Good governance and attitudinal change

Our attitude, indeed, determines our altitude. Whether for individuals, groups, states or nations, the story is basically the same. It is not what happens to us, individually or collectively that matters. It is how we react to what happens to us, good or bad.

Truth is that the electorate determines good governance at any point in time at the federal, state and local levels. It is garbage in, garbage out.

If majority of Nigerians on poverty line are easily brainwashed by politicians before and during electioneering campaigns with fake promises of creating heaven in Nigeria, but deliver hell in our country with a population of about 203 million people, then something is wrong. Poverty is the underlying factor here.

It was Dula Anthony Mabin, a divisional police transport officer with the Ogoja division of the Nigeria police in Cross River state, that inspired this piece. Mabin told me point-blank during a discussion last week that learning is the most consistent aspect of human life.

He argued that for us to tackle corruption headlong in Nigeria, we must learn, learn and learn. According to him, the learning process could be achieved through moral information sharing ethical and attitudinal change for every Nigerian.

Every Nigerian has a moral base, but corruption has made it such that many don’t subscribe to it in their dealings, he said. He insisted that this is the cause of breakdown in ethical norms and values, which are necessary ingredients in building successful communities in our beloved country.

“Nigeria to truly avert corruption, citizens must first subscribe to morality, ethics, values and norms that support civilised standards in business, politics, culture, military education, social relation and even in family life,” he said.

It is essential that all citizens are informed of what corruption is and what role each can play in combating corruption. If today’s youth learn about corruption and refrain from it, they would become responsible and accountable when they become public/private servants. This is because they already know the dangers of corruption; more so the love of the country we must protect the integrity of the country Nigeria.

If every family is disciplined and given moral values or thought the community and the society will inculcate that value, it will be a crime-free society and Nigeria at large.

Family upbringing is very essential as regards a reasonable society and the country. Our political leaders must set an example of integrity and honesty. Those in government should borrow the ideas of Switzerland, a country with a free-crime society because they believe in the moral culture.

Emmanuel Udom

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