By Prince Bassey Jnr.
Sound Christian values have been identified as the foundation of every successful society. This assertion was given, Thursday, at a one-day symposium tagged, “The Making of Godly Champion -2017”, organized by the Office of the Special Assistant to Governor Udom Emmanuel on Social Reorientation in partnership with Gospel 24/7 Media for Secondary Schools in Uyo Senatorial District.
Speaking on, “The Falling Standard of Secondary Education And The Challenges of Future Leaders” (Moral Etiquette As A Case Study), the Speaker, Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon (Barr) Onofiok Luke, described a Godly Champion as one with sound Christian ethics.
“As a Godly Champion, you need the God factor to become anything you want to be in life. You must know God as a Godly champion. My mum laid the foundation for the Godly champions we are today. You must have a vision, be honest, trustworthy and ready to make sacrifices.
“You must be brave and courageous by saying no to the ills in the society, you must be humble because pride destroys humanity but humility can take you to any height. There’s nothing on earth to be proud of.
Whatsoever you are today, another man had attained that height before you. To the Glory of God, I’m a beneficiary of humility.
“I’m standing before you today because God made me a Godly Champion. I’m in public service today not because of the glory attached to it, but to afford me the opportunity to serve humanity in a greater capacity.
“I’m saying these things not because I want to boast but because I want you to connect with the young boy whom God has raised to sit with Kings. With God, all things are possible,” the Speaker maintained.
The Honourable Commissioner, Ministry of Housing and Special Duties, Mr. Akan Okon who spoke on “Peer Pressure And The Challenges Of A Future Leader (Discipline As A Case Study), asserted that Peer Pressure plays a veritable role in the future of every young individual.
He said, “As a young person, this is the stage in your life that you have to define who you want to be by deciding the kind of friends you keep. You must look at the background of your friends. You must know if they’re from Godly families, because that will greatly determine your relationship with them.
“The Governor of this state comes from a Godly family and because of the relationship we had in school, when he became Governor, it was not difficult for him to call me to come and work for him. I must really appreciate him for that.”
Mr. Okon therefore urged the students to shun negative vices such as cultism, truancy, indecent dressing, alcohol, drug abuse and bad company, as such would impede their progress in life. He also encouraged them to have a written down plan of what they what to achieve in life.
He averred, “At any given point in your life, if you don’t have a great plan for your life, you are bound to be negatively affected by peer pressure. Any plan that has not been written down is not a plan. It is merely a brain work. Most of the successful people we see today is because they planned for that future. Nothing happened by accident."
Mr. Nsikan Johnny, MD/CEO, Nsik Motors Limited who was represented by Mr. Adekunle Cephas Adewale, Head, Admin/Personnel of the foremost Transport company delivered a paper on “Raising and Sustaining Our Cultural Values To Deepen Good Morals”, revealed that no society can survive by throwing away its history which has been in place as a result of its cultural practices over time and which has also culminated to it to be described as a certain people of a particular history, cultural heritage, tribe and nation.
“Culture describes a collective way of life, or way of doing things. It is the sum of attitudes, values, goals and practices shared by individuals in a group, organization or society. Cultures vary over time between countries and geographic regions and among groups and organizations. Culture reflects the moral and ethical beliefs and standards that speak to how people should behave and interact with others.
“Morals on the other hand go hand in hand with culture. When we define culture as a way of life people live or practice every day of their life. We are invariably saying culture plays a pivotal role in shaping or deepening good morals.
“In trying to raise or sustaining our cultural values to deepen good morals, we should avoid being ethnocentric i.e. the idea or belief that one’s own culture is more important than, or superior to other cultures. This form of comparison brings about tribal war and hatred which in no way contributes to good morals among the cultural subjects.”
He also posited that sustaining our cultural values deepen good morals and moral values do become more truer and deeper by sustaining cultural values but they can become better by sets of values which are more consistent and conducive to social stability.
In a brief homily, the Senior Pastor, Holy Ghost Ambassadors and Grand Patron – The Making of Godly Champion, Apostle Nyeneime Andy, maintained that champions were not born but it is through a conscious and deliberate activity that one becomes a champion. He asserted that targeted education was the best way possible in a society like Nigeria and urged the students to be warriors by making sure their next generation succeeds where they fail to do so.
The Special Assistant to Governor Udom Emmanuel on Social Reorientation, Mr. Ekpeno Gold and Mr. Kuseme Idiong, MD/CEO, Gospel 24/7 Media in their separate remarks expressed their profound gratitude to the speakers, partners, teachers, students and to the host school for their unflinching support and contributions to make the event a success.
Surprisingly, the organizers of the event celebrated the Speaker of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly on his 39th birthday anniversary by cutting a cake with him followed by series of happy birthday songs from the participating students.
The event which was held at Community Comprehensive Secondary School, Aka Offot, Uyo, also featured recitation of the Dakkada Creed in English and Ibibio languages, talents display, debate by schools as well as an entrepreneurial exposure and was attended by over 1,000 students across different secondary schools in the Senatorial District.
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