The dominant narratives in the Nigerian media would have one think that the answer to societal ills is to be found in the right economic or political policies. What goes unspoken however is something deeper, and more fundamental: ethics. Ethics and values are the foundations for developing all aspects of society, yet it is clear that ‘politics without principle and commerce without morality’, to quote Gandhi, are rife in Nigerian public life. This is the message of this presentation, made by Dr. Kayode Fayemi, to the Women in Management, Business, and Public Service (WIMBIZ) in Lagos. In the address, Fayemi criticises sexualised consumerism, political corruption, and deep-seated cultural and traditional beliefs for their negative impact on women.
In the address, Dr. Fayemi links political corruption to the corruption of ethics across all of society, typified by a raging culture of instant gratification that feeds short-termism, profiteering, and fraud. This individualism, that prioritises personal desire and gain over the common good, has eroded the communal function of public life, which Fayemi links to the rise of money as a primary indicator for success in life. Thus, the Nigerian State is a reflection of the society from which it emerges. Next, the presentation discusses the search for values-based citizenship, identifying the way in which people are raised and socialised as the key influence on national instability. Much of our development as people occurs in those first several years, and for any programme to have transformative outcomes, it must be embedded in the ways in which children are raised.
Dr. Fayemi closes their piece by addressing the networks of women that have come together to strengthen women’s leadership in the public, corporate, and social sectors, and by suggesting ways in which they can position their important space to search for solutions to the crisis of values in Nigeria:
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Take your place as leaders: there is an urgent need to encourage a critical mass of women in leadership, especially in governance. Without the participation of women in decision-making, women’s concerns will continue to be ignored. It is therefore crucial that women work together to overcome the cultural normalisation of gendered stereotypes regarding leadership.
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Socialise your children progressively: prior generations embodied highly gendered attitudes and behaviours in the raising of their children. It is very important to break this cycle, and teach girls to be independent, productive and creative, and boys to value and respect girls as their equals.
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Utilise your networks: individually, women leaders are strong, but collectively, women have the power to create real, lasting change. This applies to men also, whose voices are needed to take effective action on large-scale issues.
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Mentor the next generation of women leaders: while WIMBIZ and other women’s organisations do good work in raising the next generation of female leaders, it is important to encourage an appreciation of what it was like for women’s movements sixty years ago. Modest gains were hard fought for, and it is important not to take them for granted.
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The need for new exemplars: given the long history of failed campaigns aiming to provide an ethical roadmap, it is important to reflect on how moral change can be encouraged in society. One key aspect is the need to lead by example, to show that there is another way of doing business or politics. We need new exemplars in all sectors, and all areas of life.