NIGERIA

Nigeria is a kleptocratic country with members of the government and civil service stealing money from oil revenues, money which should have gone to develop the infrastructure of the country.  How has this played a role in the rise of Boko Haram and the kidnapping of 300 schoolgirls?

That the country is corrupt is beyond doubt.  There have many reports about this, The recent firing of the central bank governor who was investigating a $20 billion dollar shortfall in the bank's books, money accrued by oil revenues.  President Goodluck Jonathan, of course, was instrumental in the fraud.

However distasteful the kidnapping of the schoolgirls is, very little is being said about the disappearance of such a large amount of money.

Boko Haram started as an opposition group to the educational system that was spawning corrupt officials of the civil service.  The name translates as "western education is a sin".  This education system, the Nigerians say, is a reminder of the left-over system from the time of British colonialism.  To go through this system meant having to pay a bribe to enter the school and then buy their way through exams.  Jobs were procured by members of the government perpetuating the system to their own financial advantage.  Nigeria is not unique in this respect. Many countries such as India and Pakistan have retained a British system of education from colonial times and now use it to accrue bribes for entry and the passing of exams.

With so much corruption and greed, the question has to be asked: Why is Britain giving £300 million to Nigeria to help fund a space programme and launch a man into space?  Although this is denied by a spokesman for the Department for International Development.  Nevertheless, over the five years of the coalition government in the UK, £1.14 billion is being given to the country in foreign aid.

Now Michelle Obama is on the bandwagon, criticizing the kidnappings say it is an "unconscionable act" of terrorism.  She does have two daughters and she is an obvious candidate to criticize the action of Boko Harem.  Others, too, are belatedly expressing their wish to help:  former British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and Binyamin Netanyahu, amongst others, as well as China and France who have sent teams to track down the girls.

But has Michelle Obama and all the leaders of countries who are speaking our against this kidnapping getting to the root of the problem?  I don't think so.  There is no mention of 300 people killed the other day in a market place, people who were going about their daily business.  This year alone 1,500 people have been killed and the government seems unable to ensure the safety of the people.

Of course, the military are also out of control, killing unarmed civilians.

Therefore, why are taxpayers contributing to a country where $20 billion dollars has been siphoned off and people are being killed by Muslim extremists  in the north?  The root problem is not being confronted and no peace will come about until corruption is ended and the people benefit from a fair and transparent development plan.