By Ima Niboro
In more than a decade since the end of its military rule, Nigeria has made
significant strides toward solidifying itself as a bastion of democracy.
Today, Nigeria prides itself as a country with open elections and freedom
of the press, the right to due process and an independent judiciary.
But in spite of the substantial progress achieved, Nigeria, as with
developing countries across the globe, remains victim to a history haunted
by colonial injustices and insurgent pressures. In the decades that
followed colonial rule, military dictators and a brutal civil war scarred
Nigeria’s growth, opening the country to a long stretch of corrupt
leadership by military dictators, and civil unrest.
This history predates President Goodluck Jonathan.
If history is any guide, confronting corruption rooted in centuries of
development does not happen overnight. It is a slow and fragile process,
requiring concerted efforts steered by a committed leadership. Of late,
Nigeria faces a bitter battle against a growing insurgency, yet the
nation—under the astute governance of the current administration— has come
a long way in moving forward.
Policies emplaced and measures continually underway reflect the
president’s steadfast commitment to establishing transparency and
credibility across all government institutions. He has uncovered and
seized fraudulent money from corrupt officials, dismissed judges for
abusing their powers, led Nigeria as one of the first signatories to an
anti-money laundering act, passed legislation to permit open scrutiny of
government businesses, and established partnerships to ensure credibility
in the country’s electoral process.
The groundwork in place to confront corruption has enabled the
government’s success in responding to domestic threats. As the Ebola
outbreak rampaged the country’s major cities, President Jonathan partnered
with state governments and international NGOs to provide medical aid and
develop innovative approaches to treat Ebola victims, successfully
containing the virus in-country while deploying Nigerian volunteers to
lead efforts abroad. His Victims Support Fund provides relief for those
impacted by Boko Haram violence and his Safe Schools Initiative, and
subsequent construction of hundreds of schools, serves to protect
Nigeria’s academic system and ensure children’s right to education, most
among Nigeria’s northeastern region where school enrollment lags behind
other areas.
Yet despite this remarkable progress, Nigeria faces the constant peril of
an escalating terror threat. Centuries of civil unrest fueled the
evolvement of Boko Haram, the terrorist organization that has claimed
thousands of innocent lives over the past four years. Since 2013, the
president has instituted a state of emergency in three Nigerian
northeastern states facing the worst of Boko Haram’s threat. He has
established anti-terror measures to better equip and effectively train the
military. And he has engaged in active negotiations to secure the release
of the Chibok girls—all the while protecting the country from the very
terrorists ravaging its soil.
Jonathan assumed his position in a national landscape laden by societal
woes. Since 2010, his administration has worked tirelessly to institute
measures to allow Nigeria to establish itself as an open, transparent
nation that safeguards the democratic rights of the Nigerian people.
Clearing the roots is the key to creating a sustainable foundation in the
fight against corruption. The President and his administration continue
building onto these measures, keeping Nigeria moving forward in the face
of daunting odds.
Niboro is managing director of the News Agency of Nigeria, a state-run
news reporting organization.