national values by eguriase s. m. okaka
NATIONAL VALUES
By Eguriase S. M. Okaka
Meaning of values
Values can be defined as the beliefs of people about what is right or wrong and doing what is worthwhile.
It can also be defined as beliefs or a deal shared by members of a community or society about what is good or bad and desirable or undesirable. It is a behavioral pattern acceptable and expected from every member of the society. For example, it is expected that every person should be honest in his/her dealings with others. Some good values that are desirable and acceptable by any society are honest, selflessness, discipline, hard work, integrity, etc.
Types of Values
The types of positive values include:
1. Positive Values
Positive values are good behaviors and attitudes that help to guide and improve the way of life of the people. Examples of positive value are:
a) Younger person prostrating, kneeling or lying down to greet their elders in the society.
b) A student working very hard to pass his or her examinations without cheating or malpractice.
c) People telling the truth at all times no matter the situation they are faced with.
d) A person tolerating another person’s negative behavior, etc.
Some other positive values are honesty, selflessness, integrity, indiscipline, contentment, hard work, justice, etc.
• Selflessness: Selflessness is the quality of a person caring more about other people’s needs. Selflessness is associated with unconditional love, doing good deeds, focusing and giving to others using of our precious time to solving other people’s problems. Selflessness is a positive value we all should desire to have.
• Honesty: Honesty is the quality of being honest and speaking the truth at all times without lying and cheating others. Honesty is an important value we must have because it is one of the ways that people use to assess or judge us. People avoid dishonesty persons. Examples is for a person to admit to his or her actions, explain to others the real truth situations and he or she must not say things that are not true about someone. 
• Integrity: Integrity is the quality of being honest and having moral principles. It also means following moral convictions and doing the right thing in all circumstances, even if no one is watching you. A person with integrity will stick to his commitments to doing the right things in accordance with the accepted positive values of the society. Also, a person is said to have integrity when he or she is of good behavior, not corrupt, upright and fair in his or her actions.
• Discipline: Discipline is the practice of making people to obey rules or standards of behavior and punishing them when they do not. Also, discipline could be defined as the quality of being able to behave and work in a controlled way which involves particular rules or standard. Discipline is one of the acceptable values in the society. A disciplined person has self-control and does things rightly.
Negative Values
2. Negative values are values associated with immoral behaviors, with things that are bad and are generally unacceptable to the society. For example a girl child getting involve in prostitution. Other negative values are stealing, fighting, impatience, lying, cheating, etc.
3. Intrinsic values: It is all about values associated with belonging to or part of real nature of something or somebody. For example, having good education, good music, wearing beads, etc.
Levels of manifestation of values
The manifestations of values are seen in our lives, actions, conduct or character. These manifestations of values are bound to be displayed at different levels stated below:
a) Individual level: It depends on individual personality trail and psychological build up. Our individual level values affect and determine what we do in respect to decision making individual likes and dislikes. For example, a Bini man likes wearing beads. These values can also manifest in an individual’s behavior and character.
b) Family level: Every up-growing child in the family learn and copy the existing family values such as respect for elders, hardworking, obedience, loyalty, truthfulness, honest, etc. The family values helps to mold and shape the behavior and character of a child.
c) Society level: At this level every member directly or indirectly share in the social value system upheld by the community or society in which one find himself or herself. The society values such as discipline, honesty, truthfulness, hard work, etc., help mold the behavior and character of a members of the society may have.
d) Global level: At this level, the world accepted values are transmitted and observed globally. These are treaties entered into by different countries to stop slavery, human trafficking, etc.
Factors promoting good value system
There are many factors that promote good value system in the society. They include:
• Discipline: It is defined as self-control; the ability to consciously do what is right and avoid what is wrong. Any society with disciplined leaders who help in the growth and development of his/her community definitely influences the behavior and attitude of the people of that community. These disciplined leaders become role model for other people to emulate. Therefore, discipline promotes good value system.
• Trust: It is a firm belief in the reliability, truth or ability of someone or something. Leaders, teachers, parents and people who exhibit good behavior and character, honesty, are trusted and relied on at any given time. Trusted persons are honest; they serve as role model to the society. Therefore, trust promotes good value system.
• Integrity and contentment: Integrity is defined as the quality of being honest, having strong moral uprightness and principles. Having integrity means you are true to yourself and would do nothing that demeans or dishonor your character, while contentment is defined as the state of be happy and satisfied with what someone has.
When the society has leaders and people of integrity who are contented with what they have, they put up good behavior by not getting involved in stealing, fraud and other vices. This type of leaders and people serve as role models for others to emulate; thereby promoting good value system.
• Commitment: Commitment is the willingness to work hard and give your energy and time to a job or an activity. A person who is committed to his promise of achieving set goals which are positively oriented is promoting good value system.
• Fairness: This is the quality of being honest and fair in doing things. It is also the quality of being upright in one’s action or behavior. A person who does things fairly is adjudged to be honest, responsible, reliable, and transparent, etc. a person who is fair in his ways treat everybody equally without bias. He/she is being emulated by the people around him/her, thereby promoting good values.
• Tolerance: This is the willingness of a person to accept or tolerate another person’s opinions or behavior without complain. Tolerance is a virtue which every rational being is expected to posses. Every up-growing child must be taught to have the spirit of tolerance.
• Consistency: This is the quality of always behaving in the same way or of having the same opinions, standard etc. when a respected leader does things right at all times (consistently) he is be emulated by the young ones and the people around him thereby promoting good values in the society.
• Honesty and Reward: The offering of praise, award and rewards to an honest person in the presence of other people promotes good value system, because it will make others to emulate his good actions and behavior.
• The Mass Media: The mass media promoting societal values through their educative and informative programs, etc. for example, educating the people through the television, newspaper, radio, etc., on the right and wrong behavior. The reward for exhibiting good values and the punishment for negative values.
• Religion: It implies someone believing strongly in the existence of God or gods. It is having faith in God through which salvation to mankind is achieved. Christianity, Islam and African traditional belief help to promote good/positive behavioral changes in the society. Churches and mosques serve as centers for moral and spiritual rebirth. Teaching of good sermons by spiritual leaders in churches or mosques influences the behavior of many persons to become good. Therefore, religion promotes good value system.
Importance of values in the society
The following are some importance of values in the society.
• Good values shape the behavior and character of peoples in the society.
• Values give purpose and direction to our lives, both in the family and in the society.
• Values promote good relationships among people in the society.
• Adhering to good values brings joy, happiness and contentment.
• Values enable us to be disciplined, honest and tolerate each other.
• Values enable us to identify what the likes and dislikes in order for us to make the right decision.
• Values promote peace, unity and oneness among people in the society.
• Good values gives a community or society, good image (good name) and increase in productivity.
• When people adhere to good values. There will be meaningful development and progress in the society.
Consequences of lack of values
Lack of values is when someone has no moral, no conscience, no honesty, no truth, etc. He/she is deceitful, arrogant, tells lies, and does whatever pleases him/her. The consequences of lack of values are:
• Insecurity: Lack of good values in a society leads to insecurity such as kidnapping, armed robbery, insurgency (e.g. Boko Haram as is the case of Nigeria).
• Corruption: Any society that does not have respect for good value system experiences high level of corruption which hinder the growth and progress of the society. Lack of good values also brings corruption into our private and public lives.
• Lack of peace, Happiness, and Unity: Without good value system, there is no peace, happiness and unity. Any society that has good value system enjoys peaceful coexistence.
• Bad Image: Lack of good value system in a nation or society makes the youths and the elders to embark on things that will give the nation or society bad reputation (bad name) such as kidnapping, insurgency, corruption, etc. citizens of a country with bad image are not accepted and respected in another country. It also results in the lack of confidence in such a country. By other country.
• Lack of Progress and Development: A country that embraces negative values such as corruption, embezzlement of public fund, etc., turns out to be under-developed. Corruption, and embezzlement of public fund makes it difficult for any society to progress and grow as basic infrastructures like roads, schools, healthcare facilities and others too numerous to mention will be lacking while economy will be in bad shape. Therefore, lack of good values impedes development and leads to backwardness.
• Lack of Cooperation: A society w9ithout a good value system will be characterized by lack of cooperation or division among its people. They cannot work together as a team to achieve set goals which will better the society.
Eguria.blogspot.com
Comments
Post a Comment
Comment from message gained, lessons learned, and suggestions to improve this blog.