As African Capital Alliance Foundation Grooms Nigerian Youths for Ethical Living

Sunday Ehigiator

Sound morals, values and ethics are fast depleting in the world today. This cuts across age, faith, tribe, and culture. The dearth of these societal ideals is largely responsible for many social vices that are threatening the stability, foundations, and peaceful co-existence in the world at the moment.

Nigeria has a fair share of some of these common social vices, especially among the youths, such as cultism, ritual killing for money, indecent dressing, examination malpractice, cybercrime, sexual promiscuity, prostitution, drug abuse, and many more.

For a better society and especially for the future, this needs to be halted by any means through individual and collective efforts. Institutional involvement, pooling of resources and organized approach are also desirable and required for effectiveness, impact and scalability.

 The African Capital Alliance Foundation, a non-profit organisation established as the charitable arm of the African Capital Alliance (ACA), is rising to the occasion to create a future where the value of ethics reigns through the Osmosis approach and strategic engagement of the youths.

The Foundation through Enactus as the implementation partner has established an ‘Ethical Living’ Project through which it planned to inculcate the values of ethical decision-making in Nigerian youth. It is a paradigm shift approach that took off this year.

 Taking the bull by the horns, for the past few months, the Foundation executed youth-oriented and school-based training and workshops on values and ethical living. In the process, it initiated an essay writing competition titled, “My Role as a Youth and the Strategies I Will Deploy in Creating a More Ethical, Just, and Equitable Society” in the pilot scheme.  A total of 353 students from 10 selected schools approved by the Lagos State Ministry of Education participated in the writing competition.  It held trainings and workshops for the students.

 At the grand finale of the Project which took place at the Civic Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos, on August 7, 2024, OtelaJa Ayanfeoluwa, a CMS Grammar School Bariga student, today emerged as the Overall Winner of the ‘Ethical Living’ Essay Competition proudly sponsored by the African Capital Alliance Foundation (ACAF). Oseni Aaqibah Akorede of Akande Dahunsi Memorial High School, Osborne, Lagos, and Ogunlowo Ayomide of Boys’ Senior Academy, Lagos clinched the first and second runners-up positions respectively.

 The winners were presented with cash awards and ICT devices from the organizers and were publicly honoured and celebrated. The winners were among the finalists after their essays were thoroughly reviewed and assessed by certified experts drawn from educational specialized institutions. The finalists made presentations and highlighted their learning experiences to the admiration of the audience. Industry leaders, top government functionaries, education stakeholders, social impact institutions, and development agencies attended the event described as very impactful and capable of redirecting the energy of Nigerian youths to the promotion of excellence in all spheres of life.

 According to the Chairman of African Capital Alliance, Dr.  Okey Enelamah, at the ceremony, the Foundation is dedicated to fostering an environment that facilitates and nurtures successful businesses led by ethical business leaders. It is also committed to creating an enabling environment for the good of society. To Enelamah ‘ethical living is more than just a concept; it is a way of life that prioritises making choices that benefit us, our community, and Nigeria. In today’s world, where we face numerous challenges, from economic to social inequality, it is crucial to instill these values in our younger generation’.

He disclosed that the participating students were engaged in workshops and interactive sessions aimed at promoting sustainable and ethical practices emphasisjng that they have gained an understanding of the significance of ethics, ethical decision-making, and the transformative power of incorporating these practices into their daily lives.

He posited that the future leaders of Nigeria, hold the power to shape a brighter future for the nation through right actions and choices, exemplary conduct, and dedication.

 According to him, African Capital Alliance and the Foundation decided to sponsor the project, because they believe that businesses play a crucial role in contributing to the betterment of the community. ‘As part of our approach, we actively collaborate with our investee companies and partners to effectively implement initiatives that align with our values of corporate social responsibility and our commitment to nation-building. The Ethical Living Project stands as a testament to our dedication in this regard. It showcases our unwavering investment’, he added.

The Chairman noted that it is essential for a society to instill and invest in ethical values especially as the world faces various challenges.

 He assured: “Our goal is to create a lasting impact that extends beyond this project. We plan to expand our initiatives, reach more schools, and continue to promote ethical living. We envision a future where these values are deeply ingrained in our society, leading to a more sustainable and equitable world’.

Mrs. Folashade Adefisayo, an educationist and former Commissioner of Education, at Lagos State, in her keynote address titled ‘The Transformative Power of Ethical Living’ said that a nation must make conscious decisions to do the right thing at the right time in all circumstances. She admonished that the present generation has no choice but to be better if we are to have a better tomorrow, stating that ‘the youth has the power to take us out of the situation we are in now’.

‘Ethical living affects the world. Society will benefit from you as you try to do your best always. Live above others and you will build a society where all will be happy.”, she stressed.

 According to her, it is high time Nigerians stop the mentality of ‘everyone is doing it emphasising that that the only way to have inner peace is when one lives ethically which also pays off in the long run.

 Micheal Ajayi, the Country Director of Enactus, the implementing partner of the Ethical Living Project, explained that the programme’s focus is all about inculcating the values of ethical-decision making in Nigerian youth.

 He narrated that the “Ethical Living” project is an integrated developmental program designed to elevate consciousness around ethics and ethical decision-making among young adults in secondary schools across the country.

To him the social vices such as corruption, bribery, selfishness, and cybercrimes are prevalent in society today because of a lack of ethics, values, and morals, advising the participants in the project to apply daily what they have learned.

According to him, the ‘Ethical Living’ Project has the capacity to transform and renew the minds of young adults (secondary school students) and inspire them to consistently apply the moral compass to make the right, selfless and acceptable choices at all times and under whatever circumstances.

Ajayi noted that the project ‘is deliberate and built out of necessity to transform Nigerian youth and make them become change agents to transform the nation by embracing the highest standards in all you do. He believed through the project, a new generation of Nigerians who would champion ideals that make a great nation would emerge.

‘It is a commitment to the growth and development of the youth by building their capacity and national growth’, while advising Nigerian youths to shun social vices and embrace ethical living through which they will have a brighter future.

The Country Director of Enactus narrated further that the process that culminated in the emergence of the winners passed the integrity test and commended the partners and other stakeholders who played a role in the process.

 To build and expand the on the success of the Pilot project, ethical clubs will be established in the schools while Mentorship on to improve the literacy of the participants in the Essay writing competition will be organized, he assured.

 Prof. Juan Elegido, former Vice Chancellor of Pan Atlantic University, Lagos, at the occasion, said he admired the students’ incredible preference to be trained on ethics assuring them they will have great lives if they apply what they were taught.

 He advised them to cultivate the habit of seeking knowledge by reading books regularly and to always strive for excellence

‘Commitment to ethics and truthfulness will help you in the future and help you to be successful in your life’ adventures’, he emphasised.

Brief About the Project

 The African Capital Alliance Foundation in partnership with Enactus Nigeria is the brain behind the social re-engineering intervention project titled “Ethical Living” with a mission to advance the process of inculcating the value of ethics and ethical decision-making in Nigerian youths.

The initiative marks a significant step in shaping the ethical foundations of the next generation of Nigerian leaders.

 The project seeks to contribute to the holistic development of students, equipping them with the knowledge and skills needed for ethical living. The Ethical Living Project culminates into the Ethical Living essay competition where exciting prizes will be won by the best-written essays.

The implementation of the “Ethical Living” project is designed as an integrated developmental program geared towards creating and elevating consciousness of ethics for personal and community leadership among the next generation of leaders in the country. Its broad impact is expected to help participants to improve the course of their lives and positively impact their communities.

 The Ethical Living Workshops aims to instill ethical values and foster responsible decision-making among Secondary School Students, through practical, interactive, and engaging seminars, case studies, and thought-provoking activities.