Nigeria must stop celebrating stolen wealth, promote integrity – Ex-Minister
Nigeria must stop celebrating stolen wealth, promote integrity – Ex-Minister
Prof. Iyorwuese Hagher, former Minister of State for Power and Steel, has called on Nigerians to end the culture of celebrating people with unexplained wealth, saying corruption must become socially unacceptable.
Hagher made the call in Abuja on Tuesday at the Verbatim Annual Ethics and Integrity Awards/Dinner, where 100 most integrity-compliant Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) and their chief executives were recognised.
He said Nigeria’s fight against corruption required more than laws, investigations and prosecutions, stressing the need to rebuild the nation’s conscience and promote integrity as a shared moral responsibility.
The professor said society must stop rewarding individuals who acquire wealth through questionable means and later use philanthropy to gain public recognition.
“It is wrong for people who allegedly stole public funds to gain honour through donations, scholarships, sponsorship of ceremonies and religious activities,” he said.
According to him, generosity cannot erase injustice, and a society that allows stolen wealth to buy respect, teaches young people that corruption is a legitimate path to success.
Hagher said corruption was not merely the stealing of public funds but a failure to recognise the human consequences of diverting resources meant for essential services.
“When money meant for healthcare is stolen, somebody may die because medicine is unavailable.
“When money meant for education is stolen, a child may study without books, without teachers, and without a safe house,” he added.
He described corruption as “violence committed through paperwork”, saying diverted public funds deprived citizens of healthcare, education, roads, security and other essential services.
Hagher called for the teaching of integrity in homes, schools, religious institutions, political parties, public institutions and professional bodies.
He stressed that leaders must demonstrate integrity through their actions, noting that public officials who uphold ethical standards should be recognised and celebrated.
“A thousand lectures on integrity cannot overcome a political culture that rewards corruption.
“Young people do not learn only from what we tell them; they learn from what they see us celebrate
“Nigeria will begin to overcome corruption when integrity became honourable, corruption became culturally shameful and public office was regarded as an opportunity to serve rather than a means of personal enrichment.
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“So, I urge Nigerians to embrace love as a moral principle in public life which must be expressed through truth, justice, responsibility, restraint, service and respect for human dignity,” Hagher added.
The former minister commended Verbatim News Magazine and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) for recognising public institutions that demonstrate integrity.
Earlier, Dr Musa Aliyu, Chairman of ICPC, represented by Kayode Kupolati, a director in the commission, said integrity was essential to national development, institutional strength and economic prosperity.
Aliyu described integrity as the foundation upon which physical infrastructure and public institutions were built.
He warned that corruption undermined development and public trust.
“The commission’s anti-corruption efforts goes beyond prosecution to include public education and the promotion of ethical conduct.
“Integrity ensures that public contracts are awarded based on competence rather than personal connections, while promoting efficiency and reducing the cost of doing business.
Aliyu urged the media to stop glamorising wealth without questioning its source and called on religious institutions and parents to promote ethical values.
He said every Nigerian had a responsibility to fight corruption by obeying rules, speaking the truth and demanding accountability from public officials.
In his welcome address, Mr Tobs Agbaegbu, Publisher of Verbatim News Magazine, said the awards were designed to recognise excellence, integrity and responsible leadership in public service.
Agbaegbu said the 100 institutions and their chief executives were selected based on the ICPC’s 2025 Ethics and Integrity Compliance Scorecard.
He said the partnership with the commission provided technical guidance and validation of the data, while Verbatim retained editorial responsibility for documenting and communicating the achievements.
The publisher said the awards were intended to encourage public institutions to sustain transparency, accountability, integrity and effective service delivery.
He said the initiative would be expanded to cover ethics, transparency and responsible leadership in both the public and private sectors, including oil and gas, banking, politics and corporate governance.
Agbaegbu said the magazine would continue to investigate institutional performance, recognise good practices and provide credible information to the public.
The Voice Media Trust (VMT NEWS) reports that Nigeria Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation and Asset Management Cooperation of Nigeria were the top three government institutions.
VMT NEWS also reports that National Open University of Nigeria, Federal University of Technology Owerri and National Examination Council also received awards for their outstanding performances.
