Nigeria may crumble without ethical revolution, Osinbajo warns

• Published date: 18 January 2023
• Publication title: Nigeria - The Nation

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has warned that Nigeria will 'fail completely' if the leaders fail to 'accept and implement' what he called an 'ethical revolution'.

Osinbajo said government must not only lead the ethical revolution to bring about the needed change in the country but also reward good conducts to encourage emulation and promptly punish misconduct to deter citizens from misconducts.

The Vice President said this while delivering a lecture, titled: Values: The Difference Between Success and Failure, at the 100th anniversary of the Old Boys' Association of the Baptist Boys' High School (BBHS) yesterday in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.

He urged Nigerians to change the perception that corruption is only associated with the country, stressing that no modern society is free of it.

Osinbajo advised those in charge of the nation's Education sector to impart the values of honesty, diligence, hard work, respect, trustworthiness, discipline and integrity in their students in order to raise youths with the right attitudes and mindset.

He said: 'There is a need for a national consensus or, at least, an elite consensus. The political elites, the religious elites and the business elites must agree that our country will fail completely if we do not accept and implement an ethical revolution; one where we establish a national work ethics of honesty, of hard work.

'It is what is taught and learnt that shapes the character of individuals and nations. But it is not just teachings. Government must also lead this ethical revolution by rewarding ethical behaviours and ensuring speedy punishment for misconducts.

'Every modern society has had to deal with corruption. Corruption is not a Nigerian thing; sometimes, we deceive ourselves it is Nigerian. No. Many countries, in fact most countries of the world, had been more corrupt than us. But their elites sat down and decided they had to deal with it...