Fatshimetrie: On the Slippery Slope of Corruption and Political Scandals
In today’s age of instant information and online connectivity, political scandals and corruption cases now seem as common as the rising of the sun. Citizens, exhausted and disillusioned, have seen so many cases come one after the other that public outrage seems to be smothered in a desert of resignation. Meanwhile, governments, mired in their opportunism and impervious to protest, remain unfazed by the people’s unrest.
In theory, scandals should be the engine of reform. They should trigger public outrage, question the conscience of leaders, and expose the government to derision and shame. Scandals should prompt serious reflection, reassessment, and questioning of established norms. Yet, in many cases, citizens struggle in misery, suffocating, while the government remains in shamefully habitual indifference.
The recent example of the Bobrisky case perfectly illustrates this reality. Early this year, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) announced the creation of an Anti-Naira Mutilation Taskforce. Meanwhile, many corrupt politicians who have embezzled billions from the public treasury roam free, unmolested. Indeed, in Nigeria, when law enforcement agencies are busy hunting shadows and cleaning cobwebs, leaving the real criminals unpunished, people nod in agreement. The Taskforce has arrested a few individuals, but the first accused to stand trial was the controversial cross-dresser, Bobrisky. He was charged with money laundering and naira mutilation. The puritans felt that karma had caught up with him. However, the inclusion of money laundering in the charge sheet raised curiosity. Before the trial began, the money laundering charge was dropped and Bobrisky pleaded guilty to mutilation of the naira. A benevolent outcome seemed in sight, until the judge pronounced his sentence: 6 months in prison, without the option of paying a fine. Bobrisky served his sentence and returned to his celebrity activities.
However, the story took a new turn this week when a recording of a telephone conversation was leaked. Two days earlier, a social activist known as the Very Dark Man caught the attention of the country with a recording between Bobrisky and a man he was asking for a loan while in detention. The conversation shed new light on the original case. According to the conversation, during his trial, Bobrisky allegedly solicited EFCC operatives for mitigating circumstances. The agents allegedly demanded a bribe of N15 million to drop the money laundering charge. Bobrisky, supposedly in prison, turned to his friends to raise the required sum. The bribe was paid to the corrupt agents, the money laundering charge was dropped, and Bobrisky pleaded guilty to mutilation of the naira, a charge he could have contested. He wrongly expected leniency from the judge. The judge refused to play along. This is why Bobrisky did not get a more lenient sentence as a first-time offender. However, on his way to prison, Bobrisky called his godfather. The mysterious benefactor promised to keep him away from the prison yard. After a few calls to Abuja, the man assured him of a reprieve in exchange for a sum of money. The prison officials accepted the bribe, put Bobrisky in an air-conditioned apartment near the prison and demanded that he not show his beaming face through the windows.
As the case was winding down, Bobrisky began to think about restoring his tarnished image. The stigma of being an ex-convict weighed heavily on his conscience. He then turned to Falz. Falz spoke to his father, the famous Femi Falana. According to the phone conversation, Falana promised to get Bobrisky a presidential pardon for a fee. Very Dark Man threatened to release a new recording if pressure was applied further. The hungry masses listened but could not express outrage.
Femi Falana denied any involvement with Bobrisky. Falz, the young Falana, denied discussing a presidential pardon but admitted that Bobrisky had called him to ask him to help him financially to get him a VIP accommodation in prison. Falz has threatened to sue for defamation. Bobrisky, on his part, has dismissed the entire phone conversation. The EFCC has launched an investigation to uncover the circumstances that led to the dropping of the money laundering charges. The Prison Service has suspended three senior officials linked to the Bobrisky case. The Nigerian Bar Association is calling for a thorough inter-agency investigation. Very Dark Man is dismissing all animosity and demanding an external investigation. The Attorney General of the Federation is silent. The presidency seems disinterested. Soon, the dust will settle.
And all those who took the time to stop and snap their fingers will move on. The case of suspended Minister Betta Edu and the alleged Kogi airport remains unresolved. Nine months into this scandal, the presidency has not thought to ask the EFCC for a report, and the EFCC has not informed the public. The system is numb. No one has been exonerated or charged. Such dead ends undermine the morale of young law enforcement officers. Moral confusion reigns. The governing body is in crisis, and only true introspection can restore lost trust.
In this ocean of plots and shenanigans, where the truth seems to be drowning, citizens will have to remain vigilant against the excesses of power. Because if the light is weak, it is up to each of us to rekindle the flame of truth and transparency to illuminate a fairer and more equitable future for all.