD HEALTH.” It is a nationwide project.
These billboards are being erected in the front of schools, so that as children comes into the school they read day in day out. We are using the power of outdoor advertising with beautiful colours, static medium and big illustrations. They are eye catching and appealing. Every academic term, at least once if not more, we are visiting these schools to lecture the students thereby preparing them for the big day. As they progress in their academics and life they would have been aware of the nitty gritty and adverse effects of corruption, making it difficult for their peer groups to influence or lure them into corruption or any of these societal vices.
On 2011 elections and possibility of electing corrupt politicians:
You will agree with me that nobody is perfect and in Nigeria we are still down with the Nigeria factor and that cannot be totally eradicated now.
We are praying and psychologically we have seen that at least 75% of those that are going for elective position today would be corrupt free. This is based on the premises of the level of work done by the anti-graft agencies through the screening some of these politicians. Even before hand, EFCC has been running campaign on television and radio, warning some of these money bags who have made their money through nefavious activities to stay away from politics. So they are scared stiff, knowing that if they venture into politics, the agencies will go after them and they would be disqualified because of the structure EFCC has put in place.
But at that, you can’t rule out the fact that some, one way or the other, will stind find their way, that’s why I said maybe about 75% of them would be corrupt free but few ones will still bambooze their way and that is left for the electorate to be vigilant.
On free and fair election:
Though the recent cancellation of the National Assembly Election was very unfortunate and an embarrassment but I’m still of the opinion that we will have a free and fair election.
Jega is a man of integrity, he has been around for so long that we all know him as a tested and resolute man and he knows that if he derails it would have adverse effect on his own person.
Most of the things he has done since he came on board has given us indications that with God’s help Nigeria might witness a second free and fair election the first being the 1993 election, supposedly won by MKO, which is still the freest in the history of Nigeria so far.
Involvement of ACAO in the electoral process:
We are having a feeling that some of our members will be injected on a monitoring level by INEC but that notwithstanding we are also prepared and working at our own end to ensure a corrupt free election