Immorality and the Nigerian society

THE Nigerian society today has gone beyond reason and commonsense. It is, maybe, because we now live in the so called global village, daily stung by the effects of socio-globalisation where many, most especially the youths, are either Facebooking, Tweeting or using all brands of tablet, Androids and I-phones. It is, perhaps, why in the last couple of years, an ever increasing moral and social decadence seems to hit us in the face. From East to West and South to North, the societal morass paints a sorry situation of how our customs, traditions and culture are fast eroding, overtaken by Western civilisation.

Although there may be not much wrong in borrowing from a foreign culture or civilisation, what is hard to understand is the way we have pushed decorum and commonsense aside, perpetrating acts inimical to the African culture, sense and high moral ethos in the name of civilisation.

The history of the Japanese has been one of borrowing. Aside from wanting to be at par with the powers that be, Japan took almost every culture which they found suitable for their growth and development. Chinese civilisation stemmed largely from Japan, yet Japan would not swallow what it sought to borrow from others hook, line and sinker. They never forgot where they were coming from and where they were going. What they took from outside was blended with their own civilization. This went a long way in aid of their education sector. Such was it that their own Confucianism and emperor worship that became the norm was different from those of the Chinese.

During the Meiji era, in a bid to modernise, the Japanese reformed practically all strata of their society, borrowing from Western models of development. The military was reformed using the German model, while the French, British and American systems of democracy and civil rule were adopted and used by the Meiji reformers. Today, Japan may look industrialised and westernised, yet the people have never exchanged their indigenous cultures for another.

The late 60s down to the 90s in Nigeria happened to be a period a philosopher described as solitary, brutish, nasty and short. Despite the societal cleavages, people still maintained a sense of moral decorum. In the 90s people were hardly seen smoking in public, for smokers considered it a serious crime and shame. Dressing half naked was met with harsh criticisms and sexual immorality was not taken with kid gloves. Many always had it at the back of their minds that they must not forget the child of whom they were. Several acts of immorality were done in secret because doing it openly obviously was a shame for the individual and his immediate family.

What stares us in the face today is a far cry to what it was in the past. We care less about the kind of dress we put on whether it debases the very core of human nature or not. We have turned to dogs whose sexual urge is displayed anywhere and everywhere. Ironically, even dogs these days seem to behave far better than many a human being. What with the sexual romp they display in public places. Hotels spring up every now and then with youths patronizing them as if salvation exists there. On the streets, hooligans, area boys and vagabonds litter everywhere, disturbing the peace. At the slightest provocation, mayhem is unleashed on a scale unprecedented in the history of the country. Prostitution has become the order of the day and is highly promoted in our ivory towers and marketed on highways in cities. From Allen Avenue to the heart of sensitive places in Abuja, these comfort ladies bestride our heartlands like a colossus.

Cigarettes have almost become obsolete as marijuana; it is all brands of hard drugs that are ingested daily: they have taken centre stage. Alcohol without measure is consumed with reckless abandon by the youth. Those who do not take them are usually seen by their peers as backward. Ex-rated films, immoral movies, shows and programmes are displayed on our screens without regulatory agencies willing to censor them, despite their sad effect on children.

Radios blast profane music and many celebrate artists who produce such low music. In fact, without such brand of music, many artists are less recognised.

Worse of all are the parents who ordinarily are supposed to be the first pointer towards a better society. They are busy pursuing worthless things to the detriment of their wards. When a child has no parental care, he tends to become a social deviant, committing acts inimical to the society at large. The government, too, with its wanton act of kleptocracy, to-hell-with-the-people and I-don’t-give-a-damn attitude, many Nigerians have suddenly appeared to be their own local government, forgetting their duties to the home and society.

The Western culture we all struggle to imbibe has gotten us nowhere, but rather, continues to destroy the social fabric of our society. The Nigerian youths rather than being productive are either on facebook, tweeting or even watching football or season films which earn them nothing but stagnation. There is no harm in having fun, but when we do it with so much addiction, forgetting we have a role to play for ourselves and the society as a whole, it then becomes a huge problem.

Because no society develops with it youths trifling their lives away, it is high time those responsible for the proper upbringing of our children and our society started thinking straight and ahead. Our society must be devoid of immorality and wanton embrace of foreign culture. The future social fabric of the Nigerian society is fast eroding and if something is not done to nail this ill in the head, we will all have ourselves to blame. It cannot be in the interest of any nation to have more than half of its population suffering from paroxysm of immorality. It should not begin with us.

From http://www.ngrguardiannews.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=101272:immorality-and-the-nigerian-society&catid=203:youth-speak&Itemid=730

• Raheem Oluwafunminiyi is a social commentator and political analyst. He wrote from Lagos

With all the Churches and Mosques all over the globe?
. . . .and in Nigeria?
Immorality is still ravaging the Nigerian society?
Wooooordaaaaafooooooo!!!!

shedraq1: Immorality and the Nigerian society

THE Nigerian society today has gone beyond reason and commonsense. It is, maybe, because we now live in the so called global village, daily stung by the effects of socio-globalisation where many, most especially the youths, are either Facebooking, Tweeting or using all brands of tablet, Androids and I-phones. It is, perhaps, why in the last couple of years, an ever increasing moral and social decadence seems to hit us in the face. From East to West and South to North, the societal morass paints a sorry situation of how our customs, traditions and culture are fast eroding, overtaken by Western civilisation.

Although there may be not much wrong in borrowing from a foreign culture or civilisation, what is hard to understand is the way we have pushed decorum and commonsense aside, perpetrating acts inimical to the African culture, sense and high moral ethos in the name of civilisation.

The history of the Japanese has been one of borrowing. Aside from wanting to be at par with the powers that be, Japan took almost every culture which they found suitable for their growth and development. Chinese civilisation stemmed largely from Japan, yet Japan would not swallow what it sought to borrow from others hook, line and sinker. They never forgot where they were coming from and where they were going. What they took from outside was blended with their own civilization. This went a long way in aid of their education sector. Such was it that their own Confucianism and emperor worship that became the norm was different from those of the Chinese.

During the Meiji era, in a bid to modernise, the Japanese reformed practically all strata of their society, borrowing from Western models of development. The military was reformed using the German model, while the French, British and American systems of democracy and civil rule were adopted and used by the Meiji reformers. Today, Japan may look industrialised and westernised, yet the people have never exchanged their indigenous cultures for another.

The late 60s down to the 90s in Nigeria happened to be a period a philosopher described as solitary, brutish, nasty and short. Despite the societal cleavages, people still maintained a sense of moral decorum. In the 90s people were hardly seen smoking in public, for smokers considered it a serious crime and shame. Dressing half naked was met with harsh criticisms and sexual immorality was not taken with kid gloves. Many always had it at the back of their minds that they must not forget the child of whom they were. Several acts of immorality were done in secret because doing it openly obviously was a shame for the individual and his immediate family.

What stares us in the face today is a far cry to what it was in the past. We care less about the kind of dress we put on whether it debases the very core of human nature or not. We have turned to dogs whose sexual urge is displayed anywhere and everywhere. Ironically, even dogs these days seem to behave far better than many a human being. What with the sexual romp they display in public places. Hotels spring up every now and then with youths patronizing them as if salvation exists there. On the streets, hooligans, area boys and vagabonds litter everywhere, disturbing the peace. At the slightest provocation, mayhem is unleashed on a scale unprecedented in the history of the country. Prostitution has become the order of the day and is highly promoted in our ivory towers and marketed on highways in cities. From Allen Avenue to the heart of sensitive places in Abuja, these comfort ladies bestride our heartlands like a colossus.

Cigarettes have almost become obsolete as marijuana; it is all brands of hard drugs that are ingested daily: they have taken centre stage. Alcohol without measure is consumed with reckless abandon by the youth. Those who do not take them are usually seen by their peers as backward. Ex-rated films, immoral movies, shows and programmes are displayed on our screens without regulatory agencies willing to censor them, despite their sad effect on children.

Radios blast profane music and many celebrate artists who produce such low music. In fact, without such brand of music, many artists are less recognised.

Worse of all are the parents who ordinarily are supposed to be the first pointer towards a better society. They are busy pursuing worthless things to the detriment of their wards. When a child has no parental care, he tends to become a social deviant, committing acts inimical to the society at large. The government, too, with its wanton act of kleptocracy, to-hell-with-the-people and I-don’t-give-a-damn attitude, many Nigerians have suddenly appeared to be their own local government, forgetting their duties to the home and society.

The Western culture we all struggle to imbibe has gotten us nowhere, but rather, continues to destroy the social fabric of our society. The Nigerian youths rather than being productive are either on facebook, tweeting or even watching football or season films which earn them nothing but stagnation. There is no harm in having fun, but when we do it with so much addiction, forgetting we have a role to play for ourselves and the society as a whole, it then becomes a huge problem.

Because no society develops with it youths trifling their lives away, it is high time those responsible for the proper upbringing of our children and our society started thinking straight and ahead. Our society must be devoid of immorality and wanton embrace of foreign culture. The future social fabric of the Nigerian society is fast eroding and if something is not done to nail this ill in the head, we will all have ourselves to blame. It cannot be in the interest of any nation to have more than half of its population suffering from paroxysm of immorality. It should not begin with us.

From http://www.ngrguardiannews.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=101272:immorality-and-the-nigerian-society&catid=203:youth-speak&Itemid=730

• Raheem Oluwafunminiyi is a social commentator and political analyst. He wrote from Lagos

This write-up calls for food for thought

it is time we start preaching holiness everywhere

shedraq1: it is time we start preaching holiness everywhere

The religious Bullshit is not taking us anywhere . We rather inculcate conscience and morality in the youth.

ITbomb:
The religious Bullshit is not taking us anywhere . We rather inculcate conscience and morality in the youth.

how many youths have you inculcated conscience and morality into their mind?

pobey:

how many youths have you inculcated conscience and morality into their mind?

How many youths have followed the teaching of religions like luv ur neighbor

ITbomb:
How many youths have followed the teaching of religions like luv ur neighbor

start it first and they will learn from you, it is easier to preach with your life than with your lips

shedraq1:

start it first and they will learn from you, it is easier to preach with your life than with your lips

I ve been living the teachings for the past 8 years now and yet Nigeria is getting more crazy and yet we have more religious body than any other country

ITbomb:
I ve been living the teachings for the past 8 years now and yet Nigeria is getting more crazy and yet we have more religious body than any other country

you can start a tv program or a facebook page where you can teach the morals and criticise the churches if you so wish