“Integrity: Panacea for Socio-Economic and Political Challenges in Nigeria”
Nigeria is a nation blessed with vast human and mineral resources. Ironically, her economy is struggling to leverage the country’s vast wealth to displace the economic and political challenges that affects its population.1 Beyond the recent impressive financial projections, a good number of Nigerians still live on less than $1.00 (One dollar) a day, which is about N160.00 (One Hundred and Sixty Naira), and more Nigerians have resorted to a life of crime with some becoming ready tools in the hands of some politicians. Poverty reduction and job creation, as promised by our political leaders, have not kept pace with population growth, implying social distress for an increasing number of Nigerians. Integrity and moral values have been jettisoned to few people, who have little or no impact in the system of government and corruption has been embraced as a tool of inordinate wealth accumulation. Social vices are committed with high level of impunity and the epidemic of the ‘get rich at all cost syndrome’ has infiltrated all age levels in our society, most especially the youths; future leaders of tomorrow. Undermining, “As a partridge that broods but does not hatch, so is he who gets riches, but not by right; it will leave him in the midst of his days, and at the end he will be a fool” (Jeremiah 17:11 NKJV). In ascribing reasons for these socio-economic imbalance and political instabilities in Nigeria, it would be important to note that these reasons are cumulative and have collectively brought us to where we are today.
Socio-economic and political development are measured with indicators, such as Gross Domestic Product (GDP), life expectancy, literacy and levels of employment. Changes in tangible factors are also considered, such as personal dignity (integrity), freedom of association, personal safety, freedom from fear of physical harm, and the extent of participation in civil...