A former Nigeria’s Minister of Petroleum, Alison Dieziani Madueke, who has been declared wanted for corruption says internet fraudsters popularly called ‘Yahoo-Yahoo’ boys are denting Nigeria’s image.
The former minister said this at the weekend while delivering a lecture at a virtual event organised by the Ijaw National Development Group.
The former minister said, “The ones that have swag, the Yahoo Yahoo boys as my son would say; these in short, are the role models they are looking at. These are the ones that reinforce negative societal norms and values”.
Diezani warned that the new trend is a travesty of an unfolding tragedy for the country, adding that an irresponsible boy will certainly develop into an irresponsible man.
Diezani said there are no shortcuts to progressing in life, adding that only hard work could guarantee success.
“It affects not only our homes and our cultural and traditional values and structure but it permeates the very strength of our regional economy as well.
“The consistent hard work and mental vigour needed to build a solid regional economic base in the Niger Delta becomes completely eroded,” she stated.
The former minister is alleged to have committed offences bordering on abuse of office, bribery and money laundering between 2011 and 2015, while in office.
Some of the beneficiaries of the corrupt act have been convicted in Nigeria.
In the build-up of the 2015 presidential election, Mrs Alison-Madueke allegedly stashed about $115 million in a bank with subsequent instruction to distribute it among mainly electoral officials in the 36 states of the federation. The motive was to rig the election in favour of Mr Jonathan, who eventually lost to President Muhammadu Buhari.
