There is no doubt that the Nigerian nation is enmeshed in deep and serious crisis now. The most disturbing is the problem of insecurity. Every now and then, many innocent Nigerians are being killed by members of the Boko Haram sect, robbed and kidnapped. Most painful is the way and manner these innocent citizens are being killed in their own country. Regrettably, the security agents are not only loosing out but appear hopeless. Empty promises by the government have not alleviated the situation. The country is fast drifting into anarchy, chaos and doom to the detriment of millions of her citizens. This situation has once again raised the question of national ethics (morality). How were we living together before as one society observing our national norms especially as it concerns respect for human life and how are we going to live together in the future? Reactions trailing the Boko Haram saga have opened up our sordid past with different groups justifying the actions of Boko Haram instead of facing the issue at stake; the sanctity of human life. This calls for a paradigm shift from the use of force to a moral approach. The Igbo communal morality is a humanist morality spelling out personal relationship onye biri ibe ya ebiri (live and let others live). This humanist morality is what we need at this time if we are going to forge ahead as a nation. Everyone should respect his/her neighbour's right to feely and lawfully live his/her life in accordance with existing norms irrespective of any differences. This universal (Igbo) morality will not only curb the security crises in Nigeria but also ensure a harmonious co-existence among the various tribes and the entire humanity at large.
Africa is the poorest continent in the world despite her huge human and material resources. She is at the periphery of global development. Some people attribute the African predicament to her experience of slavery and colonialism which distorted her identity and disoriented her values. But she is not the only continent that was colonised. Other colonised continents are already finding their bearing in global development. What is that unique factor about African identity that hinders her from having her own stake in global development? This paper argues that Africa's stable and rich natural environment which does not coerce her to struggle for survival makes Africa docile and complacent. This psychological disposition makes her to take her survival for granted and to live on the providence of her environment without conscientious effort to conquer and drive it to enhance her state of life. The search for African identity should not focus on just exhuming her past culture and lamenting her experiences, but on discovering the latent prowess of Africa that will help her to positively and effectively confront her existential challenges. Colonialism and neo-colonialism are parts of Africa's existential challenges which she has to tackle to define her identity. For sustainable development, Africa has to wake up from her slumber of eulogising her cultural heritage and blaming others for her predicament, and brace up to critically, constructively and pragmatically evaluate her past, confront her current challenges and take responsibility for the effect of her actions and inactions.
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