The Need for Attitudinal Change for The Anti -Graft War in Nigeria

Abstract

The primary objective of this paper is to examine the need for attitudinal change and anti-graft war in Nigeria. The need to undertake the study was premised on the fact that corruption has been identified as one of the major social malaises that has slowed down t pace of development and that the attitude and behaviour of people constitute a major stumbling block to the war against corruption in Nigeria. The research method used in this study was content analysis. The paper explains how the attitudes and behaviours of the Nigerian masses engender and enhance the social reproduction of corruption which they suffer from. The paper also argues that the current anti-corruption war of the present administration, which focuses more on the economic aspect of corruption is deficient anc more holistic approach aimed at addressing other forms of corruption, such as disobedience to the law and constituted authon nepotism and favouritism, and moral and political corruption are as important and devastating as economic corruption. The pap concludes by suggesting that a bottom up approach involving a general change of attitude beginning with people rather the to down approach of giving monetary reward to people that reveal where the proceeds of corruption are kept is inadequate; people mu be rewarded based on hard work rather than with some primordial sentiments, and people seeking for political office must see elected positions as a call to serve rather than an avenue for primitive accumulation of wealth.