CORRUPTION AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT ADMINISTRATION IN NIGERIA: A DISCOURSE OF CORE ISSUES

Abstract

Nigeria is rich in natural and human resources, with a population of over 150million people; the most populous country in Africa. At the time of her politicalindependence, on 1st October 1960, Nigeria excelled in production of agriculturalproduce such as groundnut, palm oil, cocoa, cotton, beans, timber and hides andskinsThen, during the oil boom period of the seventies Nigeria made headlines withher oil wealth, as a country richly endowed with oil and natural gas resourcescapable of financing a number of important projects to meet basic consumptionand development needs (Salisu, 200:2). With per capital income of around $1,100during the late 1970’s Nigeria was regarded as the fastest growing country in Sub-Sahara Africa (Salisu, Ibid). Yet it remains predominantly underdeveloped due tothe scourge of corruption that has corroded it.Corruption denies the ordinary citizen the basic means of livelihood, it worsenunemployment and erodes our image as a nation and as individual (Danjuma Goje2010:1). It has undermined Nigeria’s economic growth and developmentpotential, with a per capital income of $340, Nigeria now ranks amongst the leastdeveloped countries in the World Bank League table (Salusi, op.cit). Nigeria’shigher education system once regarded as the best in Sub-Sahara Africa is in deep