NEEDS FOR CHARACTER BUILDING
Everyday I wake up and move around my street and across Lagos state, I am often forced to ask myself questions; are we still human in this part of the world? Are we created to act differently? What has taken away our sense of morality?
At every level of our human endeavour in this country, we see questionable characters with no sense of morals. Integrity, honesty, makes no meaning anymore rather awkward and absurd in our today’s society. Where are we actually heading to? Both old and young act as if there exist no law, turning out to be the era of Judges in the Bible in which everybody does what is right in his eyes.
At leadership level where we expect our leaders to be role models with characters worthy of emulation, reverse is what is being exhibited constantly. So disappointing that in the legislative, they fight and throw chairs at one another. The Executives on the other hands turn out to be vulgar machine who exchange insults, abusive words even in front of media. They are rather described in what Fela called Vagabond In Power (VIP).
Moral and religious institutions are nothing to write about. The standard and hallmark of characters with which they were known are gone. They have turned out as well to be salts without savor trampled on by the people. In our country today, everyone to his tent, everyone has turned out to be man of God with one title or the other. The mention of Pastor, Bishop, Evangelist, Imam, Alhaji, etc in any part of the country in Nigeria, raise numerous questions in the minds of the listeners-is he not one of those who cart away with members’ tithes? Or not a cultist in disguise as a Pastor or Alhaji? The bus preachers are now considered as ‘Molue entertainers or miracle crusade marketers’. No doubt, the issue of religion has become everyman to himself. Members no longer trust their religious Leaders, but keenly watch for the day of his fall to prove that his self acclaimed righteousness is false.
The crime in today’s society keeps increasing every minute. Crime fighters or the police watch helplessly as both high and mighty and common people in the society suffer numerous violence, assignation, rape, etc. of course, they are no longer seen with reputable characters to combat crimes, having failed to sanitize themselves of the corrupt practices such as bribery, extortion, political atrocities and many more.
In Lagos, the drama is very tragic. No doubt, the state has actually become ‘no man’s land’. The question of human right is obsolete and non-existing as far as the state is concerned. This definitely is spreading its tentacles to other parts of the country. Every road demarcated or not, dualized or single lane belongs to no one and direction is not restricted. Roads constructed to take two vehicles at a time have been reduced to half-lane by the commuter buses, the street hawkers mounting their kiosk, tables and display their goods on the tarred floor. Do we blame them? Certainly not! They pay their dues levied on them by Local Governments and their associations and by the way certain percentage goes to the head of the police unit of the area.
Lagosians are helpless about the inflation rate in the state most especially the transport fare. No one can determine the exact amount that will be spent every day on transportation. The masses suffer at the expense of different tickets sold to these people by their task masters (the government and the police). And it seems no government can even control the activities of the transport union for their failure to plan proper transport system.
Traffic, I suppose should be the second name of the city (Lagos) with LASTMA or Traffic Warder turning themselves to master tax collectors from the danfo drivers. And so, they watch traffic jams, having no moral ground to stop or restrict any of them taking one-way or arrogantly creating hold up for motorists.
Any leader therefore, aspiring to make changes in the seat of power, without any shadow of doubt, must seek to restore morality and sanity. This however can not take place without the right man in position. As Bible puts it: "Righteousness exhalt a nation but sin is a reproach to any people".
Until the right man with the collective efforts of every one to choose to win by righteousness, this decay in the society will continue. Till then, we will conntinue to pray and watch in anticipation.
PHILEMON ADETOLA OKUNLOLA
