Reconceptualising Corruption for its Effective Combat in Nigeria

Abstract

The popular conception of corruption as abuse of office by public office holders for their private interests is very restrictive. It excessively emphasises legalism and reduce corruption to violation of institutional laws by public officers. This conception makes corruption a public office problem and distances its fight from the populace. Using the analytic method, this study establishes that corruption is fundamentally a moral perversion concerned with wilful distortion and manipulation of any system for self interest. This broadens the conception of corruption to include moral integrity in all aspects of human interactions and creates room for evolving robust strategies based on grooming right public opinion and attitude of the civil society to combat corruption and stimulate development in developing world like Nigeria.