By Peter Onyekachukwu 
By Peter Onyekachukwu
The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Ola Olukayode, has said that Nigeria can overcome corruption and entrench good governance if citizens embrace accountability, transparency and due process.
Olukayode spoke in Warri, Delta State, on Wednesday during the opening of the 12th annual conference of the Association of Communication Scholars and Professionals of Nigeria (ACSPN), sponsored by Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited (TSSNL).
Represented by Mr. Williams Oseghale, Assistant Commander and Head of Public Affairs at the EFCC Benin Zonal Directorate, Olukayode said, “Corruption can be defeated and good governance can be attained if we collectively play our roles as good citizens. The onus is on us as individuals to be accountable, transparent and committed to due process.”
He lamented that unemployment, insecurity, poverty, hunger, kidnappings and other challenges are consequences of corruption. “It is worrisome that Nigeria is regarded as a nation with entrenched culture of corruption and impunity in Africa, if not in the whole world,” he added.
The EFCC Chairman called on the media to rise to the challenge of anti-corruption advocacy, urging practitioners to avoid glamorizing corrupt figures and instead embrace investigative journalism. “It is only when the media take up this noble responsibility that it fulfils its constitutional role as the fourth estate of the realm by holding government accountable,” he stressed.
Olukayode reaffirmed EFCC’s commitment to the anti-graft war but emphasized the need for collaboration with the media and professional associations like ACSPN. He praised ACSPN for making corruption, governance and the media the focus of its conference, describing it as timely for building a better society.
ACSPN President, Professor Rotimi Olatunji, in his welcome address, described corruption in Nigeria as multifaceted, ranging from petty graft to grand corruption involving elites. He warned of its corrosive effects on growth, investment, infrastructure and national security.
“The media and communication professionals are the watchdog, the truth-teller, and the public advocate. We must be relentless in investigative reporting to expose corrupt acts and hold those responsible accountable,” Olatunji said.