Gen Rotimi Williams, Rafsanjani, Profs Ogunsola, Babawale, others converge on UNILAG over corrupt behaviour in Nigeria’s public life
*Seek reform of justice system against corruption *When you vote in garbage, you get garbage in return - Prof. Odukoya *Laments Nigerian state not designed for Nigerians *How judiciary encourages impunity as corruption becomes the norm in Nigeria - Prof Babawale
By KEMI KASUMU and OUR REPORTER
“When you vote in garbage, you get garbage in return. The Nigerian state was never designed to develop or empower its people.”
Anti-corruption activism stakeholders drawn from the academic and civil society communities in the country came together on Thursday September 18, 2025 as a united voice in identifying the real common enemy of Nigeria in corruption and collectively sought urgent restructuring of the nation’s justice system to effectively “kill the parasite before it kills us”.
The DEFENDER reports that this was what happened when the likes of former Commander of the Nigerian Army Signals, Commander of Training and Doctrine (TRADOC), and Chief of Defence Training and Planning, Major General Ishola Williams (Rtd), who is now Director General of the Pan-Africana Strategic and Policy Research Group (PANAFSTRAG), Vice Chancellor of the University of Lagos, Professor Folasade Ogunsola, OON, Executive Director, Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), Mallam Auwal Musa Rafsanjani, Dean of the UNILAG Faculty of Social Sciences, Professor Adrlaja Odukoya, and Immediate past Provost of National Anti-Corruption Academy, Abuja, Professor Babatunde Babawale, gathered to discuss “Politics, Governance, Probity, Religion and Corrupt Behaviour in Nigeria” at an International Conference on Anti-Corruption.
At the conference organised by the Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Lagos, in collaboration with PANAFSTRAG and CISLAC, held in the FSS auditorium, University of Lagos, the anti-corruption fighters described corruption as a malignant tumour undermining national values and institutions including those that should be responsible for good governance and national growth through affordable and quality education for citizens.
The UNILAG Vice Chancellor and Chief Host of the event, Professor Folasade Ogunsola,while declaring open the conference described corruption as a pandemic that is now rooted, not only in leadership but also, in the mindset of people in the society.
“Corruption is the abuse of entrusted power for personal gain. You are not a thief because you steal; you steal because you are a thief,” she defined corruption with copious explanation, while also urging Nigerians to embrace personal accountability.
According to the VC, universities must first purge themselves of cheating, plagiarism, falsified data and bribery in admissions, before they can meaningfully contribute to anti-corruption reforms.
Dean of Social Sciences, Professor Adelaja Odukoya, who is host of the event, described corruption as a national embarrassment that is sadly now entrenched in the Nigeria’s structure.
He said, “When you vote in garbage, you get garbage in return. The Nigerian state was never designed to develop or empower its people,” he said.
He argued that commercialised politics and religion had become incubators of corruption.
Keynote speaker, Professor Babatunde Babawale, said corruption in Nigeria was a malignant tumour requiring urgent removal through a whole-of-society approach.
Babawale, a former Provost of the National Anti-Corruption Academy, Abuja, noted that despite reforms like Treasury Single Account (TSA) and the Whistleblower Policy, corruption remained disturbingly pervasive.
“The weak justice system encourages impunity. Corruption cases drag for years. We need to rework justice delivery, including establishing special anti-corruption courts,” he said, adding that corruption was deeply rooted in Nigeria’s neo-colonial state structure, sustained by elites’ pre-occupation with primitive accumulation.
Babawale urged leadership reforms to prioritise integrity and stronger enforcement of the whistleblower policy.
According to him, politics in Nigeria had become the only profession requiring the least qualification.
On religion, he observed that despite Nigeria’s prayerful reputation, religious institutions had not significantly changed people’s attitudes to corruption.
“Men of God now worship at the altar of money, with sermons focused on affluence, not moral rectitude,” he said.
General Ishola Williams (Rtd.), Director-General of PANAFSTRAG, criticised professionals who defend corrupt leaders.
“They know a man is a crook and yet want to defend him,” he said.
CISLAC’s Executive Director, Mallam Musa Auwal, warned that corruption in education was crippling Nigeria’s future blaming leaders, who having benefited from good time working educational system if Nigeria, for now undermining education in the country.
“If you want to cripple a nation, undermine education,” he said, pledging CISLAC’s partnership with universities particularly University of Lagos to strengthen reforms through anti-corruption fight and programmes.
Other speakers stressed that poor leadership recruitment and commodification of politics perpetuated corruption.
The DEFENDER, which covered the International Conference on Anti-Corruption, reports that Chairman of the Local Organising Committee, Professor Isaac Nwaogwugwu, who coordinated the event, highlighted actionable recommendations against systemic corruption.
