Fighting Corruption Is Dangerous: The Story Behind the Headlines
192
Fighting Corruption Is Dangerous: The Story Behind the Headlines
192Hardcover(New Edition)
-
PICK UP IN STORECheck Availability at Nearby Stores
Available within 2 business hours
Related collections and offers
Overview
In Fighting Corruption Is Dangerous, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has written a primer for those working to root out corruption and disrupt vested interests. Drawing on her experience as Nigeria's finance minister and that of her team, she describes dangers, pitfalls, and successes in fighting corruption. She provides practical lessons learned and tells how anti-corruption advocates need to equip themselves. Okonjo-Iweala details the numerous ways in which corruption can divert resources away from development, rewarding the unscrupulous and depriving poor people of services.
Okonjo-Iweala discovered just how dangerous fighting corruption could be when her 83-year-old mother was kidnapped in 2012 by forces who objected to some of the government's efforts at reforms led by Okonjo-Iweala—in particular a crackdown on fraudulent claims for oil subsidy payments, a huge drain on the country's finances. The kidnappers' first demand was that Okonjo-Iweala resign from her position on live television and leave the country. Okonjo-Iweala did not resign, her mother escaped, and the program of economic reforms continued. “Telling my story is risky,” Okonjo-Iweala writes. “But not telling it is also dangerous.” Her book ultimately leaves us with hope, showing that victories are possible in the fight against corruption.
Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9780262038010 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | MIT Press |
| Publication date: | 04/20/2018 |
| Series: | The MIT Press |
| Edition description: | New Edition |
| Pages: | 192 |
| Product dimensions: | 6.10(w) x 9.10(h) x 1.10(d) |
| Age Range: | 18 Years |
About the Author
Table of Contents
Preface ix
Acknowledgments xiii
About Nigeria xv
1 The Intimidation Game 1
2 Return to a Troubled Country 13
3 Confronting the Oil Scammers 27
4 A Twisted Budget Process 55
5 Opaque Deals and International Scams 83
6 Public-Service Scams: Ghost Workers, Ghost Pensioners, and Embezzlers Masquerading as Reformers 91
7 Antifeminists, Ethnic Jingoists, and Economic and Political Ideologues 107
8 Reflections from the Front Lines 121
Epilogue: The Battle Continues 137
Appendix A Selected Nigerian Articles and Blogs about Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, 2011 to 2016 141
Appendix B Tables for Chapters 4 and 7 145
Appendix C The Tragedy of the Missing Chibok Girls and an International Initiative to Keep Schools Safe in Nigeria 155
Notes 163
References 169
What People are Saying About This
A remarkable book by a truly outstanding human being. Okonjo-Iweala is not only a fine economist but also a charismatic leader. Good governance is a key element in fostering successful economic development, and corruption is deeply corrosive of governance. These reflections on fighting corruption are not only a gripping and moving personal story of stress and courage but a deeply thoughtful and constructive analysis of a fundamental aspect of economic development.
Fearless, principled, compassionate for Africa's poor and passionate for Africa's future—Okonjo-Iweala's book tells us what politics and public service should be about.
Brave declarations and indignant statements about fighting corruption are what we are used to hearing from well-meaning people in politics or business. How difficult and sometimes dangerous it is to fight corruption is not always appreciated. Okonjo-Iweala is a lioness on the hunt who writes eloquently to tell us the story from the front lines.
A remarkable book by a truly outstanding human being. Okonjo-Iweala is not only a fine economist but also a charismatic leader. Good governance is a key element in fostering successful economic development, and corruption is deeply corrosive of governance. These reflections on fighting corruption are not only a gripping and moving personal story of stress and courage but a deeply thoughtful and constructive analysis of a fundamental aspect of economic development.
—Lord Nicholas Stern, I. G. Patel Professor of Economics and Government, London School of Economics; past President of the British Academy; Chair of the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change; author of Why Are We Waiting?Fearless, principled, compassionate for Africa's poor and passionate for Africa's future—Okonjo-Iweala's book tells us what politics and public service should be about.
—Gordon Brown, former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom; United Nations Special Envoy for Global EducationBrave declarations and indignant statements about fighting corruption are what we are used to hearing from well-meaning people in politics or business. How difficult and sometimes dangerous it is to fight corruption is not always appreciated. Okonjo-Iweala is a lioness on the hunt who writes eloquently to tell us the story from the front lines.
—Mo Ibrahim, Philanthropist and Businessman; Founder and Chair of the Mo Ibrahim FoundationA remarkable book by a truly outstanding human being. Okonjo-Iweala is not only a fine economist but also a charismatic leader. Good governance is a key element in fostering successful economic development, and corruption is deeply corrosive of governance. These reflections on fighting corruption are not only a gripping and moving personal story of stress and courage but a deeply thoughtful and constructive analysis of a fundamental aspect of economic development.
—Lord Nicholas Stern, I. G. Patel Professor of Economics and Government, London School of Economics; past President of the British Academy; Chair of the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change; author of Why Are We Waiting?