Ifeolu Koni, a professor of law at Redeemer’s University, Ede, said the failure of many developed countries to honour their obligations under international instruments was responsible for persistent corruption in Africa.

Mr Koni said this at the 11th inaugural lecture of the university on Thursday at the university campus in Ede, Osun.

The don said the insincerity and refusal of the developed countries to honour the United Nations Convention against Corruption was also the major reason siphoning of stolen funds and other corrupt practices persist across Africa.

Mr Koni noted that developed countries possessed the necessary technology to detect and block illicit transfer of funds but refused to use it because they needed the funds to develop their countries.

“This contention is further strengthened by the notorious fact that the developed countries possess the technology to detect and block illicit transfer of funds from African states. Could it then mean that they refuse to block those funds because they are needed and, in fact, used to develop their countries?

“The way forward is for Africa to look inward and must not be deceived by the campaign spearheaded by the developed countries. Our salvation and deliverance is in our hands. It is the same developed countries that are labelling Africans as corrupt and it is the same illicit funds they refused to block, they are using to develop their countries,” stated the law professor.

Mr Koni also said it was sad that in the corruption assessment ranking conducted by Transparency International in 2022, no African country could be found among the top 10 least corrupt countries.

The don said African countries had performed poorly since the establishment of the anti-corruption platform in 1993 and the commencement of its corruption perception index in 1995.

Mr Koni said that African leaders must look inward to minimise corruption.

He also said that Nigeria must strengthen its implementation of laws against corruption. According to him, the greatest challenge of Nigeria is not corruption but impunity.

“Until the law begins to take its course in Nigeria, the fight against corruption cannot succeed,” the Redeemer’s professor noted.

Mr Koni said Nigeria must also avoid conspicuous consumption of foreign goods, adding, “We should consume what we produce.”

“Let us consume what we produce,” the professor urged Nigerians. “It is the developed countries that introduced conspicuous consumption to us and that is the basis of corruption in the country.”

(NAN)