I was researching on corruption by government officials and I came across the word kleptocracy. I looked up the word on the internet and wikipedia's definition is most appropriate. "Kleptocracy (sometimes Cleptocracy) (root: Klepto+cracy= rule by thieves) is a pejorative, informal term for a government that is corrupt in its managemnet of public funds in the sense that its management is designed to primarily sustain the personal wealth and political power of government officials and their cronies ( collectively, kleptocrats)"

Developing nations are most notorious for having corrupt governments. Before you accuse me of self bashing, because I am from a developing nation, I do know that the developed world has its own share of corrupt politicians too. The difference is the checks and balances that are in place in the developed world to prevent corruption and the lack of any such mechanism in the developing nations. Sometimes when these mechanism do exist, political affiliation determines who is "checked and balanced"

Recently, one of such agencies charged with checking thieving politicians in Nigeria fingered some state governors for stealing humongous amounts of money from the state coffers. One of them, according to this agency will not be charged in Nigeria but internationally because of the nature of his crime. He has, allegedly, consistently flouted international laws and has laundered "gazzilion" amounts of money internationally.

This brings me to the next issue that bothers me. Political Awareness. Because most developing nations are still in the begining stages of democracy and because the positives associated with working and vibrant political structures are yet to be imbibed and appreciated, politicains are quick to hoodwink the unaware public with "cock and bull stories" a bag of rice and some cash. They therefore do not believe they owe their constituency anything because afterall, they bought their votes and they have the right to get a good ROI.

Back to the nigerian kleptocrats, I believe they have a right to a fair trial and if found guilty, should be jailed according to the enormity of the crime. It is time for the people to take control. .