A Professor of Public Administration at Lagos State University, Olufemi Fatile, has stressed the need for strong political will to combat corruption, terrorism, and insecurity in the country.

Fatile made this assertion on Tuesday while delivering Lagos State University’s 104th inaugural lecture at the Buba Marwa Auditorium. The event was attended by eminent personalities, academics, and students.

He stressed that decisive political will is crucial to accelerating efforts and implementing the necessary policies to address corruption, terrorism, and insecurity in the country.

Speaking on the topic, “Nigeria and the Killer Squad: Corruption, Insecurity, and the Restructuring Brouhaha – Why These Wicked Problems Persist”, Fatile lamented that the Nigerian state’s failure to tackle these challenges has not only crippled national growth and development but also continued to bleed the nation.

According to him, Nigeria can significantly curb corruption, insecurity, and terrorism, reducing them to the barest minimum.

“The phenomenon of these wicked problems looms large in every state in Nigeria. Given this reality, more emphasis should be placed on studying this issue in public administration and governance literature.

“We now understand the depth of these wicked problems, but the critical question remains: How do we tame them in a bleeding nation like Nigeria?” he stated.

Fatile stressed that fighting corruption in a globalised economy “requires strong institutions, laws, human resources, media, and technology.”

He further highlighted that the human factor plays a key role in corruption, as individuals are both corrupt and corruptible.

To strengthen the fight against corruption, he recommended a new national slogan: “If you see something, say and do something.”

The professor also advocated for true federalism, insisting that it would help address Nigeria’s social and economic challenges.

“True federalism is Nigeria’s best solution. The constitution should be amended to remove anti-federalism provisions and implement real federalism,” he said.

He further urged the government to revisit the 2014 National Confab recommendations on restructuring, resource control, and insecurity, adding that Nigeria needs fair resource distribution for all regions.


https://punchng.com/political-will-key-to-ending-corruption-insecurity-lasu-don/