Nigeria not corrupt as world thinks, very safe too – Omokri
Nigeria’s Ambassador-designate to Mexico, Reno Omokri, stated that perceptions of widespread corruption in Nigeria do not accurately reflect the nation’s cultural context. He expressed these views during an appearance on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics program.
Omokri asserted that Nigeria’s corruption perception rating has shown improvement under President Bola Tinubu’s administration. He argued that global evaluations often apply criteria that overlook local cultural practices.
“Nigeria is not as corrupt as the world thinks it is because the metrics they are using to gauge corruption are global metrics and they do not take into account the particular culture of Nigeria,” Omokri stated.
He emphasized that customs such as showing appreciation to public officials for performing their duties effectively are often misconstrued as corruption by international organizations like Transparency International. Omokri noted that such practices predate colonial rule in Nigeria.
“When a public official does the job very well in this country, people show appreciation,” he added. “Transparency International sees that as corruption, but it is not corruption.”
The ambassador-designate urged Nigeria to reclaim its narrative and define its image on the global stage, cautioning against allowing foreign entities to shape perceptions of the country. “We have to write our own story. If we allow these people to continue writing our stories, they will always see us as people who are poor and backward,” he remarked.
Omokri also pointed to Lagos State’s economic advancement under Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, noting a significant increase in Gross Domestic Product. He claimed that Lagos has risen from a GDP of less than $100 billion six years ago to approximately $259 billion in purchasing power parity terms, accompanied by rising income levels.
Additionally, he addressed safety concerns in Nigeria, referencing the annual Detty December festival in Lagos, which attracts 1.2 million tourists each year. “That is the biggest single tourism event in Africa, and not one person has been killed or injured,” he concluded.
