Good values as ingredient of rebranding by Lanre Olagunju

If we had good values and the right belief system, we would have got a place among the richest counties in the world. But since we largely don’t, we cannot but be found among the world’s poorest nations.

The poor perceptive we enjoy in the areas of governance, wealth, power and respect for rule of law is becoming more and more awful by the day. Poverty, for example, is a thing of the mind. Before poverty manifest outwardly, it must have taken root on the inside. Since we only manifest from the abundance of the resources that dwells within us, our minds remains the battle field.

The abundance of natural resources hasn’t brought us out of poverty as a nation.
According to Pastor Sam Adeyemi, “it is not the absence of money that makes one poor but the absence of values”.

Our sense of value must have been stained by our craze for material things. For instance until you own huge material possessions like good cars, houses and fat bank account you may not be recognized or regarded by the society. We care not that such actions reduce the value we place on dignity of labour.

We pay little or no attention to people’s sources of wealth. Rather we shower a select few with so much attention and respect even when there is every indication that their sources of wealth are questionable. Those who have not we treat them with contempt thereby creating a generation of insecure and unsatisfied people who would do anything to raise themselves in the eyes of society.

Emphases are no longer placed on good judgment, sound morals, dignity of labour, good manners, ethics and self discipline. The in thing among youths these days is the saying that the end justifies the means. Or “just do it” like Nike says.

But if we must take back our place as the giant of Africa, first we must retrace our steps by paying more attention to such things as self discipline, good manners, values and beliefs. They all guide our actions.