NACCURATE “BRIEF HISTORY OF CORRUPTION IN NIGERIA.” (1960-1966 is not accurate at all start from 1952).
Zik perpetuated the 1st big case of Public Corruption . The Foster Sutton Tribunal found him guilty of Malfeasance in using Eastern Nigeria Development money to fund his private investment in African Continental Bank ACB.
Ojukwu’s father Sir Phillip Odumegwu Ojukwu helped pay back the money. The British used that to leverage Zik to carry out their Pro North Agenda.
A lot of the British District Officers in Nigeria practiced Petty Corruption ie quiet enrichment which they invested overseas for retirement. The Indirect rule of the Northern Region gave a lot of room for the Emirs to dip into the Taxed income and the British looked the other way.
The Sultan of Sokoto as the Titular Religious and Political head has always been generous to the British Royal family and now that has extended to the Democratic Party operatives as well as certain high officials in the Republican Party.
In 1958, The British Government through the Secretary for the Colonies guaranteed a soft loan of $14.7 m or there about for the Development of Nigeria’s Railway System. A Similar sum of $44m was loaned to India prorated for Population and Landmass.
It was signed for by Finance Minister Festus Okotie-Eboh and Transport Minister Raymond Njoku. The Precursor to what we now call the World Bank loaned the Money at a colorful ceremony in Washington DC covered by the US Television and the Front page of the New York Times.
Francis Oladele a Cinematography Student at the New York Cinematography Institute covered the Colorful Ceremony for CBS News as part of the team.
He kept the Pictures and the subsequent Front page coverage only to arrive in Nigeria in late September to cover the Independence ceremonies expecting to see brand new Trains and Railway lines, to find nothing in that regard, only to later find out later that the Money was given as Soft loans to Transport Buisnessmen in Northern, Eastern Nigeria, and Syrians/ Arabs . That was the beginning of the domination of our Roads by Tractor Trailers and Luxury busses.
Political Corruption in Nigeria started as far back as 1940’s when Ahmadu Bello was arrested and charged for embezzlement of Sokoto Council Money . It was Lawyer Adekunle Wright who left Lagos and defended him, securing an aquital on some technicality.
It was Finance Minister Okotie-Eboh who carried corruption to the 10% level and used political office to enact laws to promote his own private Business.
To say that there was no Corruption until 1960 is not true .
ADDENDUM
Macaulay was barred from running for public office because of legal problems – he was convicted twice by the colonial government in Lagos; the first time for fraud, and the second time for sedition.
Misappropriation of funds Edited
After going into private practice as a surveyor and architect, Macaulay faced some financial difficulty and misappropriated funds from an estate he served as executor for. His actions were uncovered by the authorities who tried him and sentenced him to two years in prison.
– From Wikipedia.
