Nigeria, Dec. 17 -- For decades, we have been made to believe that African leaders are corrupt, lack the desire for inclusive development, and are motivated by a perpetual hold on power - Perpetualism. While I do not dispute these claims, I believe they only describe the symptoms of a deeper human condition. Corruption, after all, is not a uniquely African phenomenon; it is a universal instinct of self-preservation and greed.

Come to think of it: how then do we explain the recurring scandals in the United States, the imprisonment of former presidents in France and South Korea, or the frequent resignations from Britain's Parliament? The common denominator is corruption. Whereas scores of similar incidents happen in Africa, and the perpetr...