President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday launched “Change-Begins-With-Me” campaign, in what could be described as a re-introduction of the War Against Indiscipline, WAI, campaign when he was military Head of State over 30 years ago.
The campaign is meant to institutionalise values of accountability, integrity laced with positive attitudinal change in Nigerians.
At the event, which took place inside the State House Conference Centre, Buhari appealed to Nigerians to be part of the campaign, stressing that the change they desire to see starts with themselves.
The campaign, spearheaded by the Federal Ministry of Information, is in line with the change mantra of the present administration.
Buhari stressed that the campaign was part of the determination of the All Progressives Congress, APC, to carry Nigerians along on the journey to a better and greater society that we all can be proud of.
According to the president, Nigeria is currently passing through a challenging moment where hardly anything works in a normal manner, saying that many have attributed the phenomenon to the total breakdown of core values over the years.
“Our citizens must realise that the change they want to see begins with them, and that personal and social reforms are not theoretic exercise.
“If you have not seen the change in you, you cannot see it in others or even the larger society. In other words, before you ask ‘where is the change they promised us’, you must first ask how far have I changed my ways, ‘what have I done to be part of the change for the greater good of society,” he said.
According to him, at the moment, honesty, hard work, Godliness have given way to all kinds of manifestations of lawlessness and degeneration in national life, stressing that this was why his administration has among its cardinal objectives ‘change’, which implies the need for a change of attitude and mindset in everyday life.
He noted that his administration had engaged in serious effort since its inception on the fight against corruption in public life, noting that with the progress made so far, there was need to put in place the necessary sustainable framework for action and measures that would help to entrench and consolidate the progress achieved.
According to him, the progress made so far can best be maintained through attitudinal change, and the change of mindset in private and public life.
He noted that the campaign was about ensuring change not merely in terms of economic, social progress, but also in terms of personal behaviour as well as “how we conduct ourselves, engage our neigbhours, friends and generally how we relate with the larger society in a positive and definitive way and manner that promotes our common good and common destiny; change at home, change in the work place, change at traffic junction, change at traffic lights.”
The President explained that Nigerians’ value system has been badly eroded over the years, while the long-cherished and time-honoured, time-tested virtues of honesty, integrity, hard work, punctuality, good neighbourliness, abhorrence of corruption and patriotism have given way to dishonesty, indolence, unbridled corruption and widespread impunity.
He explained that the resultant effect of the derailment in value system was being felt in the social, political and economic spheres.
“It is the reason that some youths will take to cultism and brigandage instead of studying hard or engaging in decent living; it is the reason that some elements will break pipelines and other oil facilities, thus robbing the nation of the much-needed resources; it is the reason that money belonging to our commonwealth Nigeriawill be brazenly stolen by the same public officials to whom they were entrusted.
“It is the reason why motorist drive through red traffic lights, it is the reason that many will engage in thuggery and vote-stealing during elections; it is part of what has driven our economy into deep problem out of which we are now working hard to extricate ourselves. Every one of us must have a change from our old ways of doing things, we cannot fold our arms and allow things to continue the old way,” Buhari said.
While saying that government would drive the campaign, Buhari appealed for the support of the private sector as the success of the exercise would impact on the sector.
Speaking at the event, Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, said the campaign does not have any political connotation, noting that it was to achieve a paradigm shift in how things are done in the country.
He said all states should partner with the ministry by allocating air time for the message to reach many Nigerians.
In his remarks, Director General, National Orientation Agency, NOA, Mallam Garba Abari, said the agency would use its spread to take the national orientation campaign to the states as well as local government areas of the country.
The campaign is meant to institutionalise values of accountability, integrity laced with positive attitudinal change in Nigerians.
At the event, which took place inside the State House Conference Centre, Buhari appealed to Nigerians to be part of the campaign, stressing that the change they desire to see starts with themselves.
The campaign, spearheaded by the Federal Ministry of Information, is in line with the change mantra of the present administration.
Buhari stressed that the campaign was part of the determination of the All Progressives Congress, APC, to carry Nigerians along on the journey to a better and greater society that we all can be proud of.
According to the president, Nigeria is currently passing through a challenging moment where hardly anything works in a normal manner, saying that many have attributed the phenomenon to the total breakdown of core values over the years.
“Our citizens must realise that the change they want to see begins with them, and that personal and social reforms are not theoretic exercise.
“If you have not seen the change in you, you cannot see it in others or even the larger society. In other words, before you ask ‘where is the change they promised us’, you must first ask how far have I changed my ways, ‘what have I done to be part of the change for the greater good of society,” he said.
According to him, at the moment, honesty, hard work, Godliness have given way to all kinds of manifestations of lawlessness and degeneration in national life, stressing that this was why his administration has among its cardinal objectives ‘change’, which implies the need for a change of attitude and mindset in everyday life.
He noted that his administration had engaged in serious effort since its inception on the fight against corruption in public life, noting that with the progress made so far, there was need to put in place the necessary sustainable framework for action and measures that would help to entrench and consolidate the progress achieved.
According to him, the progress made so far can best be maintained through attitudinal change, and the change of mindset in private and public life.
He noted that the campaign was about ensuring change not merely in terms of economic, social progress, but also in terms of personal behaviour as well as “how we conduct ourselves, engage our neigbhours, friends and generally how we relate with the larger society in a positive and definitive way and manner that promotes our common good and common destiny; change at home, change in the work place, change at traffic junction, change at traffic lights.”
The President explained that Nigerians’ value system has been badly eroded over the years, while the long-cherished and time-honoured, time-tested virtues of honesty, integrity, hard work, punctuality, good neighbourliness, abhorrence of corruption and patriotism have given way to dishonesty, indolence, unbridled corruption and widespread impunity.
He explained that the resultant effect of the derailment in value system was being felt in the social, political and economic spheres.
“It is the reason that some youths will take to cultism and brigandage instead of studying hard or engaging in decent living; it is the reason that some elements will break pipelines and other oil facilities, thus robbing the nation of the much-needed resources; it is the reason that money belonging to our commonwealth Nigeriawill be brazenly stolen by the same public officials to whom they were entrusted.
“It is the reason why motorist drive through red traffic lights, it is the reason that many will engage in thuggery and vote-stealing during elections; it is part of what has driven our economy into deep problem out of which we are now working hard to extricate ourselves. Every one of us must have a change from our old ways of doing things, we cannot fold our arms and allow things to continue the old way,” Buhari said.
While saying that government would drive the campaign, Buhari appealed for the support of the private sector as the success of the exercise would impact on the sector.
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| Muhammadu Buhari |
He said all states should partner with the ministry by allocating air time for the message to reach many Nigerians.
In his remarks, Director General, National Orientation Agency, NOA, Mallam Garba Abari, said the agency would use its spread to take the national orientation campaign to the states as well as local government areas of the country.
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