ORE Oduah: Nigeria losing her best to
corruption allegation on november 13, 2013 at 12:11 pm in viewpoint For some time now, the Nigerian media have been
 inundated with stories of corruption allegation levelled
against the Minister of Aviation, Princess Stella
Oduah, concerning an unverified claim that the
Minister masterminded the procurement of two
bulletproof cars through the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, one of the agencies she
supervises. The way and manner this story has been hitting the
front pages of national newspapers only proved that
there was more to it than meet the eye. Anyway, the focus of this article is really on the flip
side, the unquantifiable damage of the whole
gimmicks of corruption allegation in Nigeria. Is it not
now very clear that some politicians and never-do-
wells who, by misadventure, have found themselves
at certain areas of our national economy, aviation inclusive, wish to remain there even in their
unproductive age? I have listened to one of them, Captain Dele Ore,
during a conference in Lagos. He has maintained and
continues to emphasize that aviation is all about
getting the human capital right. Then, he confused his
standpoint as he advocated and still advocates that
politicians should not be allowed to head Aviation Ministry and agencies. Here is the error: Is Capt. Ore saying that if an
aviation expert delves into politics, he should hands
off aviation matters? But again, is Ore apolitical? I
think his stand does not hold water. The world over,
you cannot separate economics from politics. The
Aviation Round Table expert, Capt.Ore, should have known that the two are inseparable partners. So, this Captain might just be seeking for something
he is not getting in aviation sector and Nigerians now
know that he will continue to move around the table
(Aviation Round Table!) until he gets it. And what
does he want? Like the Biblical Herodias, the head of
any Aviation Minister he did not appoint! Anyway, we cannot continue to live in the past with this man’s
outdated argument in aviation matters. The nation has clamoured overtime that her best
abroad should return home to facilitate development.
President Jonathan has harkened to this clarion call.
Then there was Prof. Bath Nnaji! Did he find his feet
in the murky politics of position and grandstanding
bedevilling our body politics? What of Prof. Adenike Grange, the first female
Minister of Health during the late President
Yar’Adua’s administration? She was said to have held
many strategic international positions where she has
distinguished herself at the apogee of health sector
management and administration. But did she survive the corruption allegation missile, which has become
the modern tool of political witch-hunting in Nigeria?
We can go on and on! And this tactics is being used
against the Minister of Aviation, Princess Stella
Oduah today. Nigerians must begin to unravel the intents of those
who accuse others of corruption before joining the
bandwagon. Yes, it is true that Nigerians have
suffered mismanagement of bad rulers who pounced
on our collective wealth like the hungry lion in the
past. But should we then kill today’s cook on account of
yesterday’s hunger if she was not responsible for it?
This is my point: If we cannot determine the purpose
for which such allegations are instituted, it is
incumbent on us to jettison them for the general good
of the society. I say this because the Aviation Ministry brouhaha has
clearly shown that most of these accusations are
generated from questionable quarters, more
especially from those who have lost a bid to illegally
enrich themselves from our common wealth at the
detriment of the Nigerian people. This trend of mouthing corruption against the nation’s finest, who
have made a success in their various careers in life,
must stop if Nigeria must attract her best home to
contribute their quota for accelerated national
development.