Governor Hyacinth Alia of Benue State has expressed a strong commitment to eradicating corruption within the state’s education sector. Speaking at a public lecture and book launch organized by Dr. Terna Francis, the Director General of the Benue State Education Quality Assurance Agency, Governor Alia emphasized the widespread nature of corruption, noting that it extends from families to the broader society.
The event, reported by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), was themed “Nigeria: 25 Years of Uninterrupted Democracy” and featured the launch of two books: “Moral Philosophy and Character Formation: Nigeria Under the Lens” and “Civic Education and National Values.”
Governor Alia highlighted his administration’s dedication to elevating the education sector to global standards and addressing all forms of corruption within it. He stressed that combating corruption goes beyond rhetoric and requires significant attitudinal change across all levels of society.
“Change must begin with all of us; let us be the mirror of what we anticipate,” Alia stated. He acknowledged that moral corruption starts at the grassroots level, from primary schools to homes, and emphasized the importance of beginning the fight against corruption within the education sector.
Earlier in the event, Prof. Aloysius Ihuah, the National President of the Association of Physiology Practitioners in Nigeria, reviewed one of the books and praised the author for addressing national ethics and moral issues. He noted that the book critically examines the moral deficits in Nigerian society and suggests pragmatic solutions to establish a national ethic centered on wholeness, humanness, and hospitality.
The author, Dr. Terna Francis, stressed the importance of character formation, which he believes is crucial to the morality of any society. He pointed out that contemporary Nigerian society lacks good character formation due to various challenges such as unemployment, poverty, compromised security, poor leadership recruitment, inadequate parental control, and endemic corruption.
In his remarks, Governor Alia reiterated the need for an attitudinal shift to combat corruption effectively. He called on all individuals to embody the change they wish to see and emphasized that the education sector would be the starting point for these reforms.
Overall, the governor’s address and the themes of the books discussed at the event underscore the urgent need for moral and ethical rejuvenation in Nigerian society, starting with the education system.