Last week, we looked at restoring our values as one of our roles in nation building. This week, we will look at another critical role that everyone who desires a better country must play. This is Role Modelling or Mentoring 

2. Role Modelling or Mentoring: One of the reasons why we have so much rot, moral decadence and social malaise, especially amongst our youth today is the absence of positive role models or mentors. Some twenty to thirty years back, most young people had the likes of Wole Soyinka, Chinua Achebe, Beko Ransome Kuti, and such other scholarly personalities. These were people who rose to the peak of their profession and brought pride to the nation. These people were both directly and indirectly shaping the lives of young people. 

As technology advanced and with the advent of mobile phones and unrestricted access to internet, our youths have been exposed to millions of personalities, especially in the entertainment world, and only a few of these personalities have truly enviable lives. But because we are daily inundated with news and videos of these stars, many youths want to be like them in their dressing, speech, and lifestyle. 

Coupled with the unhealthy display of material possessions by these stars, and the ‘seeming ease’ of acquiring wealth, many youngsters prefer to follow their lifestyle. Now, this in itself is not wrong, the problem is with the mindset, intent and manner of becoming a star. 

And this is where we all need to start playing positive role models. If you are a star, whether in the entertainment world or anywhere else, make conscious effort to let people know the price you paid to become who you are. Consciously find mentees and mentor them. Even if you are not a star yet, in your neighborhood, find someone to teach and guide. Most of our youths have no idea or clue as to where they are going, so they become easy tools in the hands of evil minded people. Identify a boy or girl and invest in his or her life, you may be nurturing another Nelson Mandela. 

However  you cannot give what you don’t have, “nemo dat quod non have,” so live what you preach to them and you will find out that you are changing lives. Don’t just fold your hands and expect those troublesome youngsters in your neighborhood to change, reach out to them. 

This is a collective duty and we all owe this nation the duty of positive role modelling for the young ones amongst us. 

Have a great week ahead. 

Adewumi Oni

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09095321147

wumioni@yahoo.com

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It was John F. Kennedy who said “My fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.” One of the easiest things to do is to criticize or blame others. 

It is so easy to push the blame and fold your hands, yet it is nothing but irresponsibility to criticize or blame without proferring better solutions. 
No house springs up overnight without any effort, only weeds grow of their own accord. Every other plant that grows has some deliberate and conscious effort behind it. You don’t build a house by wishing, you must get to work, dig the foundation, lay the bricks and nail the planks together. We must build our nation together. 
We have long been stuck in the blame game in our nation, pointing fingers at the government and blaming them for everything that has gone wrong. But that approach has not helped us in anyway, if anything,  we appear to be worse off compared to where we were years ago. 
If we desire a genuine and true change in our nation, then we must get to work and begin to play our part. What are our roles? 

1. Value your values and teach those values

There is no doubt that at the core of our problem, as a people and nation, is the collapse of our value system. We have practically thrown our values to the dogs. 

So we will take a look at some of the values that great nations are built on. 
Integrity: Young people who are hardly of age buy expensive phones, cars and mansions, some even donate to churches and mosques, yet nobody questions their source of wealth. Adults with questionable character and source of wealth build religious centers, community halls for us and we keep mute, and refuse to challenge them. Rather we applaud them and even confer honorary titles on them. When our sons and daughters start disappearing, we begin to wonder what is happening. 
Honesty : We lie and teach our children to do same. We look for shortcut, can’t wait on a queue, will always look for a way to jump the normal process, and we encourage our children and wards to do same. In fact, there are cases of parents taking their children to ‘special centers’, where invigilators can help them to write their exams, instead of goading them to prepare for the exams. How will they pass the exam of life if they can’t pass school exams on their own? 
Hardwork: We spoil and overpamper our children, some don’t even know how to boil water, let alone make tea. We leave all the works for househelps. So when these kids grow up, they always look for someone to do the job. They end up becoming bad leaders and slave masters. 
Patience: We are so much in a hurry to the extent that our impatience is harming us. The quest to make money has taken over our sense of caution, care and concern for the safety of others. We sell adulterated drugs and foods and damage people’s lives. We mix our fuel with other substances just in a bid to make more money. We import expired tyres and multiply incidents of road accidents, all because we must make it now. 
Perseverance: How we give up so easily? At the slightest challenge to our dreams, we quit and blame everyone but ourselves. Our children cannot endure any form of hardship or challenge because we have not inculcated the value of perseverance in them. No one is asking you to punish your children, but let them be trained in such a way that they can face and not dodge challenges. This is why they always look for the easy way out. Teach the to fight and not to take flight. 
We will continue from here in the next post. Have a great day! 
Adewumi Oni

08028395824

09095321147

wumioni@yahoo.com

http://www.adewumioni.com

Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/adewumi.oni

Twitter: onadol2010

Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King, Mother Theresa and Muhammad Ali. What memory does these names evoke? Hold it right there, we will get back to that. 

When you see hurt, injustice, cruelty, deceit and other ills around you, what is your natural response? Do you look away or do you confront it? What motivates you? The fear of death or the desire to solve just that one problem even in the face of death? 

Most men look away, because that is the easiest option. That is the path of least resistance, look away and act like it never happened. 

But you know what, what you looked away from today, will come looking for you or your children someday soon. 

Ordinary men look away but Kings confront. That is what separates those names above from mere men. Mortal men they were, but they rose beyond mortality by not looking away!

So? Will you look away or confront it? What memory will your name evoke? 

Adewumi Oni

08028395824

09095321147

wumioni@yahoo.com

http://www.adewumioni.com

Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/adewumi.oni

Twitter: onadol2010