Edmund Burke, a political theorist, philosopher and former member of the British parliament was generously quoted as saying: “The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for good men and women to do nothing.”
When the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari came on board, it came with a mission statement: to fight corruption, tame insecurity, provide jobs, improve the already battered economy and deliver social amenities.
The change mantra of the administration is meant to key in men and women of valour and candour and Nigerians with record of performance and pedigree to assist the president to realize the laudable goals of tacking corruption, build infrastructure, freely open the political space for mass participation, entrench constitutionalism, rule of law and institute a credible electoral process for the common good of the people.
For 16 years of our nascent democracy, Nigeria buckled under the full weight of a ravenous and greedy political class that fed fat on our commonwealth, while the rest of us, the peasantry, were boxed into perpetual poverty and misery. People in government lived in obscene opulence as a consequence of profligacy and financial impunity with an attendant high profile corruption and monumental looting of the treasury. There was lack of honest, transparent and selfless approach to governance where the country suffered administrative neglect, crumbling social infrastructure and services, high unemployment rate, general insecurity, social deprivation, abject poverty, filth and squalor and endemic social malaise. In fact, it was a free for all looting where professional fraudsters and economic adventurists with predatory instants on the treasury had a field day.
The Buhari administration is not all about dirges and songs of lamentations of the past, as his one year in office saw a man of character and credibility that stirred the leadership of our polity with philosophical calmness. His robust approach to governance is turning round our challenges to opportunities for the Common good of the people.
To realize a new social order for the execution of his vision and mission in governance, the President appointed Ibrahim Magu, a patriot and an agent of change to head the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, in an acting capacity. There is no better choice than this, as Magu is generally seen as an experience anti-corruption czar with an eagle eye on minute details, sensitivity of a fox and the instincts of anaconda in the execution of his mandate.
Magu is a silent performer that is result oriented. During the days of Nuhu Ribadu at EFCC, Magu handled the “Economic Unit” that investigated fraudstars and the 36 governors, some of whom are before the law for stealing Nigeria blind. The acting chairman is a gallant, courageous and diligent police officer that abhor corruption in all its ramifications and falls within the brackets of the gifted. In-fact sources say that most of the successes recorded in fighting corruption under Ribadu would be attributed to the non-compromising posture of Ibrahim Magu.
Though not known for blowing his trumpet through media hype, and making noise on the slightest achievement, Magu has successfully keyed into the “broom revolution” by serving his fatherland without fear or favour, as his cool, amiable and gentle posture does met belie a hard, no nonsense policemen that is impatient with the corrupt and corruptive tendencies. Though, exceptionally great in humility and fairness to mankind in the quest for social justice, Magu is one officer that cannot be taken for granted.
Barely few months of assumption of office, the anti-corruption czar has positively responded to our generational challenges as he left no one in doubt that the people in the immediate past government have fleeced the country and frittered away its commonwealth for the personal greed of the few.
Oblivious of the fact that no nation can be built on scandalous corruption and deceptive impunity, Magu is on the verge of creating history as he is currently investigating sacred cows and the untouchables with parasitic and sensitive looting credentials. In this journey, he has stepped on many big toes and ruffled so many influential feathers in his fearless pursuit of looters and the corrupt. Magu’s name brings joy and admiration to the downtrodden and the oppressed and of course, terror and trepidation to economic saboteurs with a caveat; that the days of profligacy in public expenditure that stretched governance from the sublime the ridiculous is over.
Magu’s disposition against corruption is legendary. If not for destiny, he would have been sent out of the police force for his uncompromising stance against corruption. The acting chairman has never compromised a historical disdain for “Swollen pockets” of filthy lucre from the rich and corrupt in the execution of his duties, as his thoughts on personal safety and the mad rush for fat Bank accounts becomes a non-issue. Magu was arrested and detained and his home was ransacked for fighting corruption under the ill-fated tenure of Farida Waziri. Just like a bull in a china shop, Waziri, as if on a mission of Vendetta picked out honest, diligent and transparent officers of the EFCC for persecution. Ibrahim Lamorde, the immediate past chairman was sent on “exile” to Ningi in Bauch as Divisional Police Officer (DPO) while Magu was detained and sent packing out of EFCC. Waziri lacked the moral fibre to fight corruption in a pond generously infested by hungry sharks and the rest is now history.
For now, the fight against corruption is not business as usual as Magu has brought back its fame and added value to past glory of EFCC. In the years gone by, treasury looters and the corrupt ruled EFCC and the Iboris were believed to be ordering the arrest and detention of principled EFCC officials. Things have since fallen apart and the centre no longer holds. No matter how highly placed or who is Involved, EFCCs does not shield any law breaker and economic saboteur. Who in his/her mildest imagination will ever think of arraigning a former National Security Adviser, Ministers and Army Generals among the many, who were accused of looting the treasury, would be brought to book? This has happened under Magu as a (corrupt) gold fish has no hiding place.
Magu changed the face and character of EFCC as his recent reorganization of his office, where dead woods and corrupt officers that had history of conniving with looters for pecuniary gains were redeployed for optimum productivity. Magu, according investigations is hardly having time for social activities or enjoying the bounties of weekends, as he is always in office trying to shape the destiny of Nigeria in its fight against corruption.
The few months of achievement in EFCC, has also placed the Buhari administration on the pedestal of fame as most presidents and heads of Government in the world have commended our president for his ceaseless fight against corruption.
To say, that I have profound regard and respect for Ibrahim Magu for his solid personal achievement in EFCC is merely an understatement. After all, Ralph Waldo Emerson, a classic poet, philosopher and literary giant of all times was quoted as saying “The World makes way for a man who knows where he is going”. Magu is on the right track of change as he is ready to lay his honour and credibility in achieving success at EFCC.
Modibbo, an Abuja-based journalist, writes from Bendel Street, Garki, Abuja.
