Egunje Syndrome -By David Taiwo Ashaolu

“Egunje” is a Yoruba slang word used as a euphemism for bribe, inducement, kickbacks and on a broader scale: corruption. However ,Corruption is a cancer: Corruption eats away at the foundations of democratic societies. It makes government less effective, wastes public resources, and exacerbates …

The practice of egunje derives from traditional practices of gift-giving shared by most of the prominent ethnic and tribal groups in Nigeria. Among the Yorubas of South Western Nigeria (one of the three dominant ethnic nationalities), gift-giving (ore or ebun) is antiquity practice which is encouraged to further strengthen communal living. The term ore or ebun stands for a legitimate, open and voluntary gift signaling goodwill (Akinseye-George 2000:7).

Today corruption is a household word in this gigantic country.It is disheartening to note that Nigerians that are sojourning in diaspora are being subjected to different kinds of humiliations simply because of their love for ephemeral materialism.This is the climax of life dishonesty.

“Charity our cornucopia elders say begin at home”.This conducts in whatever form starts from homes…The family being the building block of a child as well as a Germaine tool in the process of socializing a child is largely held responsible for its immortality ,social malady among other ugly behaviors.Most parents in this modern society find it extremely difficult to control their children,perhaps the socio-economic and social-change of the country is a curse because many parents travelled far to transact businesses and have no time to curtail and train or cater fort their children.Thus,the child are therefore left to grow with the support of other peer groups or any member of the extended family that cares.

The Nigerian child want to be settled to run errand even for their parents unless they know they will benefit from the message.The present generation of the youngsters don’t do anything without immediate profit.This “settlement syndrome “ rear it’s ugly head”. All spheres of life in this nation.It is mouth watering and perplexing that ‘Egunje’ practices has permeated across all facets of social and economic centers includingSchools,Industries,factories and public cooperations. One notes with sadness that no socio economic transactions can be done in Nigeria of today without the person on the receiving end rubbing palms of the other person.

It is very heartbreaking and disheartening to note that corruption in Nigeria has assumed a very embarrassing magnitude and one is even sad by its presence among law enforcement agents,the police,soldiers,academicians,top ranking officers ,students inter Alia. No living Nigerians can shy away from this unhidden fact that our police men and soldiers collect bribes or receive ‘Egunje’ at the toll gates ,illegal check-points even when the inspector General of Police has discouraged this habit of ‘Egunje syndrome’ that seems to have eaten deep the bones of many if not all…However,there is no doubt that this practice has a multiplied effect on the Public because the passagers are made to pay exorbitant transport fare to fill the gap created by offer of ‘Egunje.’

Furthermore, corruption exist at all levels of our educational institutions in Nigeria.It is really very sardonic to hear that the standard of education of Nigeria is gradually fallen or collapsed in some cases because of the society’s general attitudes towards materialism and ephemeral things. Even at the primary school level,a lot of corrupt practices has been injected into the brains of our younger ones,hence they want to pass their examinations miraculously without preparing well for it. The carry-Over system,spill,splash and splash splash as it is called among students affects the secondary school education in Nigeria as many Nigerian parents bribe school heads,cut corners,blend ways in order to gain admission to school.These are the children that have woefully failed the Common Entrance Examination or have not seat for it at all but who have the belief that with money influences and thrive of “Corruption land and miracle centers” that are usually located in the surbub areas and money influence everything is possible.

The situation is even worse at the tertiary institutions where an individual lecturer determines the fates of his students. The lecturer is the “Alpha and the Omega” in his course,hence he engages in sexual harassment in order to subdue the tough and no nonsense female students who must now to his whims and caprices before she can jump over the impediments.

It’s is also sine qua non to observe the though helplessly,the rate at which our youths waste away their lives searching for jobs where there are “No vacancies” even after sacrificing their body or money .It is rather unfortunate to see a managing director or a public relations officers of popular organization disgrace himself by cautiously demanding for bribes from jobless citizens.

Perhaps those looking for “Egunje” are not wrong after all because they are Nigerians who want to share out of the “National cake” that is not baked by them. The price of essential commodities are far beyond the reach of the proletariat,don’t you worry,poor man must eat,clothe and live under a roof . This undoubtedly,explains the reasons for the rat race and survival of the fittest .To make ends meet is not docile since the civil servants are poorly paid .They grudgingly receive their salary which hardly last them for five days as loans,unexpected expenses already await the devouring of their remuneration.What is left after paying school fees,house rent,medical bills not to talk of feeding ? As way out everybody becomes an opportunist.While the writer is not justifying the continued practice of “Egunje” the bitter truth needs to be told that I have a right like the children of the privileged few to own a fine mansion and Roll Royce car and attend the best school in Nigeria and Europe.

Conclusively,the citizens of the country are generally apathy towards offering assistance to their fellow human beings especially when the person has no means of rewarding them in cash and kind .He is regarded as an ‘ingrate’ or ‘a stupid man’. It is not therefore perplexing to find the past Nigerian Electoral Commission Personals Openly and shamelessly demanding and receiving’Egunje’ from politicians before they perform their civic and national responsibilities in time of national election because it is their believe that the politicians want to post so as to get rich quickly.Corruption as a practice ,is definitely not the best for a nation that wants to develop;Giving and tasking of ‘Egunje’ is one of the characteristics of an underdeveloped country. However,Proper upbringing of the children by guidance,family and other care giver,adequate payment of workers,supremacy of law i.e punishment of violators irrespective of their class ,position held in the society and status, collective campaign against corruption inter Alia will go a long way to curtail this ugly and mediocre syndrome called ‘Egunje’.The earlier we put an end to this debacle the better for this great nation.