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.