“Posterity will surely be kind to those who stand strong and commit themselves in checking or correcting unethical behaviours in order to make our country safe for the unborn generation.”
ETHICAL REORIENTATION: PANACEA FOR GOOD GOVERNANCE AND DEVELOPMENT
By Hon. Justice Issa Babatunde Garba (Rtd.)
A Paper presented at the 2023 Honours Programme of Obafemi Awolowo University Muslim Graduates’ Association (UNIFEMGA)
Introduction
I was given this topic with an option or liberty attached to it that I can choose any other topic of national importance on contemporary issues bothering the nation. I hesitated to change it because the organisers must have taken into consideration what they wanted the target audience to hear as against any topic of my own interest, which may be regarded as parochial with discordant tune to their ears and unrelated to their expected take home diet. If, however I am boxed to a corner with no exit door known to me in the treatment of the choice of the topic accepted by me, please bail me out and provide the leverage, as this group is composed of educated, eminent and versatile Nigerians who are occupying respected and responsible positions of importance in our national life.
The presentation of this paper is based substantially on my experience in life, observations, reading of journals and watching events in our society. Of course sharing useful views and ideas of others with similar feelings, thoughts and approach constitute a secondary contribution to this paper to which I must acknowledge as relevant for the articulation of this presentation.
Transformation of any nation and good governance is neither a walk in the park nor an overnight undertaking based on mere sweet talk and wishful thinking. All hands must be on deck to make our country great and stable. An ethical re-orientation of the Nigerian citizenry is required if the country is desirous of national development. Posterity will surely be kind to those who stand strong and commit themselves in checking or correcting unethical behaviours in order to make our country safe for the unborn generation.
Meaning of Key Words
Ethical is defined in the New International Webster’s Comprehensive Dictionary of the English Language Encyclopedic Edition (2010 Edition) at page 436 as:
“1.Pertaining or relating to ethics. 2. Treating of morals. 3. In accordance with right principles, as defined by a given system of
ethnics or professional conduct”
Since the meaning of ethical is in relation to ethics, it is upon me to provide the meaning of ethics. The same dictionary on the same page provides the meaning of ethics thus:
“The study and philosophy of human conduct, with emphasis on the determination of right and wrong.”
Orientation in relation to this topic is defined at page 890 of the same dictionary as:
“The determination or adjustment of one’s position with reference to circumstances, ideals, etc.”
Panacea is defined at page 910 as:
“1. A remedy for all diseases, a cure-all 2. Aherb credited with remarkable healing virtues”.
Governance has the meaning attached to it at page 546 thus:
“Exercise of authority; direction; control. 2. Manner or system of government or regulation.”
While development is defined at page 350 as:
“Gradual evolution or completion; also, the result of such an evolution or completion”.
Good governance can be said to comprise of rule of law, trust of citizens, respect to the ethical standard, transparency and accountability, masses participation and efficient utilization of economic wealth for the interest of the masses. It is important to note that good governance is not about forms of government, but the result of governance. Good governance is concerned with the realization of common good and welfare of the people.
Be it added that where you have good governance, corruption is reduced if not eliminated, the views of the society are also taken into account while the voices of the most vulnerable in the society are heard in decision making.
A wider and more encompassing meaning of development was given in African Journal of Social and Behavioural Sciences (AJSBS) Vol. 9, Number 2 (2019s) P 408-409 thus:
“Development is a process of self-reliant growth achieved through the participation of the people under their own interest as they see them and must be to end poverty, provide productive employment, and satisfy the basic needs of all the people, any surplus being fairly shared. This implies that the basic goods and services such as food and shelter, basic education and health facilities and clean water must be accessible to all. In addition, development presupposes a democratic structure of government, together with its supporting individual freedom of speech, organization and publication, as well as a system of justice, which protects all the people from actions inconsistent with just laws, that are known and publicly accepted.”
This definition implies that for good governance to exist there must be equitable distribution of resources, opportunities, employments, and basic needs for the common good of all, as there is greater good in the common good than in the individual good. There should be no concentration of developmental projects in one area over and to the detriment of the other neglected areas.
The question now is: Which aspects of our unethical life do we need to reorient in order to achieve good governance and development?
Being unethical has been identified to mean a situation where there is an injustice, insincerity in the act of governance, inequality in the distribution of economic wealth, undue favoritism and uneven development projects in the country (University of Port-Harcourt Journal, Vol.4 No. 2, February, 2019, ISSN: 2536-7948).
Where we have the opposite of the above, we can say there is compliance with ethical standard.
The next question is: Can all the above unethical attitudes be perpetrated without a promoter or human factor like a leader in an organisation? It can be said that there is nothing wrong with Nigeria character, land, climate, air or anything else including money but our leaders who are like cattle rearers, wherever they take or direct their cattle they would follow. Leaders are like teachers, when they fail to teach well, students are bound to fail woefully.
The above illustrations no doubt imply that there must be ethical reorientation promoted by leaders and followers at all levels in order to achieve good governance and development.
Realizing the fact that ethical re-orientation covers so many areas ranging from home ethics, economic conduct, political, social, health, governance, infrastructure, etc. Efforts will however be made to comment briefly on some key areas as they affect our national life and subsequently make suggestions on how to have good governance and development.
Home Etiquette and Its Spread
I like to start with a simple and common analogy of daily occurrence; when a child misbehaves in a home, it instantly attracts a common insultive expression and corrective message that such a child lacks home etiquette meaning that his misbehaviour is outside the usual norm or cultural attitude expected from him or her, as he/she is presumed to have imbibed the right attitude and good behaviour of his parents. Today, are the children behaving in the good way(s) of their parents? Or are the parents themselves living up to expectation that their children can emulate them? So it is with our national life with no compliance and regard for common practical ethics and national discipline as often displayed in governance and public places by officers and individuals in our society.
Are we not living witnesses to the physical scuffle of National Assembly and State Assembly members on the floors of the Houses? Tell me, what significant contribution or achievement and gain would the nation make from such scuffle that will positively impact the orientation of the youths and the country in general, as it may take some days to reconvene again, after they would have settled their power game or sharing rift behind the scenes. Note that the image of the country may have been battered by such ignoble conduct in the comity of nations.
It is not only in the legislature that we have recorded such disgraceful conducts. It spreads to all spheres of our national engagements and institutions.
Recently, the NNPC discovered and destroyed so many illegal refineries as well as over two hundred (200) connections on the main pipeline carrying crude to the terminal for export.
Is this theft of crude oil new? Why should it take a long period to discover this? Is our pipeline manned with people who have the interest of the nation at heart?
The Group Managing Director of the NNPC Limited, Mele Kyari said recently that as a result of the several ongoing reforms in the oil and gas sector leading to the discovery of several sources of crude oil theft, he has been receiving death threats from unknown persons.
Is it only in the oil industry or sector that the management is being threatened? What of parents threatening teachers and lecturers for failing their unserious wards and children? What of unserious apprentices threatening their masters over their condemnable misconducts? What of children threatening their parents over corrections made on them to be good future heirs and leaders of their families and communities? What of erring players sanctioned on the field and later rained punches and abuses on the innocent coaches and referees? What of recalcitrant drivers who don’t care for other road users? What of lecturers who demand for sex and extortion of money from students as a condition for success in their examinations and tests? What of judges, lawyers, officers and staff in the justice sector who demand for bribe before adjudicating and prosecuting matters and cases before them? What of appointments and promotions made in disregard of normal procedure in order to favour preferred candidates? What of our elected politicians who promised better life, free education, free and affordable provision of health services, secure employment opportunities and provision of social welfare to the generality of the citizenry but ended up in converting the public treasury to their personal purse? What of HIV positive woman who confessed to have mixed her blood with zobo drinks and sold out to get people infected?
All the above vices and so many others not mentioned here are thriving in our society because there is no compliance or respect for common ethical orientation and therefore weakens the fabric upon which the foundation of the entire society is built or structured. All these in effect will affect good governance and development of our country.
Interestingly, while writing this paper, somebody entered and asked me what was I doing and I responded appropriately. His reply may also interest you when he told me that in this period of famine or no food to eat, I am still writing a paper. “Just give me money to buy food” he said. I simply and carefully chose my words and replied him that it is true ‘Ebi kii pa inu, ki oro mi wo ibe” meaning literally that one cannot truly talk of any other thing when one is hungry. Note that there is ethical failure on the part of this hungry man by not giving consideration to my engagement and its benefits. However, my brothers and sisters, we should realize that a hungry man is an angry man; therefore, we should take agriculture and its value chain seriously as a sure way out of hunger, anger and poverty.
As it is with this guest of mine, so it is with many people running to political office holders, public officers and well-meaning individuals demanding for what will benefit them only as against what will benefit the majority in their community, state or even the nation.
Accountability and Observance of Rules and Regulations
Good governance and development could take place through public accountability and transparency. Transparency means openness while accountability connotes the obligation of the administrators to give a satisfactory account of their performance and manners in which they have exercised powers conferred on them.
There are massive leakages in public accounts, with so much being siphoned by shadowy characters who find solace in the failure of leaders of the Executive arm of government to wield the necessary sticks. This is indefensible under a government that pledged to stamp out corruption in public places.
Politicians and most leaders are known to have looked away from corrupt practices of their colleagues over the years, either because they are as guilty or due to club, institution or party camaraderie. Yet Nigeria continues to swim in debt, infrastructure remains crumbling, educational institutions are held back in the 20th century standards, agricultural engagement is still being conducted with hoes and cutlasses and unemployment is at an all-time high.
The government has a duty through the office of the Auditor-General of the Federation or State to ensure that every Naira due to the country or state is paid into the national or state coffers and spent for development of human and material resources. Any unit or agency of government that fails to cooperate with the Auditor-General in a year should be denied appropriation until it has fully accounted for what was allotted to it the previous year.
A country the size of Nigeria and blessed with so much resources should not be the poverty capital of the world, ravaged by corruption, ignorance, insecurity, disease, and its people living in squalor. Financial losses are detrimental and cause disadvantages to the functioning of the economy and effective implementation of budgets.
The unhindered power of the Auditor-General to cause the accounts of all agencies of government to be audited and submitted to the National Assembly is provided in Section 85 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).
Section 85 (2), (4) and (6) provide thus:
“(2) The public accounts of the Federation and all offices and Courts of the Federation shall be audited and reported on by the Auditor-General who shall submit his reports to the National Assembly; and for that purpose, the Auditor-General or any person authorized by him in that behalf shall have access to all the books, records, returns and other documents relating to those accounts.
(4) The Auditor-General shall have power to conduct periodic checks of all government statutory corporations, commissions, authorities, agencies, including all persons and bodies established by an Act of the National Assembly.
(6) In the exercise of his functions under this Constitution, the Auditor-General shall not be subject to the direction or control of any other authority or person.”
The question is: How many of such discovered culprits were brought to book or found culpable and allowed to serve jail terms imposed by the courts? High profile cases involving prominent politicians and individuals serving various sentences in jail were granted amnesty by the Executive government despite the confirmation of their sentences by the Supreme Court which is the highest court of the land.
Is amnesty the way out of the current ethical challenges? The government needs to understand that the more they keep granting unnecessary amnesty, the more there will be such cases and the expected sanity, growth, development and progress will continue to elude us as a progressive nation.
In the recent past, Israel dragged serving Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Court. What stops Nigeria from holding those in authority to account? Apart from a call for relaxation of immunity clause in our Constitution, all civil society groups should sincerely be involved and/or commit themselves in canvassing recovery of our common resources corruptly frittered away by those in authority.
Politics and Ethics
It is important to know that our political leaders are crafty, they come out to make wild allegations when they have fallen out of favour. They make electoral promises with no actions and financial resources to actualise them.
The great Philosopher Socrates was a critic of democracy because the system allows the uninformed majority to elect people into power. He likened democracy to a ship. He explained that you cannot ask people who do not know seafaring to elect a ship’s captain because by so doing, they may endanger the safety of all. If we elect the wrong people by majority votes because of sentiments, we may all suffer the consequences, whether we voted or not. Ethnicity and religion shouldn’t be the primary qualifications for public office. Competence, experience, better performance and integrity should be paramount qualifications or factors for consideration.
An unholy scenario going on now is for a loser in a primary election to run to another political party known as transit camp to contest there without caring or even blindly closing his eyes to the relevant provisions in the Electoral Act prohibiting such misconduct. Why this? It is because they have no political ethics. It also goes to confirm deceitful characters that politicians are known for, knowing fully the suicidal consequences of telling the truth in a political arena like Nigeria, where lying and deceit by politicians have become culture and celebrated as being smart by their supporters who are gullible.
There is a strong need for political reorientation, mobilization and actualization of good governance on the part of the electorate. We must not be docile.
Social Infrastructure and Non-challant Attitude
Social infrastructure is central to human advancement and national development. Our roads, railways, waterways including sea ports and airways are not fully harnessed for national development, growth and wealth creation. Sadly, the managements of these vital institutions are sometimes contracted out to foreigners who at times are referred to as foreign partners, who come in with some of their less educated nationals but only to rip the country of its expected benefits and later transfer our wealth to develop their own countries.
Sad again to observe that after some months or years of their engagements, they, through some unpatriotic favour seekers, opportunists and vengeance seekers within the system will seek to exploit the arrival of the new management to destroy fellow Nigerians. This is all in an attempt of exposing unverified allegations against co-workers not previously heard or noticed who may face dismissal, removal or termination of appointments and thereby rendering such workers jobless, unemployed and redundant with negative consequence of increasing unemployment and social upheavals in the society.
In the TVC News Programme of 18th December, 2022 the unemployment rate for 2021-2022 years was put at 33%. Certainly unemployment and poverty are twin sisters that can promote insecurity, as idle hands are most likely ingredients to lure one into criminality. The rules and regulations relating to engagement of foreigners should be adhered to, as against leaving the running of our vital institutions and agencies in the hands of foreigners, who are not ready to transfer their technological knowledge or power to us but rather transfer our resources to their countries for development of their own economic, social and political institutions. We need reorientation to believe in ourselves that we can develop and make progress with the use of our God’s given material and human resources to the developmental advantage of our country.
Security and Failure of Being Brother’s Keeper
Nigeria is facing security challenges ranging from banditry, kidnapping, terrorism, bokoharam attacks and killing of innocent citizens in various parts of the country.
All these need to be nipped in the bud before they destroy the entire country. Production of essential commodities for comfortable living in our companies is at lower ebb. Low productivity is recorded in petroleum and Gas industries, schools are closed at the slightest threat of bandits and terrorists, traders on business trips are turned back if not killed on their market journeys, travelers cannot be guaranteed of their return safely back home(s), government official activities and their institutions are not spared from incessant attacks, especially the serious attack on the Kuje prison, Abuja is a strong point of reference where hundreds of inmates were released with no serious resistance from the security agents. We need reorientation to be security conscious and prepare to protect ourselves and institutions that make us great and productive as a nation. Glaringly, we watch our public institutions being destroyed without resistance from any quarters including security agencies charged with the responsibility of protecting or safeguarding such institutions. Has the culture of being one’s brother’s keeper been eroded? Can the country be proud of good governance and development when local, national and international businessmen and investors are scared of committing their hard earned resources in our society that is not secured? Let us reflect on these and conform with the ethic of being our brother’s keeper.
Corruption
Corruption is a canker worm that must be tackled seriously. It is said to be a social and ethical danger, it feeds on organized crime, destroys a nation and it impedes opportunities. It leads to environmental degradation, contributes to human trafficking and undermines the whole communities and it can destroy the future of any society.
Corruption can open a vacuum which allows the predators to move in and helps violent extremist groups to regularly use it as a recruitment tool. It is an opportunity destroyer because it discourages honest engagement in investment. It can make businesses more expensive to operate and turn a nation and its entire budget into a feeding turf. The point to emphasise here is that it has become a way of life in Nigeria.
This explains why it has been difficult to achieve sustainable economic development in spite of various economic strategies put in place. No honest and prompt rendering of services paid for anymore.
Ethical Institutions in Nigeria
To put an end to unethical behaviours, Nigerian leaders instituted certain agencies to serve as watchdog, such as; War Against Indiscipline (WAI) during the regime of General Muhammadu Buhari in 1984. In 1985, General Ibrahim Babangida terminated WAI and replaced it with Directorate of Self Reliance, Zero Justice and Economic Recovery (MAMZER) and later changed to National Orientation Agency (NOA) during General Sanni Abacha’s regime in 1993.
Obasanjo’s administration also introduced some measures and institutions aimed at ensuring ethical and patriotic behaviours by individuals and organisations in the conduct of our private and official transactions, such as; Due Process, Fiscal Responsibility Act (2007), The Public Procurement Act (2007), The Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) and Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
With all the above institutions, our attitudinal behaviours have continued to be on the down turn while the aims of setting them up are yet to maximally impact on our negative conducts. No doubt, the generality of Nigerians need reorientation by sacrificing unethical behaviour to an ethical standard compliance in all aspects of our lives as morally and productive behaviour will cause no harm to others but rather lead to good governance and sustainable development. Indeed, no good governance and development of any kind can be achieved in any society when people lack sacrifice, commitment and transparency.
Admonition
We are all living witnesses to the moribund agencies like; War Against Indiscipline (WAI), Mass Mobilization for Self Reliance, Zero Justice and Economic Recovery (MAMZER) and later National Orientation Agency (NOA).
In fact, doing the right thing is not and cannot be built around an individual and neither can the institutions set up by the government achieve complete and/or desired success of their mandate for a better society by our merely paying lip services but rather do the right thing at all times and in all places, as we shall be accountable to Almighty Allah. Even these days, we witness instant justice on earth before the final judgment.
Let us learn from the not too long sad event or happening at a village of about 21 kilometers from here. A “wealthy man” died of slight burn from a kerosene lantern. When he was to be buried, the land rejected him, with snake first appearing from the grave. All efforts to dig the grave further proved abortive as each spot dug had rock planted or springing out. Eventually, they resorted to block burial. This is a warning to us all, that we should remember Allah in our acquisition of wealth and power but rather comply with His wish and command as that will be beneficial to us all.
The Holy Qur’an in Chapter 2 Verse 281 reminds us thus:
“And fear the day when ye shall be brought back to Allah. Then shall every soul be paid what he earned, and none shall be dealt with unjustly”.
At our family, individual and institutional levels, we should remember that we shall be accountable to Allah in our deeds and dealings. Quran Chapter 99 Verse 6 says:
“That Day mankind will proceed in scattered groups that they may be shown their deeds.”
This confirms that we will all come out of our graves and return to the place of Reckoning before Allah.
At family level, are you oppressing your wife? Are you neglecting your children? Do you keep away from your extended family members who may derive benefits from you to improve their living standard and stop their reliance on you for their survival? Are you accessible to your colleagues? Are you friendly to your neighbours, who, if alarm is raised can come to your rescue in case of any upheaval? At state or national level, can you be trusted in the society as a leader or as a sincere follower? Above all, is your relationship with your Creator- Allah cordial that He can honour your distress call? Let all of us reflect on the above and work towards being inmates of Paradise. Quran Chapter 85 Verse 11 says:
“Verily those who believe and do righteous good deeds, for them will be Gardens under which rivers flow (Paradise). That is the great success.”
We also witness and read of frequent character assassinations and scandalous publications on innocent citizens or individuals who mean well for the greater interest and development of our country. We are warned on this in the Holy Qur’an Chapter 24 Verse 19 thus:
“Those who love (to see) scandal published broadcast among the believers, will have a grievous penalty in this life and in hereafter; Allah knows, and ye know not”.
The injunction to confirm information before taking any action is provided in Quran 49 Verse 6 thus:
“O ye who believe! If a wicked person comes to you with any news, ascertain the truth, lest ye harm people unwittingly, and afterwards become full of repentance for what you have done.”
Fake news and fact checking should be looked into as social media plays a great impact or influence on the electorate and the society in general. The regulatory authority or agency charged with the responsibility of ensuring compliance with regulatory rules should rise to the occasion.
Suggestions and Conclusion
To enhance good governance and development, we need to imbibe better work ethnics, such as; hard work, discipline, cooperation, dedication, time consciousness, fairness, honesty, patriotism, diligence, great sense of duty and justice in the observance of rules and regulations.
We should avoid laziness, lateness, greed, corruption, inhuman treatment, absenteeism, contract inflation, multiple salary earnings, certificate and receipt forgery and alteration, truancy, favouritism, nepotism and divulging and selling of confidential information.
The challenges of all kinds ranging from political, electoral processes leading to emergence of candidates at contested elections to social upheaval, communal clashes, land disputes between rival communities leading to destruction of lives and properties serve as a springboard for us to search or resolve to have a peaceful living as guided by religious values in the Holy Quran and Hadeeth of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAW).
We need to adopt a resolution mechanism in response to the prevalent situations of conflicts and violence as witnessed in various parts of our country leading to massive death of citizens and underdevelopment recorded today. Victims of these conflicts and violence are not restricted to their promoters, supporters and perpetrators but also extended to innocent people including children and women who are in different locations of the Internally Displaced People (IDP) camps. Hence the need for us to come together as harmonious citizens of this country devoted to maintenance of peaceful coexistence devoid of rancor and misunderstanding and promoting interfaith harmony and national development.
With the dearth of capable, experienced and committed officers in public service, it is opined that able and willing retirees and military veterans with required mental and physical ability should not be dumped but be made relevant by consulting them in the formulation of critical ethical policies and the running of governmental affairs by tapping from their rich experiences that could be of benefit to the development and security maintenance of the country.
Better performance from leaders could earn followers better chances. Disciples of our past heroes and leaders still climb on their shoulders for greatness. It is expected that they should perform better than their mentors.
Engagement of stakeholders to express themselves on solutions to challenges militating against development and progress of our society is desirable.
The culture of inculcating discipline in the control and management of state affairs by our elders and leaders is very imperative. The various ethical institutions in the country should work harder towards maintaining an enviable ethical standard.
Proper investigation of allegations made against public officers and individuals and sanctions attached to such proved allegations should be carried out and enforced to serve as deterrent.
In conclusion, the healing stream of our past mistakes as a nation that led to Civil war as attributed to our past heroes and leaders is still troubling and rearing its ugly head, as followers of such leaders still trade abusive and dangerous words reflecting and promoting the circumstances that culminated into such ethnic civil war. If such unethical attitude continues, it indeed portends danger to our corporate existence as a nation.
Thanks and God bless.
Hon. Justice Issa Babatunde Garba (Rtd.)