THE VALUES WE’VE LEFT BEHIND: A CALL FOR CONSCIOUS REAWAKENING AND SOCIETAL RESPONSIBILITY
In this age of instant gratification, viral fame, and digital noise, our society is losing something essential — the foundation on which communities, leadership, and humanity are built.
In today’s rapidly changing world, it is becoming painfully evident that something precious has been lost — the values that once defined true leadership and genuine humanity.
This generation ain’t built on loyalty, integrity, discipline, honesty, respect, and trust. So where did we go wrong?
Have we become too consumed by convenience, trends, and self-serving pursuits to remember the principles that build strong people, communities, and nations?
Why do we glorify clout over character and followers over values?
Loyalty is now seasonal.
Discipline is mistaken for rigidity.
Honesty is ridiculed in favour of deception that pays.
Trust is given to whoever shouts the loudest, not who has stood the test of time.
We must ask ourselves: if knowledge and skills can be acquired, then why are people with weak character and shallow values still given access to power, leadership, and influence?
As Adam Grant rightly stated, it’s easier to fill in gaps in competence than gaps in character. Integrity, humility, loyalty, and trust are not technical skills — they are rare currencies that define who we truly are.
While the system may fail us, we must not fail each other.
When politics divide, religion is manipulated, and tribalism is weaponized, we must choose humanity over chaos, dignity over division, and truth over trends.
Life indeed has a very strange rhythm — and on that rhythm, the carrier sometimes becomes the burden.
Are you the burden in your community or the one who carries others through storms?
We must rewire our youth engagement strategies. We must teach beyond technical skills.
Embed value-based education in schools.
Promote mentorship and not just sponsorship.
Build resilient minds through emotional intelligence and self-leadership.
Offer platforms where youths can earn, learn and serve with integrity.
The truth is — without deliberate moral investment, the next generation may have more tools but less soul.
As a nation, we can’t afford to raise brilliant minds in broken spirits.
It is time to go back to the basics: CHARACTER OVER CREDENTIALS.
Let us recommit to building a generation we can trust — not just one that trends.
This generation isn’t built on loyalty, integrity, discipline, honesty, respect, and trust.
The painful truth is this: character is no longer celebrated. We admire success without questioning the path taken to achieve it. We applaud influence without checking for the integrity behind it.
So, what are we teaching the next generation?
Are we grooming thinkers or trend followers?
Are we equipping our youth with values or merely pushing them toward survival in a broken system?
Life has a very strange rhythm, and on that rhythm, the carrier sometimes becomes the burden.
Let us not become burdens to a nation already weighed down by poor governance, moral bankruptcy, and disillusioned youth.
While the system may fail us, we must not fail each other.
Even in a nation grappling with insecurity, poverty, unemployment, and tribal tension, we still have the power to hold ourselves accountable — to choose compassion, truth, and dignity over politics, greed, and selfish ambition.
Let us speak plainly:
Skills without values are dangerous.
Knowledge without humility leads to arrogance.
Ambition without restraint destroys.
It’s easier to fill in compliance and competence than gaps in character.
A certificate may open a door, but without trust, no one hands you the keys. That’s why the moral fabric of any society is more important than its economic statistics.
YOUTH ENGAGEMENT: WHERE DO WE BEGIN?
We must do more than just shout “youth empowerment.” It must be deliberate, strategic, and rooted in moral guidance.
Mentorship Networks: Establish multi-generational mentoring circles at the community level, where elders pass on wisdom, not just positions.
Value-Driven Entrepreneurship: Equip young people to create businesses not just for profit, but for purpose — rooted in ethics and social impact.
Creative Expression Platforms: Let youths use arts, poetry, digital media, and storytelling to advocate for social change.
Community Service Incentives: Reward volunteerism and public service with opportunities and exposure, building a culture of giving back.
Psychosocial Support: Address youth trauma, substance abuse, and identity crisis through counselling, group therapy, and peer support.
Policy Inclusion: Youths should sit at real policy tables — not just as mascots, but as thinkers, analysts, and implementers.
Digital Citizenship Training: Teach social media ethics, digital entrepreneurship, and cyber responsibility.
Rural Youth Empowerment Hubs: Decentralize development; every rural community should have a hub where youth can learn, earn, connect, and contribute.
BEYOND YOUTHS: SOCIETAL ROLES
Let’s not deceive ourselves: youth failure is a reflection of societal neglect.
Parents: Train with love but correct with values. Don’t raise kings and queens with no sense of service.
Religious Leaders: Go beyond doctrines. Preach virtue, peace, and social responsibility.
Educators: Don’t just teach subjects — model empathy, ethics, and courage.
Civil Servants & Politicians: Govern with legacy in mind, not only tenure. Don’t just build roads, build people.
Community Leaders: Protect our cultural identity but evolve with time — be the bridge, not the barrier.
If we must change the future, we must start today. Not with empty slogans but with action.
Not with blame, but with boldness.
Not with entitlement, but with responsibility.
It is time to rewrite the script.
Character over credentials.
Humanity over tribe.
Purpose over politics.
Wisdom over noise.
Legacy over popularity.
Let us raise a generation that we can trust — not one that simply trends.
Dr. Aiyeku Olufemi Samuel
Co-Founder & Lead Consultant, Global Human Capital & Energy Management Limited
Governance Analyst|
Development Economist|
Policy Consultant| Strategic Development Advocate| Climate Action Enthusiast | Sustainability & Impact Investing Specialist|Girl-child Advocacy| PPP & CRM Specialist /Sales Innovation & Transformational Results-Driven Business Analyst
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