Olanipekun Olukoyede, the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), recently shared how he turned down financial gifts worth N500 million from top government officials during his mother’s burial in 2019.

Speaking at the 38th Anti-Corruption Situation Room in Abuja, Olukoyede explained that while he was serving as the EFCC Secretary at the time, he received several cheques and drafts from ministers, directors, and heads of government agencies. These gifts were sent as traditional contributions for the burial.

He recalled that when he arrived at his family home in Ekiti State before the funeral, his security guard handed him a box containing multiple cheques. In addition to this, he found 17 cows in his compound, including some that were pregnant.

After counting the cheques, he discovered the total amount was close to N500 million. When he showed them to his wife, she initially saw it as a blessing, but Olukoyede immediately realized the potential risks.

He decided to return the money to avoid any conflict of interest, especially since some of the donors were under EFCC investigations.

A year later, in 2020, he faced an investigation himself. Reflecting on that moment, he said if he had accepted the money, it could have created serious ethical issues.

Even though the gifts might not have influenced his decisions, having such large sums deposited in his account would have been difficult to explain.

Olukoyede’s story highlights the ethical challenges public officials face and the importance of staying committed to integrity in the fight against corruption in Nigeria.