A recipe for our moral quandary

Moral values are those standards by which individuals and societies recognise what is right or wrong. It is the conceptual framework on which an individual’s sense of discipline is based, thereby guiding their behaviours, characters, attributes, ethics and attitudes towards self and others. Sublime values such as trustworthiness, honesty, sincerity and respect for elders were […]

Moral values are those standards by which individuals and societies recognise what is right or wrong. It is the conceptual framework on which an individual’s sense of discipline is based, thereby guiding their behaviours, characters, attributes, ethics and attitudes towards self and others. Sublime values such as trustworthiness, honesty, sincerity and respect for elders were the most dignified and revered values in various communities in Nigeria. And they are the most valuable heritage that parents were proud to transmit to their progeny at any cost. These highly placed and exalted qualities were what kept our societies and the nation generally peaceful, safe, secured and admirable because they bred trust, love, tolerance and respect among the diverse and different people in Nigeria.

Sadly, it is evident that these golden values are becoming things of the past, replaced by alien social vices not known before. The result is what the nation is experiencing in terms of grievous vices such as corruption, fraud, sexual promiscuity, rape and ritual killings. This has also truncated the safety and security of people and their properties.

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The moral values are rooted and acquired in the family, religious and educational institutions. Family is the most important of all, as it is the first point an individual comes into contact with after birth. A child is born with a blank mind like a clean slate (Tabula Rasa). The mind is therefore receptive and permeable for any form of knowledge, behaviour or attitude that is introduced to it. The early teachers are the parents, especially the mother.  Therefore, the early training received forms the basis on which subsequent learning experiences are built.  The family is formed by a marriage institution, an institution that has both cultural and religious underpinning.

 However, in our society today, the marriage institution has been bastardised. The offspring are left at the mercy of either nannies, housemaids or day care workers for training. This deprives it of the parental connection, care, nurture and proper upbringing that only a mother can provide. Some families are bedeviled with harmful, unstable and violent relationships, which may lead to divorce and the children are left to suffer the problem of  broken homes. Such children may grow into heartless, wicked, inhuman and drug addicts, due to the absence of parental guidance.   

Children are also enrolled into schools where they are expected to be trained as loyal and patriotic citizens. Most parents prefer to enroll their wards in private schools. Only those who cannot afford resort to public schools. In either case, the curriculum, teachers, materials and facilities that are needed are grossly insufficient. This usually turns the children into  unemployed and unemployable youth.          

Similarly, the children are sent to religious houses or worship centres, where they are expected to learn the tenets of their religion. There, they are expected to learn faithfulness, righteousness, love, compassion, godliness, humanity, humility and mercy. But some of the religious leaders also have no better understanding of the real teachings of the religion, or are having some ulterior motives that lead them to display or preach what is totally contrary to the true doctrine. They indoctrinate them with poisonous ideologies that will turn them into extremists, bigots, intolerant and angry adherents.  

Thus, community, religious and traditional leaders should consider initiating some measures to reform and regenerate the family setting in our communities. Marriages should not be left only for the couples, but the elders, leaders and clerics in the community should make sure that the families are conducive for nurturing desirable citizens. The communities also should monitor what is going on in schools located in their respective localities. They should support the schools to teach and nurture their children into useful and patriotic citizens that can make the community proud. Communalism should also be restored, and the training, grooming and mentoring of children should be the responsibility of all.

With these measures and others, some of the social vices can be eliminated, sanity will be restored, peace will be reinstated, security will be regenerated and harmony will be returned into our communities.

Usman Aliyu Elnafaty, DP21, Fadamar Jaji, Behind Federal Secretariat, Bauchi