Political experts, academics and civil society leaders have called for urgent restructuring of Nigeria’s justice system to effectively address corruption.

They described corruption as a malignant tumour undermining national values and institutions.

The call was made at an international anti-corruption conference organised by the Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Lagos, alongside PANAFSTRAG and CISLAC.

Declaring the event open, Vice Chancellor Folasade Ogunsola said corruption was rooted in societal mindsets, not leadership alone.

She said, “Corruption is the abuse of entrusted power for personal gain. You are not a thief because you steal; you steal because you are a thief.’’

She urged Nigerians to embrace personal accountability.

According to her, universities must first purge themselves of cheating, plagiarism, falsified data and bribery in admissions before they can meaningfully contribute to anti-corruption reforms.

Dean of Social Sciences, Adelaja Odukoya, described corruption as a national embarrassment entrenched in Nigeria’s structure.

He said, “When you vote in garbage, you get garbage in return. The Nigerian state was never designed to develop or empower its people.’’

He argued that commercialised politics and religion had become incubators of corruption.

The keynote speaker, Tunde Babawale, said corruption in Nigeria was a malignant tumour requiring urgent removal through a whole-of-society approach.

A former provost of the National Anti-Corruption Academy, Abuja, Mr Babawale noted that despite reforms such as TSA and the Whistleblower Policy, corruption remained disturbingly pervasive.

He said, “The weak justice system encourages impunity. Corruption cases drag on for years. We need to rework justice delivery, including establishing special anti-corruption courts.’’

He added that corruption was deeply rooted in Nigeria’s neo-colonial state structure, sustained by elites’ preoccupation with primitive accumulation.

Mr Babawale urged leadership reforms to prioritise integrity and stronger enforcement of the whistleblower policy.

According to him, politics in Nigeria had become the only profession requiring the least qualification.

On religion, he observed that despite Nigeria’s prayerful reputation, religious institutions had not significantly changed people’s attitudes to corruption.

“Men of God now worship at the altar of money, with sermons focused on affluence, not moral rectitude,” he said.

Director-General of PANAFSTRAG, Ishola Williams (retd.), criticised professionals who defend corrupt leaders.

He said, “They know a man is a crook and yet want to defend him.’’

CISLAC’s Executive Director, Musa Auwal, warned that corruption in education was crippling Nigeria’s future.

“If you want to cripple a nation, undermine education,” he said, pledging CISLAC’s partnership with universities to strengthen reforms.

Other speakers stressed that poor leadership recruitment and commodification of politics perpetuated corruption.

Chairman of the Local Organising Committee, Isaac Nwaogwugwu, coordinated the event and highlighted actionable recommendations against systemic corruption. 

(NAN)