Congo Brazzaville : Marien Ngouabi University

In most countries on the continent, corruption begins in schools and the Republic of Congo is not different.  And where one witnesses crass corruptions in Congo is at Marien Ngouabi, the name of its lone university located in its capital, Brazzaville. Marien Ngouabi University is therefore the cradle of Congolese corruption or where the evil spirit of corruption is natured into brains of the future governing elite. This university is named after the country’s most popular but controversial president, late Commandant Marien Ngouabi, who strangely enough was a very honest man. Sadly the institution that bears Congo’s former president’s name has a contrary spirit. As prove, Commandant Marien Ngouabi, fought against corruption and the excesses that comes with power. But as mentioned earlier, at Marien Ngouabi University, corruption and all other immoral conducts are feted and encouraged by most staff of the administration, some lecturers and some students.  One thing that strikes any person who is familiar with Marien Ngouabi University are the number of slogans used at the institution and its affiliates by its students, teachers and administrators, to justify corruption, sex for marks and other amoral conducts. 

Equally worrying is the propensity of some Congolese to rationalize the widespread malpractices above mentioned. All these tolerance to malpractices only shows how corruption has become part and parcel of the country’s apex institution. The disheartening part in all these are that, those glorifying corruption, which is cordoned by their institution and government, are the very ones groomed to be the elite of tomorrow. Marien Ngouabi University is therefore par excellence, the breeding ground for future corrupt elite, demagogues, orators who are genius for stirring up divisions and stoking grievances. But the problem now is this, when an institution of higher learning such as Marien Ngouabi University, becomes the reproduction centre for all that has been decried throughout this book, it is certain that,  a greater part of the country will be transformed into angered and vengeful people, who will become fodder for a bloody revolution.