Angela Oyo-Ita, the University of Calabar deputy vice-chancellor, has called on Nigerian youths to avoid the older generation’s mistakes by eschewing corruption.

Oyo-Ita stated this at an anti-corruption symposium organised by the Students Christian Movement (SCM) of Nigeria and Priests Peace and Justice (PPJ) Initiative, with support from the MacArthur Foundation, in Calabar.

The professor of Community Medicine said corruption had become pervasive in the nation because of the “others are doing it and the prospering syndrome” that had eaten into different facets of the nation.

“Nigeria is 154th in the World Corruption Perception Index out of 180 nations with a 24 per cent rate of transparency; this gives the nation a bad image. We must change the trend,” she said. “Despite the situation, the Bible is replete with young men and women who refused to be corrupted even though they were in corrupt foreign lands where they were not being monitored by their parents or government.”

Ms Oyo-Ita added, “The choice to be corrupt or not lies with us as a people, but if we must save the soul of this nation for the future generations, we need to choose the latter.” 

Ms Oyo-Ita appealed to youths to know where the older generation failed and what to do to put the nation back in the right direction.

Agbaji Oreya, PPJ programme manager, in a lecture titled ‘The Role of Religion in the Fight Against Corruption’, said graft had become endemic in Nigeria.

Mr Oreya said corruption in Nigeria had become systemic.

“The church must not leave the fight against corruption in the hands of the government. It must continue to persuade people and preach against it if we must save Nigeria,” said Mr Oreya. “As a church, we must promote the three ‘s’ model: to shun, speak and stand against corruption in our politics, educational system and even in the church to save our nation.”

The programme commenced with an anti-corruption rally from the Federal Government Girls College, Calabar, to the University of Calabar.

(NAN)