A Nation in Need of a Moral Compass

Nigeria, the second largest in landmass of the African continent but the most populous black nation in the world is in dire need of a moral compass. We have trampled underfoot those things that define the morality of a nation. We are no longer interested in bearing good names. We have slaughtered good names on the altar of money. When a very poor person at 6:00 am suddenly becomes very wealthy at 6:00 pm same day, nobody asks the person how he or she made such a stupendous wealth within a very short space of time. Instead of this, we roll out drums to celebrate such miscreants. We make them chiefs in our communities. Some of them have become our political leaders. Many of our Governors, Senators, Honourable members, Local Government Chairmen and Chairpersons are people of very questionable characters. People who have milked our country dry are those occupying enviable positions and yet we see nothing wrong with that because have lost our moral compass.


People placed in positions of authority see it as an opportunity to steal more than those before them. Nigeria leaders now steal in millions and billions of dollars. Before now, no government was willing to probe corrupt officials because they all have skeletons in their cupboards. The anti-corruption agencies spend months in questioning suspects but end up not prosecuting many of them. Those that are prosecuted are hardly found guilty, because according to the judges there is always no substantial evidence to prove their guilt (even when evidences are starring glaringly for all to see). Those that are eventually found guilty of corrupt enrichment are eventually given sanctions that will never serve as a deterrent to other corrupt minds.

Nigeria leaders no longer know the difference between what is right and what is wrong. Governors divert their state resources into their personal use. Some former Governors convert companies hitherto owned by their states into their private companies. Some past Governors earn same salaries and entitlements they earned while in office as when out of office. Some of them that are Senators still earn these entitlements in addition to what they earn as Senators. Such leaders see nothing wrong with this wickedness. Yet Nigerians allow this to go on because we lack values. We sacrifice truth on the altar of tribal sentiments and religious bigotry. Many are even willing to die for this morally bankrupt set of people.


We Nigerians, both within and outside the country are very loud. We want to be seen. We want to prove that we are better than others. Birthday parties, wedding parties, burial ceremonies are often turned into carnivals, graced usually by comedians, live bands etc. The word 'moderation' means nothing to most Nigerians because we want to outdo one another. We see unnecessary rivalry among siblings and between family members. Parents send their children to schools that they cannot ordinarily afford. We steal or borrow money to send our children to schools with very high fees. Those who cannot steal or borrow resort into owing their children's school fees. Our failures to pay fees have often resulted into our children being excluded from their schools. But we fail to think on the injuries we are causing our children. We travel with our children in first class and we see nothing wrong with that, because we feel we can afford it based on ill-gotten wealth which in most cases are proceeds from bribery and corruption. We fail to teach our children the simple fact that life is not a bed of roses. Whoever tries to correct us is seen as an enemy of progress.

Our churches rather than being places where people can sober reflect and pray have become places where jesters come to entertain. They are no longer places or houses of prayers but entertainment centres. Most also serve as den of robbers. Criminals now come to our churches to earn credibility as church leaders or church donors or sponsors. We pastors accommodate them and readily roll out red carpets for them. Known Ogboni fraternity members and other occult members occupy prominent seats during our programmes and we boast about their gracing our functions. Looters of their organisations serve as pastors and deacons or elders in our churches and are given special seats during services. Many Pastors have lost their focus. Their messages are centred on Money! Money!! Money!!! Some pastors don't see anything wrong in their members stealing from their companies to give to the 'work of God'. The list is endless.


Luckily we now have a President and Commander in Chief who is not lily-livered but very strong willed and determined to fight corruption. Some Nigerians are crying 'foul'. They are saying 'why should he start from the last regime?' Why are they saying this? Possibly because people from their tribes or of same religion as them involved in looting the treasury will be probed and possibly jailed. I ask, should that be an issue at this point in time that our country Nigeria is bleeding profusely from the rape suffered in the hands of criminals that pervades the land as politicians, civil servants and business men and women? Is it not time for all and sundry to forget about who is being probed and join hands with the President to fight corruption, even if he is starting from the previous regime? Are we not aware that through his action, he would have set a precedence for any incoming regime to probe the regime before it (including his)? This I believe is good for the country.

My fellow Nigerians we cannot afford to continue on this downward slide of moral decadence. We have to look inwards and repent of our wickedness. Our values as individuals have to change. We have to change our ostentatious lifestyles and turn a new leaf. We should learn to live within our means. Corrupt enrichment are actions from people who have very low moral values. Great minds create wealth. They don't steal wealth. We should stop idolising the looters of our common wealth. Except they repent, they are as good as nothing. Forget their rhetoric. We should make them to be ashamed of their inglorious actions. We should teach our children that it pays to have integrity. President Muhammadu Buhari is a classical example of this. He came back 30 years after serving as a military Head of State to lead Nigeria again. His integrity and uprightness made most Nigerians to vote for him as the President. This is no mean achievement by any standards.


Churches must de-emphasise prosperity preaching and teach sound Christian ethics. We have to go back to the old time religion as seen in early church in the New Testament. The good old days of Scripture Union (SU) Christianity was better for us than this new age Christianity. In fact there is no basis for comparison. Let me leave you with one of the numerous sayings of my School Principal in Secondary School, late Reverend E. O. Adefule: 'if you lose your wealth, you've lost nothing; if you lose your health, you've lost something; but if you lose your character, you've lost everything.'


Let us be reminded that ‘we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain that we will carry nothing out’ (1 Timothy 6:7).

God bless Nigeria.

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