By John Ikani
The United States Government has renewed its commitment to fighting corruption in Nigeria with the launch of ReportMagoMago.com.
Report Magomago, a reporting website for corruption supported by the United States in partnership with the Inter-Religious Coalition Against Corruption in Nigeria, was launched in Lagos on Friday.
Magomago, in local parlance, means corruption, misconduct, and the absence of fair play.
The website was launched in the Ikoyi area of Lagos to take a “harder stance against corruption,” Claire Pierangelo, the US Consul General in Nigeria, said.
Pierangelo encouraged Nigerians to demonstrate their commitment to the fight against corruption by making use of the platform designed to address the daily instances of corruption.
The US consul expressed optimism that the initiative will spark citizen engagement in the fight against corruption.
She added that the initiative will encourage Nigerians affected by corruption to feel empowered to share their experiences.
“Countering corruption is not only a key concern in Nigeria but also a core U.S. national security priority for the Biden Administration,” he said.
“Growth and development, consistent with the richness and strength of Nigeria, depend on a new narrative and a culture where corruption has no place.”
At the event, participants were guided on how to navigate the new platform.
Led by Bishop Emmanuel Gospel Isong and Imam Shefiu Abdulkareem Majemu, the Inter-Religious Coalition Against Corruption in Nigeria was formed in 2016 by Muslim and Christian religious leaders with the primary goal of addressing how faith communities could take a leading role in anti-corruption advocacy in Nigeria.
The launch of the website comes just days after Nigeria ranked 154 out of 180 countries on the 2021 corruption perception index published by Transparency International (TI) — scoring 24 out of 100 points.
It is the worst TI corruption perception index rating obtained in the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.
