From Bode Durojaiye, Oyo.
A former Nigerian Ambassador to Zambia, Chief Moses Ogunmola, has said the unity and progress of the country will continue to be threatened until core values that should promote law and order, respect for elders, sanctity of human lives, brotherliness, honesty and tolerance are appreciated and adhered to.
Ogunmola stated this at a conference in Oyo town.
He said in this era of globalisation, there is value crisis leading to increase in the atmosphere of conflict and turmoil, as well as rate of crime and delinquency while socio- psychological health of the people has also declined.
“There is, therefore, the need to analyse the loss of important and essential values that may be traditional and old but are highly cherished values. These include the concern for brotherhood and neighbourhood which are now lost to the process of achieving the material world. Character is more important than the vigour of body and keenness of the intellect. It is the soil on which all else must grow or else nothing can come into fruition. People must be faithful
to their word, respect mutual obligations and be kind to one another and place the welfare of others above personal gains.’’
Considering the place of education in societal development, Ogunmola noted that it could be used to transform the society through value orientation for the teachers who are the architects of the national development, leaders and the masses.
This, in his opinion, can be achieved through well-articulated policies on values and education, and the incorporation of values education in
the school curriculum of education.
On security challenges, the former diplomat, who lamented that most Nigerians are ashamed and have lost confidence in the efficiency and effectiveness of the police due to their corruption and high rate of human abuses, admonished that the current insecurity may be lessened when people of impeccable characters are recruited, bribery, corruption
and human rights abuses seriously addressed among the rank and file of both the police and other security agencies.
He also called for motivation and adequate training for the personnel, as well as provision of state-of-the-art equipment.
On poverty, he advocated skill-based and entrepreneurial education, especially at post basic and post-secondary levels of education, right political will and demonstration of sincerity of purpose to fight corruption both in the public and private lives.
Ogunmola further lamented that Nigerians have undesirable
political culture, adding that their knowledge of politics ends where their immediate needs are met.
“That is why some people perceive it as a dirty game. Politicking in Nigeria is based on personal interest and that negates positivism. Politics is sacred, perhaps more distinct than other vocations. At the time by which we elect our leaders, we put sentiments as the basis of our choice. Criteria such as ethnicity and religion are greatly inconsequential in an election.”
