(DDM) – Hon. Kenneth C. Gbandi, a prominent diaspora political leader and public affairs analyst, has condemned Nigeria’s recent decision to confer the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON) on billionaire Gilbert Chagoury.
DDM notes that Gbandi described the award as a “troubling moment” for Nigerians and a clear signal of moral decay in the nation’s leadership culture.
He argued that national honours are meant to celebrate integrity, accountability, and service to the people, not to reward proximity to power or financial influence.
Gbandi actively reminded Nigerians of Chagoury’s long-standing links to the financial network of the late General Sani Abacha, whose regime remains one of the most corrupt in modern African history.
He highlighted that journalists, court proceedings, and international media have repeatedly documented Chagoury’s alleged role in enriching himself and the political elite during Abacha’s rule.
Gbandi cited Nigerian journalist Bayo Onanuga’s 1997 exposé on Chagoury, emphasizing that decades later, there has been no transparent domestic reckoning.
He warned that symbolically erasing this history through a national honour reflects a governing culture that prioritizes wealth accumulation and political utility over public virtue.
Gbandi did not shy away from addressing Nigeria’s domestic crises, stressing that youth unemployment, insecurity, and poverty continue to grow while elite indulgence goes unchecked.
He actively criticized controversial policies that burden the vulnerable while protecting politically connected interests, noting that these actions deepen the societal divide.
According to Gbandi, the silence of intellectuals, journalists, and civil society has enabled moral decay, turning what should be public outrage into complacency.
He asserted that patriots once understood that dissent is a critical component of democracy, and that today’s muted voices threaten the nation’s ethical backbone.
Gbandi framed the GCON award as a symbolic test of national conscience, questioning whether Nigeria honours accountability or celebrates opportunism.
He further called on citizens to support emerging reform movements like the African Democratic Congress (ADC), which he says offer platforms to challenge entrenched elite capture.
Gbandi actively encouraged Nigerians to demand transparency and ethical governance, stressing that inaction risks turning moral collapse into default consent.
He concluded that Nigeria’s survival and credibility depend on reclaiming its conscience and restoring the principle that public service, not personal enrichment, deserves recognition.
Gbandi’s outspoken critique positions him as a leading voice in the ongoing debate over ethics, governance, and national values in Nigeria.
This episode, he warns, should galvanize citizens, political actors, and institutions to confront moral decay before it becomes irreversible.