Daily Trust

 Wonders never end in this nation. Where else, but in Nigeria, do you have a counterfeit version of almost everything under the sun.  Consider, for example, the recent arrest of 69 fake members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in a fake orientation camp in Keffi, Nasarawa State by vigilant officers of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).

The 69 fake Youth Corps members included a nursing mother with a young baby, which was likely to be a fake baby—a borrowed baby, or who knows, even a stolen baby! Hitherto, some so-called graduates from Nigerian universities have been shamelessly faking husbands, marriages, pregnancies, babies, and illnesses in order to secure ‘favourable’ NYSC posting. Now, they have advanced and are faking universities, certificates, and the NYSC itself!

Several times over the past few years, the National Universities Commission (NUC) has been publishing the list of illegal or fake universities operating in the country. In late 2009, for example, the NUC listed over 45 universities which were ‘not licensed by the Federal Government, and were therefore operating illegally’. Quite recently in 2010, the NUC further said that some 34 universities, including some  foreign universities, are operating illegally across the country; which in effect means that despite the NUC’s unrelenting efforts in curbing the menace, it continues unabated.

Right from secondary school, and perhaps even at an earlier stage, some young Nigerians have learnt to fake documents. It is therefore not unusual to find university entrants tendering fake SSCE results and other documents; and when apprehended, will show no remorse because, apparently, they see nothing wrong in faking documents in a society, which, to all intents and purpose, is a counterfeiting society. Consequently, some supposedly educated and highly placed parents connive with, or tacitly support the misdemeanour of their children—always frantically rummaging around for ‘miracle’ schools and exam centres. Many schools, some even flippantly bearing religious appellation, perpetrate examination malpractice in the name of ‘helping’ their students and under the dubious pretext that others are doing the same thing, as if competing in evil has become a new article of faith.

The counterfeiting culture is a manifestation of how deep corruption has eaten into the national fabric. Thus, beyond the educational sector, it is rampant in almost every facet of our national life. In many states of the federation, for instance, the names of ghost (or fake) workers have, for many years, existed on payment vouchers as a means of siphoning public resources. As a matter of fact, civil servants no longer consider it as a form of corruption. This is why such practices have since become corrupt mannerisms of the past—call it the analogue age of corruption. Now, in the digital age of corruption, the names of ghost workers alone can no longer satisfy the appetite of an elite class known for its voraciousness. Hence, in some of these states, the counterfeiting of the names of ‘workers’ on payment vouchers has moved to a higher level and we now have ghost (fake) schools, hospitals and other government agencies with huge capital and recurrent budget!

In the financial sector too counterfeiting has made moved on to a much higher level.  These days, the norm is no longer the counterfeiting of currency, which has virtually become antiquated. This is the age of fake (wonder) banks and financial institutions. Consider, for example, a recent disturbing report by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to the effect that some 106 billion is currently trapped in 440 illegal (counterfeit) finance houses. Yet, such counterfeit finance houses wouldn’t have found the space to operate or attracted so much deposit if the society is not rotten, and the depositors are not out to get rich by means fair or foul; by means clean or counterfeited.

The counterfeiting bug has as also infected the saturated job market, such that fraudsters now sell ‘employment’ letters to unsuspecting job seekers. Only recently, fake ‘recruitment’ forms and ‘employment’ letters of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) were allegedly sold to some members of the public. One of the desperate chaps even sold his motorcycle to purchase the fake employment letter. One man’s poison of unemployment has become another man’s meat of money.  While millions of unemployed youth are desperate for jobs, many others among them are exploiting such desperation to make brisk business. Now, keep in mind that the fake Youth Corpers in Nasarawa State were arrested by officers of the NSCDC!

In this country, we have often seen fake soldiers, fake police, and fake tax collectors. What is more; even armed robbers have been known to successfully rob using fake guns! Despite the commendable efforts of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and the Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON), many products on sell are also fake—fake drugs, fake spare parts, and fake toothpaste, among many other counterfeited products. In the markets, traders adulterate all manner of food stuff; never mind that such traders are likely to claim religious piety and donate generously to their Churches and Mosques. Nigerians fake things and fake piety, erroneously thinking that they can con man and swindle God; which is also the reason why they embark on pilgrimage to the holy places with the filth of stolen public resources. Away with their filth!
Generally speaking, we live a counterfeited life as a nation and suffer endless travails in the process. We spend billions of Naira on some misguided satellite project, sending a rickety(perhaps, fake) satellite to space to monitor disasters when fire, medical, police and other emergency and security services are barely equipped and therefore, can hardly respond to everyday disasters on the ground. We run the country on a counterfeited democracy—one which is not based on free, fair and credible elections. Sadly, but this is the truth, our society has lost its sense of purpose and direction and sociologically speaking, has become terminally ill. As a people, we seem to have lost our sense of right and wrong and an asinine quest for material progress has replaced morality and even the most elementary traces of conscience that should guide human conduct in any sane society. To borrow from Eghosa E. Osaghae’s 1998 book title, the country is a ‘Crippled Giant’, not only in physical terms but in terms of a huge moral deficit.