“Considered very relevant to our discussion on ethics is this memo reproduced below with the original title On National Ethical Re-Orientation Committee.”
There is no doubt that the past re-branding efforts of the government and the present national values charter are not the first shot aimed at putting our nation on a sound footing. Successive governments in Nigeria have introduced a series of programmes on fundamental, structural, and attitudinal changes.
But why is it that most of the problems plaguing us since independence still remain a recurring decimal?
Nigerians, unquestionably, have firm belief on the great potentials of the nation; we only have to harness those potentials through ethical revolution.
Need For National Ethical Re-Orientation And A Value-Based Society
We must rise beyond listing our problems to building a strong will to fight those problems headlong.
On 26 January, 1983, a memo was submitted to the executive arm of government on the need for national re-orientation. This was contained in a beautiful compilation of Senator Mahmud Waziri’s collected speeches in the Second Republic.
Considered very relevant to our discussion on ethics is this memo reproduced below with the original title “On National Ethical Re-Orientation Committee.”
After a few decades, critical issues raised in the memo are still beating us like night rain in the JP Clark’s Poem “Coming and going these several seasons.”
Let us go down the memory lane.
“Beneath every human action is the current of ethical significance, questions about moral conduct and moral principles are posed and answers must be attempted.
“Admittedly, it is quite easy to think about morality or societal values. But on the contrary, it is a harrowing experience to find out the theory that lies beneath actual thought and principle.
“For instance, we condemn as lazy the man who is sufficiently wealthy to spend his time doing nothing. We say ‘honesty is the best policy’. But we acknowledge in our actions and words the good taste and particularly of telling white, grey. No doubt, it would be difficult to reconcile the principles underlying such judgments.
“But on a close examination, morality (‘to be or not be’) proves to be nothing but a murky and illogical collection of rules which are bound together by the slender threads of chance and custom.
“For instance, there is a great divide, like Chinese wall, between the high-flown ideals to which Nigerians give lip-service and the down-to-earth expediency of the morality they practice
“The Federal Government, for example, gleefully slapped some austerity measures on the nation’s economy as a result of the slump in the world oil trade market—our main export. Yet, we seem to be marching on one spot.
“Somewhat more hypocritical is the government’s propaganda to buy Made-in-Nigeria goods ostensibly in order to shore up local industries. Yet, government agencies still spend whooping amounts million annually in importing basis needs when textile mills in the country are shutting down.
“The point here is that not until we can endeavour to fill in the black places in our moral proselytisation, that is, to eliminate as far as possible contradictory directions of behaviour, can we say that we are applying reason to our moral life.
“The problem with us is that our political leaders have, in the past and even now, burdened themselves with the task of overhauling our traditional society along western lines. Hence, there is a fertile source of internal conflicts and contradictions.
“In Nigeria, the cultural differences prior to recent times were so great that often no national linkage was acknowledged across the cultural lines, as religious differences have, at other times and places, overridden national ties.
“The practice of different administrative systems in Nigeria—Indirect Rule in the North and Direct Rule in the South—accentuated the problem of nation-building. So, the contentious issue, which has invariably become a matter of vital political consequence, is who represents the nation when national decisions must be taken?
“This is the issue that Nigeria has been facing politically. Hence, there is a need to create an awareness of national identity and a share in political power in Nigeria for the sake of peace and stability in the country.
“A new national patriotism, hewing faithfully under the dynamic of the spirit of TOGETHERNESS” must be integrated into our body politics. Indeed, a distinct Nigeria national symbol must be whipped up to replace the remnants of colonial rule, oppression, and discretion of our cultural traits, value, and morale.”
That was the vintage Mahmood Waziri.
In continuation of its efforts to entrench positive values that will position Nigeria to take her rightful place among the comity of nations, the National Orientation Agency (NOA) has developed the National Values Charter—a framework designed to redirect Nigerians towards the ideals, attitudes and principles capable of redefining who we are as a people.
At the heart of the Charter is the recognition that national identity begins with the individual. The values and attitudes of citizens start as personal convictions and gradually evolve into a collective national identity.
In this sense, every Nigerian becomes a mirror through which the nation is presented to the world, telling the Nigerian story through his or her conduct, choices, and relationship with others.
The National Values Charter Blueprint, therefore, serves as a guide for citizens in cultivating attitudes and behaviours that can ultimately produce responsible, ethical, and well-formed citizenship. It is divided into two broad sections: The Nigerian Promise and The Citizens’ Code.
The Nigerian Promise represents seven fundamental commitments expected of the Nigerian state and its leaders: equality, democracy, entrepreneurship, peace and security, inclusivity, freedom and justice, and meritocracy. These principles represent the ideals that should define the relationship between the state and its citizens.
On the other hand, the Citizens’ Code outlines seven commitments expected from Nigerians themselves: discipline, duty of care, tolerance and respect, leadership, transparency, environmental awareness, and resilience
The Charter is further supported by seven institutional policies intended to reinforce these values and create an environment in which value-based citizenship can thrive.
Collectively, these components are designed to contribute to the emergence of a Nigeria founded on ethical conduct, responsible citizenship, and a shared sense of national purpose.
But the pertinent question remains: will it work this time?
The answer lies not merely in the document but in our collective willingness to live by it. A charter, no matter how well conceived, cannot transform a nation unless both the state and the citizens effectively play their roles.
Nigeria’s rebuilding efforts to restore confidence, strengthen institutions, and place the country on a firm ethical footing require a citizenry that understands that nation-building is a shared responsibility.
Can we do it?
It can. It must. It will.
Together, we can build the Nigeria of our collective aspirations.
