BBHS: Embrace honesty, principle of public honesty — Osinbajo
Laide Raheem, Abeokuta
The Nigerian vice president, Prof Yemi Osinbajo has described values as ethical principles by which individuals and companies live, work and interact.
Osinbajo who made this known during the 100th Anniversary celebration of the Baptist Boys’ High School in Abeokuta, with the theme, “Values, the difference between success and failure,” disclosed that the values that determine success include honesty, integrity and hard work”.
“Values are ethical principles by which individuals and communities live, work and interact. Values include honesty, integrity, perseverance, hard work, diligence, discipline and respect.
“Values remain the difference between successful countries or failed or failing countries, it is the difference between success and failure,” he said.
Osinbajo while noting that the success of the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Bola Ajibola and Chief MKO Abiola, who were all old students of the Baptist Boys High School wasn’t built on talent or opportunity alone, but on hard work.
He added that they all showed courage, integrity and fought for what they believed in.
The VP who also called for a national consensus that would come together and agree that the country would fail if ethical revolution was not implemented, added that “it is what is taught that would shape the character of individuals and nations.”
While noting that government can lead the revolution for ethical standards in the country by rewarding ethical behaviour and ensuring speedy punishment for misconduct, he charged the religious elite to reinforce the ethical direction agreed by showing that wealth and influence are built by hard work and diligence.
“There is a need for a national consensus or at least, an elite consensus, the political elite, the religious elite and the business elite must agree that our country will fail completely if we do not accept and implement ethical revolution.
“It is what is taught and learnt that shapes the character of individuals and nations, it is not just teaching, the government must also lead this ethical revolution by rewarding ethical behavior and ensuring speedy punishment for misconduct.
“The religious elites must reinforce the ethical direction agreed by showing that wealth and influence are built by hard work and diligence and that the avoidance of gratification are not just by miracles, but must be able to demonstrate that it is not that wealth, good order, building institutions don’t come as just miraculous occurrence, they come by building, hard work step by step, line by line.
“The religious elites must also reject and ostracise public officers and persons whose wealth cannot be explained, it is a dutiful thing indeed if the religious elite accept that public officers can give them money or can give them resources which of cause belong to the government and they look the other way.
“The religious elites must ensure that they are able to say no and this is all part of the national ethical consensus, as government does its own, as schools do their own, the religious elite must do their own,” he said.
Osinbajo while noting that knowledge and skills are the global currency of the 21st century economies, added that the man with knowledge and skill will definitely rule over the man with undeveloped talents and material resources.
The Vice President who also opined that the huge deposit of natural resources and human talents alone cannot ensure a prosperous nation, added that values are what distinguish successful economies from others.
“It is evident as we all know that huge deposits of natural deposit and human talents alone do not make for a prosperous nation, otherwise, the countries with the largest deposit of natural resources will be the most prosperous. Venezuela has one of the largest oil deposit in the world, but the United Nations estimate that 94 per cent of the citizens are poor.
“It is obvious that while geography might even play an important part in the success of people and communities, these are not the defining features, what distinguishes people, setting them apart one from another.
“What distinguishes nations is not just talent or material resources, it is values. Everyone of the great and successful economies of the world share the same characteristics, they emphasised hard work and integrity,” Osinbajo stated.
In his remarks, the Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, while noting that the provision of quality education is the responsibility of all stakeholders in the state, added that his administration recognized that education was the heart of national development.
Abiodun who noted that his administration had rehabilitated over one thousand schools, added that for the first time in the history of the state, his administration was also able to employ over 5,000 teachers to continue to reduce the teacher to student ratio.
The Governor who also added that his administration introduced the Ogun State Education Management Information System which has allowed his administration to digitalise not just curriculum, noted that the system has also helped his administration to assign a Learner Identification Number to every student in the state.
While calling on the investors and public spirited individuals to come and partner with his administration in further lifting the education sector, he also encouraged old students from other institutions to go back to their schools to invest and strengthen the education system in their schools.
The Governor also called on the old students of the school to go out and get their permanent voter’s card and exercise their franchise during the forthcoming general elections.
In his remarks, the Alake and Paramount ruler of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Aremu Gbadebo who noted that discipline at the school was top notch, added that the school which was built on a strong religious background was at the same time tolerant.
