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INTERVIEW
through which it is gotten matters. Hence
and visible line between the rich students and
WITH the poor ones, the rich parents and the
society, especially religious bodies should
struggling ones. When the students see these
refuse to honour those who have ill-gotten
wealth. The church has a role to play in the lives
things, they begin to develop a certain kind of
idea about wealth and prestige, and the
of the citizens and the leaders. She must stand
firm always and speak the gospel truth to both
conviction that these must be acquired
HON. ERNEST
the followers and the leaders so that we would
whether by hook or crook because they would
have a better society. Religion sadly is
not want to be looked down upon. They
gradually deviating from the ideal. When the
eventually grow with this conviction and take
it into adulthood. This is why these days you
church came initially, she brought both
see a lot of Yahoo boys and all the sorts. Many
physical and metaphysical liberation. Physical
ABNER DA’A
politicians have wealth that are not genuine
in the sense that she provided certain basic
amenities and necessities of life such as
yet society celebrates them. Why shouldn't a
child also want to make money through
education, hospitals, orphanage etc, and
metaphysical in the sense that she cared for
whatever means for him to be celebrated.
the soul and its salvation. We listened to this
message and got converted with the hope of Education is not just all about having
certificate and working in blue-jeep
living a better life. But what is the reality now? companies. Education, I believe, should be
Are we not worse than before? How many low- holistic such that you either work and get paid
class citizens can now access the amenities monthly or set up your own entity or even
and infrastructures provided by the church or learn a trade. You must not go to school just for
did Christ not come to set the down-trodden the purpose of having certificate. The problem
free? Why is the case different now? On the of certificated education is part of what has
long run, I think we need to look inward as given birth to what we have today. The society,
Christians and fine-tune the message of Christ parents, people of influence, teachers etc
to the Muslims and they in turn need to look must rise to the occasion to teach our children
inward and fine-tune the message of the value of good and sound moral education
Mohammed to us and not to be competing and then we can go into education that works.
with ourselves. We must go back and build on We are in the fourth economic revolution
the message of love because it is the which is the Knowledge Revolution economy.
foundation of every religion, and without love, The society no longer values people based on
there would be no religion. what they know but based on how they can
practically apply this knowledge to solve
Gadfly: Many Nigerian youths have lost problems. Youths should adapt to this by
their sense of morality, prudence and identifying and developing themselves in an
hardwork in a bid to acquire quick wealth, area of interest and by putting their
fame and influence at all cost. This has knowledge and talents to use. Through this,
affected their output as patriotic Nigerians they can be able to earn an honest and a
in so many ways. As a father, what are your decent living. We have to go back to the basis
words of positive exhortation to them? and refocus our plan for education and also
focus on the morality in what we do and what
Honourable: Thank you. As I said earlier, the we earn.
social order is faulty. The society is full of
dishonest people and hypocrites who say one Gadfly: Thank you so much. Sir, the level of
thing and do another. Within the family cycle, social stratification in Nigeria is extreme as
what do we do to promote good virtues? What the gaps between the various social strata
do we say about people that are poor but are are very wide. This has led to untold
honest? How do we accord respect to those oppression and intimidation among
who are rich even when we do not know the Nigerians consequently resulting to
source of their wealth? The beginning of this poverty, unpatriotism, lack of a sense of
problem lies in the answers to these belonging, and increased crime rate. What
questions. Young people copy and learn from are your opinions on this, Honourable, and
the larger society. Unfortunately, the how can social stratification be balanced to
schooling system also plays a role in this improve patriotism in Nigerians?
matter beginning from the primary to
secondary schools and even beyond. What are Honourable: Let me start with the last line
the messages on morality and genuine wealth there. How do we close the gap between the
in these schools? Many schools draw a thick haves and the have-nots? Everywhere in the
