Concerns About Nigeria's Policy Announcement on Whistleblowing

Wálé Ọláyanjú's comment gets to the crux of criticism levied at the way the Whistleblower policy was announced. He elucidates concerns many have and they are not your average ignorant people. Other nations did not go about it this way when their policies on whistleblowing were implemented. We hardly heard about them yet, those measures are being effectively used.

We too like 'gra gra' approach in that country jare.


Implementation of policies is Nigeria's problem. Not the development and announcement of them.

".... whistleblowing is a very sensitive matter that can not be legalised just by a mere pronouncement.
We know the society we live in and experience has shown us how individuals who provide sensitive security information to police have regretted their actions. Some of them have been visited by the same criminals they exposed after those ones (criminals) have been released having greased the palms of the police who will gladly revealed to them who provided the information.

Whistleblowers may face legal action, criminal charges, stigma or termination of appointments. Some may even face felony charges and jaitime as we are presently witnessing with soldiers who revealed information about happenings in the fight against Boko Haram insurgency. The powers-that-be may decide to see it as unethical (which truely is the case) as it breaches confidentiality which you vow to protect when you join the establishment.

In addition, I will disagree with you by your assertion that SaharaReporters, Linda Ikeji et al are already doing the work of whistleblowing. They are not qualified to be addressed. They are not insiders so they do not possess classified information in the real sense of it. They are only publishing what was told them by an insider. And therein lies the prolem. What if the insider who provided the information decide to doctored it for political or ulterior motive?

As a matter of fact, there was a report in Washington Times yesterday (please Google it) where Snowden was described as a 'serial exaggerator' and not a whistleblower, per see. I guess, this has to do with the aforementioned reasons. Same way some people will like to categorise SaharaReporters.

So, what am I saying? Except we review the existing laws, legalise whistleblowing and grant legal protection to the whistleblowers, this will turn out to be an exercise in futility like our previous usual reaction to issues.

We have seen the move the Senate is making to legalise lobbying. Let the same be done with this issue of whistleblowing, then we will now the government means business. We can not continue to make illegal pronouncement in reaction to issues. Governance is a serious matter. Let us be proactive and serious it." — Wálé Ọláyanjú