NBA ex-chief, Olanipekun, advises on how to defeat corruption

A senior Advocate of Nigeria, Chief Wole Olanipekun, has said the country can curb corruption by adopting the Swedish, Singaporean policies of making health services and education free for the citizens.

He noted that when certain essential things are offered for the people free of charge, it would act as disincentive for corruption and the desires for wealth accumulation.

Olanipekun said education remains the best weapon against social ills, including corruption, saying the country’s approach in winning the war will remain cosmetic until education is declared free at all levels for teeming youths.

The senior lawyer said this in Ikere Ekiti at the weekend during the 2017 edition of Wole Olanipekun scholarship scheme where over 100 students in secondary, tertiary and law schools received cheques to finance their education.

Olanipekun, who said over 250 students of tertiary institutions have benefited from the scheme since inception in 1996, added that he would continue to support indigent students to attain their dreams of becoming great in life in line with public-private partnership policy.

He stated: “It is indeed true that education brings light, freedom, and loosens chains, and it breeds good citizens.“In my humble view, the first thing any government should do to nip corruption in the bud or reduce it to a minimal level is to give citizens free education at all levels and also strive to provide employment opportunities for the youths.

“These are the things the least corrupt countries such as Sweden and Singapore are doing for their citizens. These countries are providing certainty for people in their old age and they are ensuring that they will not die unattended to in areas of their welfare.

He regretted that the country’s value had so much debased to the level that Ph.D. holders now apply for a job of monthly pay of N50,000, describing the scenario as great impediment to the anti-graft war.

Also, former Deputy Vice Chancellor, Ekiti State University, Prof. Kunle Adegun, in his lecture entitled ‘Philanthropy and Education Debacle in Nigeria,’ suggested that the Wole Olanipekun scheme must transform into a foundation for it to outlive its founder and make better contributions to scholarship.

Adegun, therefore, advised Nigerians to imbibe the culture of contributing to education as obtainable in the United States (U.S.), Britain and other advanced countries of the world.