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Societies often undergo developmental growth either morally, technically, economically and otherwise, culminating into evolution.
Looking around the country, it is evident that many things have gone wrong in our society. Leaders and the people have gone astray due to wrong foundation, no wonder the country is at a crossroads in search of redemption from insecurity, economic corruption, moral decadence and underdevelopment. Last week, the former president of Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN), Mr Ikeddyy Isiguzo, accompanied with his intelligent computer freak son, master Chibuisi, paid me a courtesy call. We met last, 12 years ago when I was in charge of the police newspaper THE DAWN, which I founded at the Force Headquarters, Abuja. This piece is to celebrate Master Chibuisi and his generation in the country. In his behaviour during the few hours he stayed with me, he exhibited hope for the country. He made me to reflect on what the country is going through, especially in the area of moral decadence, economic corruption and standing up for truth in the face of might and not fearing to say the truth. No wonder the holy book says in “Proverbs 22:6,
“Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.”
Indeed, salvation is at the doorstep of Nigeria. First lesson from Master Chibuisi. While I was discussing with his father, his concentration was on his mini computer and intermittently would announce to his father about the new word he had discovered by trying to teach his father the new vocabulary. Please, remember Chibuisi is only four years old. Suddenly, my phone rang and his attention turned to me, but his countenance changed when he heard me describe someone on the other end of the phone as a “foolish man.” Instantly, he moved closer to his father and said, “Why is he using such word on the phone.” His father tried to defend me, but Chibuisi was not impressed and was not ready to swallow his father’s explanation by insisting, “it is a wrong word to use on the phone.”
By the way, the irritant caller had seen my phone contact on my column in the SUN newspaper and placed a call to me being a Thursday when my column is published and had called more than thrice soliciting for financial assistance. He had tabled a pathetic story of his dying mother in the hospital and needed N155,000 for an urgent operation and I had earlier turned down his request, but he was persistent in calling even when my visitor was around. Meanwhile, bearly five minutes after the incident, Chibuisi heard the bleating of my goats and ram and wanted me to take him downstairs to see the animals. While we were with the animals, my new hobby, unfortunately, he noticed that one of them was not walking well and, immediately, he drew our attention to the sick animal, which eventually died.
However, Chibuisi’s courage and boldness, coupled with truth and fear of the Creator are what the country needs. We need a country where the youths would speak up and condemn every act of injustice and brazen wickedness, no matter whose ox is gored. We need a generation that would not stand by and watch their economy being fleeced out of the country and most times squandered and also mismanaged. We need a generation that would see evil in the system and not keep quiet as demonstrated by Master Chibuisi. We need a generation that would be courageous to disclose the nefarious activities of criminals in the society.The country needs a generation that would correct the ills of the society, a generation of courageous youths that are bold to expose corruption in every sector of the system. A country where poIicemen would respectfully correct their corrupt senior officers and preach to them that “corruption does not pay.” When good children grow to become good adults, the bad people are disarmed and flushed out of the system, as the ugly faces of corruption are wiped away from every sector of the country, because the good people have eventually prevailed. Over the years, since Independence, we corrupted the system from the home to the society and even the schools and religious arms of the society were weakened by these traits and before our eyes every institution in the country collapsed and the military got involved, promising to tackle the menace of corruption, of course they failed by worsening the situation, as exemplified at the Buhari administration.
Suddenly, religious organizations sprang up in every nook and cranny of the country trying to remould the conscience of the people; again, they failed as the whole intension was wrapped after money, which is the root of all evil. Even when you talk about insecurity and corruption ravaging the country, all have their interest in acquiring money. The insurgency and banditry are products of corruption and insecurity all tantamount to financial and religious gain. The collapse of education, governance and religion is because children were not well trained from home and schools, many lack good character.
According to Web dictionary, character is “The inherent complex of attributes that determines a person’s moral and ethical actions and reactions.”
A wise saying further goes: “Good character is not formed in a week or a month. It is created little by little. Day by day. Protracted and patient effort is needed to develop good character.”
Truly, Nigeria needs men and women of good character in politics, security, religion, judiciary and other notable professions so that our collapsed institutions can be repackaged for the betterment of the country. It is, therefore, insightful tha a former American President, Mr. Barack Obama, did a clinical assessment of the African continent, including Nigeria, when on July 28, 2015, he told African leaders at a gathering in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, “Africa’s progress can also be seen in the institutions that bring us together today. When I first came to sub-Saharan Africa as a President, I said that Africa doesn’t need strongmen, it needs strong institutions.”
In fact, such strong institutions need strong character, which is the backbone of every strong society. It is gratifying that children in the generation of !master Chibuisi are already exhibiting strong character and such should be fully encouraged for the desired new Nigeria.
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Security Hints
Avoid unverified online business transactions or trading. It could be dangerous. As much as possible, avoid night trips or movements.
In case someone stops you or raises the alarm of punctured tyres in motion, do not stop immediately look for a market square or a filling station before you park to check.
To be safe is to feel unsafe always, be conscious of your environment avoid public calls when discussing any huge amounts. It could be risk
– By CSP Muyiwa Adejobi, spokesman for Nigeria Police Force
