Let us start with three vital words of wisdom, Frederick Douglass – “The life of the nation is secure only while the nation is honest, truthful, and virtuous”. Confucius – “The strength of a nation derives from the integrity of the home”. A. P. J Abdul Kalam – “If a country is to be corruption free and become a nation of beautiful minds, I strongly feel there are three key societal members who can make a difference. They are the father, the mother, and the teacher”.
Nigeria is perhaps in her darkest hours, She has experienced six coup d’état, a civil war, terrorism, and immeasurable mismanagement of her riches, especially human resources. But one could not have correctly predicted the probability of her having to go through this present misfortune. I write neither on the religious, ethnic and tribal intolerance which has engulfed us as the flames from the ”E weti e” of the “wild wild West”, nor do I speak of the perpetual corruption which has eaten deep into almost every Nigerian; like a cancer. I write on the total collapse of the smallest unit of the society – the family, the mind orientation and reorientation center – the school, and opium of the people – our religious worship centers.
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As a child, when my parents wanted to introduce me to their peers, the introduction is more often than not likely to go thus – “meet your son”. That singular phrase gives that person I am meeting for the first time a right to be a rod, and a staff to me; when my parents are not around. It was a time when it was the sole responsibility of each and every well meaning individual of a society to bring up children of the community. Both the modern day Nigerian mother and father are busy seeking daily bread, yes it is needed, but if that is your reason for giving the society an immoral child; you are busy but guilty.
The system seems not to punish notable crimes of corruption against the state, yes we agree there were allegations and the court is the decider. But some cases have raised the question of “how truly incorruptible some of our lords are”. The ill trained and immoral youth who was brought up without any integrity sees this; he picks up a laptop “if he is learned enough” and becomes a Yahoo boy. The unlearned ones amidst them pick up weapons as robbers, kidnappers, and killers. All through our history with armed robbers; from Anenih to the one million boys, one glaring thing is that they are mostly products of poor family values.
Our institutions of learning are as deficient in academics as they are in morals. The certificates issued at higher institutions upon graduation sometimes read “you have been found worthy of character and learning”. The first thing the certificate indicates to its reader is that the bearer has successfully passed through the refining furnace, and he/she came out being of good character. But is this the reality? – Certainly not. The high rate of examination malpractices is so alarming, not just in the cities but in our rural communities; that some city dwellers go to rural secondary schools to perfect their West African Secondary School Certificate Examination (WASSCE). Some cheat during the university admission examinations, cheat all through their university days; while “sorting” lecturers and technologists. Surely; we have lost the dignity in labour. We all want “soft work”, like that was how the real Falana achieved his heights.
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To illustrate how powerful the churches/mosques are, from the university students’ union elections, to the country’s presidential elections; they determine who gets what. The religious leaders know this and they are currently usurping it to extreme limits, so much that religion is subsidized through a lower foreign exchange rate during a recession. Parts of the constitution and laws are being suspended for their cause. Religious tolerance needs to be preached on both sides, the extremists among them need to be pushed out of the fold.
As a nation, we need to determine our values; great nations of the world have high regard for dignity and integrity. Make no mistake, Nigeria has achieved giant strides but it has never been great. For the country to attain the status of greatness, these primary institutions must change for good. There is need for the earnest inculcation of dignity, integrity, hard work, and honesty; in our homes, schools, and religious centers. Only by so doing can we make Nigeria great, and the late Dora Akuyili’s dream; of “A good people, great nation” will become a reality.
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