As part of its continued efforts to contribute to the fight against corruption in Nigeria, the
Centre for Information Technology and Development has instituted a monthly dialogue on anti-
corruption fight in the Nigeria where it is inviting its sub-grantees of its project on Mobilizing
and Catalyzing Citizens’ Action for Accountable Election and Governance in Nigeria which is
being supported by MacArthur Foundation. This month dialogue was held on the 15 th of March,
2022 with Bikiya Graham-Douglas, Singer, Actress and Chief Executive Officer, Beeta
productions, Dr. Tunde Akanni, lecturer, Department of Mass Communications, Lagos State
University and Danlami Nmodu, mni, a veteran journalist and publisher, NewsDiary Online
Based in Abuja, while the webinar was moderated by Clement A. Oloyede, Bureau Chief, Daily
Trust Newspaper, Kano

The aim of the dialogue is to give the sub-grantees under this project an opportunity to
regularly share their work with wider audience in promoting accountability and fighting
corruption in Nigeria. The dialogue is also aimed at giving both the sub-grantees and youth who
have interest in the area an opportunity to discuss and share ideas.
In the previous month, the Centre featured Mustapha Bulama of DailyTrust, Mu’azu Alhaji
Modu of Spotlight for Transparency and Accountability Initiative and Joshua Alabi of KINANSO
Concept while Danladi Lawanti of the Department of Mass Communication, Ahmadu Bello
University Zaria chaired the Dialogue. While in the January Dialogue, the dialogue hosted
Abubakar Sadiq Mu’azu, Executive Director, Center for Advocacy, Transparency and
Accountability Initiative and Chioma Agwuegbo, Executive Director, TechHerNG and chaired by
Mukhtar Modibbo of Connected Development.
In his welcome remarks at the dialogue, the Executive Director of the Centre for Information
technology and Development who was represented by the Senior Program Officer, Malam
Haruna Adamu reiterated the Centre’s committed to the fight against corruption in the country.
Malam Adamu said CITAD has for many year been in the forefront in the fight against
corruption and building the capacity of other Civil Society Organizations and Community Based
Organizations in this area. He went further to state that the Centre is also conducting other
activities in order to ensure everyone is part of this fight like training young people on using
social media for accountability and engaging students to report abandoned projects in their
communities which is also part of instituting the culture of holding their representatives
accountable in the country.
Sharing her experience at the dialogue, Miss Bikiya said corruption has been embedded in our
system and it’s the number one enemy that is thwarting the development of the country. She
also stated that abuse of public finance system is on the rise in the country. Discussing about

the remedy to the situation, Miss Graham-Douglas said ensuring accountability starts with one
self. In talking about her activities and how they are creating awareness on the area, she
mentioned that from her part, she is using films to enlighten the general public most especially
women about the need to start demanding for accountability from their representatives.
The second speaker at the dialogue, Dr. Tunde Akanni who is conducting research on the level
of corruption at tertiary institutions shared with the participants that the level of corruption in
tertiary institutions is so high to the extent that lecturers and other non-academic staff are
extorting students seeking for admission into the universities. Mr. Akanni also stated that sex
for admission and marks was also complained by some of the students who participated at the
research conducted. To balance the claims made by some of the interviewed students, Dr.
Tunde said during the first validation of the research with some selected staff of some of the
tertiary institutions, it was disclosed that it is of course true students are going through
different kind of extortion ranging from financial to sexual harassment. Lamenting on the
situation, Dr. Akanni mentioned that the major factor contributing to this menace is lack of
strong laws and punishment that will serve as deterrent to other perpetrators or those that
want commit similar offence. At the end, he called on the school authorities, civil society
organizations, media and other relevant agencies to work assiduously in protecting students
more especially female students in the country.
In his contribution, the last speaker at the discussion, Mallam Danlami Nmodu emphasized on
the need for journalists to adhere to the journalistic ethics and best practices. He lamenting
that many of the journalists nowadays are in the habit of extorting and blackmailing people,
given an example with the publisher of Peoples Gazette who was exposed recently on such act.
He went further to state that as watch dog in the society, media practitioners have to be clean
and up hold the best standard of practice in the their work in order to maintain their respect in
the eye of the public.
The webinar was attended by over 20 participants from across the country.