Islamic Scholar Blames Obasanjo, Muritala Govts For Nigeria’s Corruption

A former Managing Director and Editor-in-Chief of the defunct National Concord Newspaper, Alhaji Liad Tella, has blamed the government of Muritala/Obasanjo for the beginning of corruption in Nigeria.

Alhaji Liad Tella

Tella, who is a Senior Research Fellow in the Mass Communication Department of University of Ilorin, stated this while delivering lecture at the annual Ramadan lecture of Nigeria Television Authority, NTA, Osogbo, Osun state capital, on Wednesday.

He said the government of Muritala/Obasanjo is the greatest source of corruption, alleging that their government sacrificed federalism system in Nigeria.

“The Obasanjo led military juntas totally obliterated the federal system of government and began mass federalisation of states and regional institutions, radio and television, education institutions, central allocation of the resources of the federation.

“The military, which said that they came to end corruption and electoral fraud, ended up throwing the nation into the dungeon of corruption from where the nation is groping in darkness and efforts by past administrations to tame it remained fruitless until the emergence of the present government.

He also blamed Obasanjo government for the moribund state of Daily Times newspaper when the then government began “mass federalisation” of regional institutions.

Speaking on “Responsibility of Government: Islamic Perspective”, Tella noted that Islam, as a religion, called for unbending justice for all, irrespective of political, economic, social or cultural standing in the society, saying “everybody is equal before the law.

“In Islam, governance is an instrument of service not domination or oppression. Those who exercise sovereignty are holding power as trust. Corruption has no place in governance and government of Islam.

He said the responsibility of the governed is to ensure that they do not sell their votes for ephemeral gains that will in the long run mortgage their future.

“People must pay tax as contribution to the development of their state and also submit to the authority.

He expressed dissatisfaction over the visit of Christian leaders to President Muhammadu Buhari where they were reported to have told the president that his government has failed.

He described the action of the Christian leaders as “unreligious”, saying “a Muslim leader would never go to the president and tell him you have failed.

The communication expert also advised Onayekan who was reported to have said that Nigeria Christians will not allow impose of one religion, to be mindful of his utterances so as not to cause religious war.

He said, “let the Christian leaders be more modest. Religious war is not good for Nigeria. Let our Christian Brothers have a rest of mind that we are not interested in Islamizing anybody. There is no compulsion in Islam.