THE NIGERIAN FACTOR
Society for Ethics in Nigeria
deficiencies anytime we fail to measure up as individuals or as a
nation. Whenever we exhibit our usual incompetence due to the general
bad attitude to and approach to work, which invariably leads to
failure we blame the Nigerian factor as the culprit. Our leaders are
not left out either. It is the Nigerian factor which made it
impossible for the National Assembly to perform their oversight
functions on the Executive. It is the Nigerian factor which forbade
PHCN from planning for the improvement of power supply in the country
for 30years now (power outage started in the country in 1977) until
all their system broke down and the country is turned into the largest
importer of electric generators in the world. It is the Nigerian
factor that ensured the death of Nigerian Shipping Line, The Nigerian
Airways, The Nigerian Railways, NITEL, etc. etc. It is the Nigerian
factor that ensured the death of our once enviable educational system.
The Nigerian child now relies on private nursery, secondary and
universities for their education, and the opportunity for the
development of inter-ethnic understanding and mixing facilitated by
the government schools is now lost forever to a country trying to
unite its various tribes. Worse still, the Nigerian factor ensure that
the elites, rather than address this trend, decides that those who
can afford it, send their wards to sister African States and the West.
We all end up training Nigerians as foreigners, who also will
invariably inherit foreign cultures and end up imposing their foreign
ideas on us when they come back. Their coming back to rule is also
inevitable. The Nigerian factor is so strong that it would not allow
even the few lucky ones in our Universities back home to get properly
trained. Cultism, lack of infrastructures, incessant ASSUU strikes,
examination leakages, embezzlement of University funds, sexual
harassment, corrupt lecturers and staff etc. will conspire against
them and ensure they graduate half-baked and very much unfit to take
their place in the competitive global economy. The Nigerian factor
will ensure they remain unemployed for a long time, even if they
manage to get good grades in spite of the problems and obstacles put
in their way. Only the wards of the politically and financially
powerful and connected individuals will be employed especially in the
plum jobs and parastatals. It is the Nigerian factor that ensured that
even with all our Petroleum refineries, we import fuel for our local
consumptionm.The Nigerian factor is all pervading. It is the reason
for our being.
The Nigerian factor has dictated the pace of development of this
country for 46years since independence. Its corruptive and morally
corroding influence has over time taken over virtually every soul in
this country and is fast spreading to the young ones who are supposed
to build this country tomorrow. Every day the youths listen to cases
of massive corruption charges being made against various individuals
and organizations with little or no punishment being meted out. Each
day, they see the Police and other law enforcement agents publicly
extort money from innocent Nigerians with no one lifting a voice to
complain or a finger to stop the trend. Do we expect them to grow to
be better citizens in this country to lift her to greater heights
tomorrow? How do we get the country into the path of sanity and
destroy this monster called Nigerian factor?
S.23 of the Nigerian Constitution of 1999 reads "The national ethics
shall be Discipline, Integrity, Dignity of Labour, Social, Justice,
Religious Tolerance, Self-reliance and Patriotism." It envisages the
various qualities expected to be possessed by anyone called a
Nigerian.
Various governments in times past, especially the Military has always
touted discipline as the one important ingredient necessary for
national growth. This may be the reason why they spent so much in
setting up outfits like WAI and MAMSER dedicated to ensuring that
Nigerians are disciplined in all they do. Of course, with the benefit
of hindsight, we know that discipline is only a fraction of our
collective deficiencies as a nation.
The answer therefore lies in taking a closer look at this section of
our constitution. All the qualities expressed therein are proper and
necessary for a real growth in the country. Integrity for instance
encompasses honesty. It is doing the right thing always, no matter
what the circumstances may be. It is being consistent and true to
one's heart no matter what others do at all times. Such is the type of
person envisaged to be called a Nigerian. Can you imagine what
difference it would make to our national growth if just a percentage
of our leaders are real men of integrity?
In taking this look, the government should set up an agency,
specifically charged with the promotion of all the qualities mentioned
above in the Nigerian. The Agency or commission should also be
responsible with enforcement of these virtues such that will gradually
engender a consciousness of ethical conduct in all the facet of the
country, be it in government, business, private practice, education,
etc.
The Society for ethics believes that ethics can be taught. Therefore,
with a dedicated programme by the state, a consciousness on the part
of each and every one of us to do the good and right thing at all
times will be developed and this will go a long way in killing the
Nigerian factor. It will go a long way in ensuring that honesty
becomes our virtue and make the Nigerian state into a paradise we all
want it to be.
The best thing about this proposal is that the young ones coming
behind can be focused upon and given sound character education which
in turn will make them the conscience of the adult population and
ensure that the next generation of Nigerians understand the need to do
the right thing at all times and grow out of the stifling and
corruptive embrace of the monster called the Nigerian factor.
Else, we may discover too late that the Nigerian factor is like the
proverbial "death that killed the mother hawk, it will be waiting to
ensure that her young ones does not open their eyes"
Regards
Whiskey, I.U.
President/national Coordinator
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Thank you.