It is too early to say that the battle against corruption in Nigeria is being won. It remains one of President Olusegun Obasanjo’s chief priorities. No-one knows exactly where the so-called advance fee or 419 scam first originated but it has become indelibly associated with Nigeria. If you have an e-mail address, the chances are that you have received a suspicious-sounding mail asking you for a small upfront fee and your bank account details in exchange for a share in a deceased dictator’s substantial estate. Believe it or not, many gullible (and greedy) victims have parted with thousands of dollars in the hope of instant riches, resulting in notoriety by association for Nigeria.
Tainted reputation
