Nigeria’s Broken Oath: How the Betrayal of Citizenship Fuels Endemic Corruption.

By George Omagbemi Sylvester

In Nigeria, corruption is not just a crime; but a lifestyle, a daily routine and an unofficial creed passed from one generation to another. It seeps into the pores of the nation’s institutions and poisons the moral compass of millions. The same society that condemns petty theft from a soup pot turns a blind eye to billion-naira heists committed in government houses. What we see is not mere hypocrisy, it is the catastrophic collapse of the idea of citizenship itself.

The Nigerian pledge, once recited with pride in school assemblies, has become a cruel irony. Today, it might as well read:

“I pledge to Nigeria my country,
To be UNfaithful, UNloyal and DIShonest,
To exploit Nigeria with all my strength,
To promote her DISintegration,
And uphold her DIShonour and shame.
So help me Self.”

This tragic distortion is not satire; it’s a mirror reflecting the true behavior of many Nigerians, especially those in power.

Citizenship without Accountability, at the core of this rot is the failure of citizenship. In modern political thought, citizenship implies a reciprocal contract between the state and the individual. The citizen obeys the laws, pays taxes and participates in civic duties, while the state ensures justice, equity, protection and development. In Nigeria, this contract has been flagrantly breached.

As Professor Jibrin Ibrahim of the Centre for Democracy and Development rightly notes, “Corruption in Nigeria is not simply a breach of law but a failure of identity. Many Nigerians do not see the state as a representation of the collective will, they see it as an alien structure to be exploited.”

In such a system, politicians do not govern (they loot…civil servants do not serve) they extort. And the average citizen, already battered by poverty and disillusionment, is left to mimic these values in his or her daily struggle for survival.

A System That Rewards Rogues.
One of the most disheartening aspects of corruption in Nigeria is how society celebrates it, embezzLERS are knighted with chieftaincy titles and even money launderERS are praised at churches and mosques, furthermore convicTED fraudstERS contest and win elections. The message is clear: CRIME PAYS, AS LONG AS IT IS GRAND ENOUGH.

According to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), over $400 billion has been stolen from Nigeria’s coffers since independence. To put that in perspective, that amount could have built world-class hospitals, modern railways, free university education for all Nigerians and still left billions in reserve. Instead, we have potholes, power outages and mass poverty.

Former EFCC chairman, Nuhu Ribadu, once declared: “When you fight corruption in Nigeria, corruption fights back.” But today, corruption no longer fights back, but simply sits on the throne.

The Curse of Selective Justice.
Despite the existence of anti-corruption institutions like the EFCC, ICPC and Code of Conduct Bureau, few high-profile convictions ever lead to true justice, probes often end in silence and trials are endlessly adjourned. Plea bargains allow BILLION-NAIRA thievES to walk free after returning a fraction of what they stole.

For example, Abdulrasheed Maina, former chairman of the Pension Reform Task Team, was convicted in 2021 for embezzling over ₦2 billion in pension funds. Yet, how many other high-profile politicians and governors walk freely, even after damning evidence of graft? How many are shielded by immunity, political party protection or simply “TECHNICALITIES” in the courts?

Former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Walter Onnoghen, himself removed in controversial circumstances, once lamented: “When the judiciary is under pressure or compromise, the battle against corruption is already lost.”

A Culture of Silence and Survival.
Beyond the elite, the rot trickles down to ordinary Nigerians, bribery is the unofficial language of public service. To get a passport, you pay a bribe. To pass a police checkpoint, you pay a bribe. Even to bury the dead in some local governments, you must “settle” officials. Corruption has become institutionalized because many have given up on the system and are simply trying to survive.

In 2023, Transparency International ranked Nigeria 145th out of 180 countries on the Corruption Perceptions Index. This is despite repeated promises of reform by successive administrations. Why? Because anti-corruption in Nigeria is often weaponized against political opponents, not used as a sincere tool for national transformation.

The Psychology of a Broken People.
What happens when citizens no longer believe in the idea of Nigeria? When young people chant “japa” as their ultimate dream (to escape the country by any means necessary) it is a glaring sign of systemic failure. Loyalty, patriotism and responsibility are luxuries the oppressed can no longer afford.

As Chidi Odinkalu once remarked during a civil society forum, “A country that punishes honesty and rewards impunity cannot claim to have a future.” In Nigeria, many have died silently-morally, mentally and spiritually. The young are growing up in a society where theft in public office is normalized, where decency is mocked and where hard work rarely leads to success unless lubricated with corruption.

The Way Forward is a Revolution of Values.
The only solution to Nigeria’s corruption crisis is a radical rebirth of civic consciousness, we must begin by re-teaching citizenship, not just as a subject in schools but as a living creed. Leadership must become about service, not self-enrichment. Institutions must be allowed to work, not sabotaged by politics.

As Dr. Oby Ezekwesili, former Minister of Education and anti-corruption crusader, puts it: “Until citizens understand that the office of the citizen is the highest in the land, the politicians will continue to abuse power.”

Nigerians must stop worshipping money and start demanding integrity. Communities must ostracize thieves not celebrate them. Religious leaders must stop blessing looters and start confronting them. And most importantly, we must change the narrative that “everyone is corrupt.” That fatalism only feeds the problem.

Awakening the Nigerian Conscience

To reclaim Nigeria, we must rewrite the pledge, not on paper but in action. Let every citizen pledge:

“I pledge to Nigeria my country,
To be faithful, loyal and honest,
To serve Nigeria with all my strength,
To protect her unity and uphold her honour and glory; So help me God.”

But such a pledge must be matched with COURAGE, the courage to demand justice, courage to vote wisely, courage to expose corruption and courage to believe that a better Nigeria is POSSIBLE with oneself.

Until then, Nigeria will remain a nation where citizenship is a mockery, governance is a scam and corruption is the true constitution.

Let us rise from this self-imposed curse. Let us choose conscience over convenience. Let us become citizens and not spectators.