[ThursdayRapAround] Nigeria And The ‘Kickback’ Malady

There was a report at a time on a massive referral kickback scheme showing how the country’s top diagnostic service providers, medical doctors and hospitals siphon billions of naira yearly from unsuspecting patients who pay for healthcare.

The report showed massive and disturbing trend where unsuspecting members of the public are being fleeced of their hard earnings. This no doubt, has placed an additional financial burden on sick persons and their relatives – majority of those who paid through their nostril.

Where this has been reported in the health sector, what do we say of other areas – government circle, especially? Where offices and governmental powers are being abused with impunity – and at the expense of the larger populace.

With the recent revelation that is making round involving the former Governor of Ondo State, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko in which he was alleged to have demanded for kickbacks and or gratification from the President of Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote over the establishment of the latter’s refinery at Olokola Free Trade Zone, in Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State, the last may not have been heard.

Of course, the multi-million dollars facility has been established at Ibeju-Lekki in Lagos State. The loss to Ondo is now of massive gain to Lagos. It is also on record that Dangote Group once opted to take over another moribund company – the Oluwa Glass Company, Igbokoda, for massive turnaround but was frustrated. It is not clear if the frustration also came during Mimiko-led administration in Ondo State. The fact still remains that which ever way this issue is viewed, there have been some untoward infractions. These infractions have led to massive job losses; revenue shortfall; opportunity lost; redundancy of vital economic footprint.

As is usually the case, Mimiko’s media aide have gone to press to deny the allegation, insisting that there was no such dealing. It however remains to be seen how and who ‘will believe our report’.

This should not end here, sure. The matter should be thoroughly investigated to establish the truth.

History is replete with stories of how supposed leaders have used their adhoc, temporary positions to mortgage Nigeria’s destiny – to the detriment of the people. These are no doubt, disturbing developments. When a leader is voted to power, by all standard, such a leader is expected to add value to governance, improve the well-being of his or her people; contribute to socio-economic transformation of the country and not the other way round.

Occupying public office is a matter of trust. Under no condition or circumstance should the trust be sacrificed or abused for self-aggrandisement.

In Nigeria over the years, occupying public office has been viewed as a means to get rich and amass wealth by whatever mean available. This has enabled and embolden corruption to thrive in every faceth of our national life – and sadly, this has defied all known solutions.

Corruption, as a social phenomenon, has been identified as one of the main spoilers of Nigeria’s ambition to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and, in particular, of its aspiration to lift more than 100 million Nigerians out of poverty in the next 10 years.

This is one out of many that have succeeded in drawing back the nation’s growth.

The racketeers being perpetrated in the country with car, vehicle registration is sickening. All the anomalies, according to, are the handiwork of political leaders who unleash their foot-soldiers to perpetrate them. In a bid to ensure they too are not left out, they make allowance for themselves – thereby compounding the situation for unsuspecting members of the public.

Who will deliver Nigeria from shylock leaders?