The Cultural Roots of Corruption: an Ethical Investigation with Particular Reference to Nepotism
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THE CULTURAL ROOTS OF CORRUPTION: AN ETHICAL INVESTIGATION WITH PARTICULAR REFERENCE TO NEPOTISM. BY Wisdom Okwuoma Otaluka (209539439) Thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY In the Subject of (ETHICS) at the SCHOOOL OF RELIGION, PHILOSOPHY AND CLASSICS COLLEGE OF HUMANITIES UNIVERSITY OF KWAZULU-NATAL PIETERMARIZBURG SUPERVISORS: DR.MUNYARADZI FELIX MUROVE DR.BERNARD MATOLINO JANUARY, 2017 i DECLARATION I, Wisdom Okwuoma Otaluka, declare that 1. The research reported in this thesis, except where otherwise indicated is my original research. 2. This thesis has not been submitted for any degree or examination at any other university. 3. This thesis does not contain other persons‟ data, pictures, graphs or information, unless specifically acknowledged as being souerced from other persons. 4 This thesis does not contain other persons‟ writing, unless specifically acknowledged as being sourced from other researchers. Where other written sources have been quoted, then: a.Their words have been re-written but the general information attributed to them has been referenced. b.Where their exact words have been used, then their writing has been placed in italics and inside quotation marks,and referenced. 5. This thesis does not contain text, graphics or tables copied and pasted from the internet, unless specifically acknowledged, and the source being detailed in the thesis and in the references sections. Student Name: Wisdom O. Otaluka Date Supervisor: Dr. Munyaradzi Murove Date Dr. Bernard Matolino Date ii ABSTRACT Since the demise of colonialism, corruption in Africa has gone from an alarming proportion to a critical stage. There is hardly any sector of the economy that is not ravaged by this hydra headed-monster. The most obvious of these practices is nepotism which is rooted in the culture of the people. This cultural dimension creates some confusion on how to understand nepotism in relation to corruption in Africa. Thus, while some people denounce the high rate of corruption in Africa as it concerns nepotism, there are those who think they have justifiable reasons to engage in the practice. Still, there are others, who engage in the practice without the consciousness of the moral implication. Those who think that there is nothing wrong with nepotism anchor their argument on the fact that it is embedded in the culture of the people. For instance, many civil servants are involved in corruption because when they come into office, they are obliged by sense of family responsibilities to use their relatives who are not qualified against the qualified applicants who are not related to them, to build up public offices. Hence, while most civil servants are aware of the rules against nepotism, they still go ahead to indulge in the practice because they believe that such rules are contrary to African culture and therefore should not be obeyed. When these three positions are placed side by side, a central problem arises and can be formulated as follows: is there a cultural dimension to the problem of corruption, especially nepotism in Africa? This thesis therefore is a rigorous analysis of the causes, effects and possible solutions to the problem of corruption with special reference to nepotism in Africa. The thesis stated particularly that African cultural practices of gift-giving and the extended family system encourage corruption particularly in the form of nepotism. It therefore uses African ethical theories of Ubuntu or African communalism, alongside cultural relativism and moderate partialism or relationality to argue that corruption in the form of nepotism is the problem of Africa and that to rid Africa of corruption and put her solidly on iii the path of sustainable development, merit rather than nepotism should guide public transactions. Critical and historical analyses are used for the methodology. iv DEDICATION This thesis is dedicated in memory of my parents late Mr Raphael E. Otaluka and late Mrs Peace Otaluka. And My wife Barr. (Mrs) Fanny Ifeyinwa Also to my children, Nnamdi, Sobechukwu, Chiamaka and Chioma. v ACKNOWLEDGEMENT I cannot thank you enough my two supervisors Dr.Munyaradzi Felix Murove and Dr. Bernard Matolino for your patience in making this a reality. I also want to thank Chief Dr. Alex. Ekwueme (Former Vice-President Federal Republic of Nigeria), Senator (Dr.) Andy Uba, Prof. N. I. Okeke-Uzodike, Engr. Emma Igwebuike, Prof. Ikechukwu Ogugua, Dr. Fidelis Aghamelu, Gwamniru Ezegbe, Obed Obi, Chinedu Ekwealor, Uchenna Ezeogu, Jeff Onyebuchi, James Nweke, Felix Okoye, Francis Madukasi, Nneka Okafor, Philip Awezaye, Stephen Ikenwa, Echezona Chukwuma, Ikem Obi, Ikechukwu Madubo, Lawrence Agu (Lawmaco), Ven. Dr. Chukwudi Osondu, Ven Dr. Obiora Alokwu and other clergymen for their supports and prayers. My thanks also go to my brothers and sisters, Best, Jekwu, Emmanuel, Beatrice Eze, Eudorah Nworji, Lady Miranda Anakwe, Fanny Ughanze, Peace, Ebere, and Bridget Anieto (my mother In-law). My wife and children (it is not easy staying away from you for some years now, thank you for your understanding). Very special thanks to Revd Dalby Mabel for proof-reading and editing this thesis. Finally, I have to give thanks to the school of Religion, Philosophy and Classics of the University of Kwa-Zulu Natal for their grant and the University for the Scholarship granted to me for this study. vi TABLE OF CONTENTS Contents DECLARATION ........................................................................................................................ ii ABSTRACT ............................................................................................................................. iii DEDICATION ........................................................................................................................... v ACKNOWLEDGEMENT .......................................................................................................... vi TABLE OF CONTENTS ............................................................................................................vii ABBREVIATIONS .................................................................................................................... xi CHAPTER ONE: GENERAL INTRODUCTION TO THE STUDY .................................................... 1 1. Introduction ................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Background of the Problem ......................................................................................... 1 1.2 Literature Review ..................................................................................................... 4 1.3 Research Objectives ......................................................................................... 17 1.4 Research Question ........................................................................................... 17 1.5 Theoretical Framework .......................................................................................... 18 Strong Partialist View .................................................................................................. 20 Partialism and Human Relationship ............................................................................ 22 Strong Partialism and Inadequate Resources .............................................................. 23 Impartialist View .......................................................................................................... 26 Moderate Partialism .................................................................................................... 28 Ubuntu ......................................................................................................................... 31 Ubuntu and Nepotism ................................................................................................. 32 1.6 Research Methodology and Techniques ......................................................... 33 1.7 Outline of Thesis 35 CHAPTER TWO: THE CONCEPTUALIZATION OF CORRUPTION ............................................ 38 2. Introduction ................................................................................................................. 38 2.1 The Etymological Definition of Corruption ............................................................ 39 2.2 Dictionary Definition of Corruption ....................................................................... 40 vii 2.3 Philosophical Definition of Corruption .................................................................. 42 2.4 Economic Definition of Corruption .................................................................. 43 2.5 Political Definition of Corruption ..................................................................... 44 2.6 Sociological Definition of Corruption ............................................................... 47 2.7 Types of Corruption ............................................................................................... 48 2.8 Explaining the Public Sector................................................................................... 59 2.8.1 The Difference between the Public Sector and the Private Sector .................... 60 CHAPTER THREE: THE CONTRIBUTION OF AFRICAN CULTURE TO CORRUPTION ............... 64 3. Introduction ................................................................................................................. 64 3.1 The Meaning of Culture ........................................................................................