ETHICS,THE TRICK IN THE BOOK
By Kephas
Mwangi Ndegwa
The blame game of why systems don’t deliver as they
should, why institutions don’t align with objectives continues on and on with few focusing on the root causes
of most of this institutionalized problems.Scholars,contemporary and of
previous generations have strived to highlight the place and value of ethics
for the wellbeing of man,society,country and world at large.
Coruption culture is a popular codename associated
with malpractices including pilferage of
coffers and embezzlement of public funds
by public officials entrusted with the same by the citizenry. A culture where
using rogue means to rise to the echelons of corporations or public service
only to enrich self while at it .Whilst endangering and putting in jeopardy livelihoods of
thousands if not millions of people who in one way or the other are affected by
the under perfomance of the same institutions is rife.Whats baffling nevertheless,
is the fact this culture is so engrained in society especially in particular parts
of the global south.That one would almost be the laughing stock
of common rank and file if they made
their way to the heights of especially
state corporations or offices only to serve diligently and not end up
stinking rich with a loot enough for posterity.Slogans like the infamous article quinze popularised in Congo that calls for the citizenry to take charge
of impending predicaments expecting no government in their aid for the same and do not let Nigeria happen to you only
serve to rubberstamp the devastating
extent of this inherent tempest.
The question becomes ,what is the trick in the book
that can aid in solving this corruption
and institution malfunction puzzle that seems to so plague the individual,the
society,and most of the countries in the developing world. And by so doing ,
perenially slams brakes on their emergence out of the manacles of foreign aid
and other ploys that are a reserve of the third world .
A paradigm shift introducing a culture of ethics for
the common good of all to shove out the lionized corruption culture for the
benefit of a few and their kin and crony I bet is the magic pill that can bring
about the long desired turn around.
I submit and dispute not the adage that it is hard
to teach an old dog new tricks.The learn,relearn and unlearn cycle can turn out
difficult for one who has only seen and learnt one way of doing things. The most influential inventors ie the Teslas and Thomas Edisons are held in high regard for inventions they
spearheaded and invoked insight about even if some came to fruition way afterwards.The
objective truth is the fact that it would be a herculean task to cause a sudden
change in the current state of affairs in a short duration to to the extent and
depth of the problem.
A viable
suggestion would be to use the education systems to inculcate ethical values
among the youth and other school going children and that way as they grow into
young adults and into the workforce they not having reaped of or gotten their hands dirty with the going ons
of the old systems will be better placed to understand the benefits of
executing functions ethically in the grand scheme of things when called upon to
do so later in life.
Seromos como el Che is a recitation akin to the
loyalty pledges of various jurisdictions recited in Cuban public schools by young kids.Loosely translated it
means we want to be like Che Guevara the
iconic revolutionary.
Loyalty
pledges with affirmations fronting only ethical execution of undertakings for
the common good of person,society and motherland can also be designed for
periodic recitation in schools coupled with ethics classes and programmes once or
twice a week in school timetables as an obligatory directive across the board
from top leadership..This is the only way we can nip it in the bud and bring
about a tectonic shift in our approach to even governance and other
interactions going forward.
A kid is a blank slate as they put it.Teach a kid in
the way that it should go and when they are all grown they shall not depart from it is what on the
other hand scripture would prescribe.Objectively,and sadly so, the much we can
do with the status quo is to manage it as corrupt practices already encroached
our systems and is a ship that has long sailed.
If we are talking about envisaging a brighter
future where systems will work
optimumly and governance would be close
to top notch if not top notch.Then armed with
optimism and goodwill we can
begin to hardwire the younger generations for the same.Equipping them with the
moral whereawithal by way of ethics classes,programs,skits,recitations et
cetera in school that serve to warn of
the dangers of society devoid of ethics whilst painting a classic picture of
what benefits ethical practices embraced first by individuals,then society and
instituions would do for the motherland and world at large.Fromwhere I seat,only
by so doing would underdeveloped countries like phoenixes from their ashes now emerge.Yes,ethics
is the trick.Ethics is the x factor,the ingredient that is lacking.
