Peace, Peace Culture and Moral Education as a Panacea for Sustainable Nation-Building

Abstract

The constant and ever-increasing rate of violence in Nigeria’s socio-political and economic space is dangerously making life continuously very unbearable. The issues surrounding youth restiveness are yet to have a proper tackling roadmap or solution, thereby bringing a worrisome concern on a daily basis. Furthermore, civic virtues in all spheres of life are completely in decline in addition to the upsurge of incessant cult-related activities in the country and on various campuses of higher learning. Religious and ethnic crises, among others, are of high concern. Most youths are now vulnerable instruments in the hands of politicians and political office holders, especially during elections, to be used for unwholesome errands ranging from ballot box snatching, thumb printing of ballot papers and so forth, which requires urgent attention. Irrespective of government efforts and intentions in giving Social Studies as “a subject” the right position in the National Policy of Education and also reintroducing a sister-like subject like Civic Education in the country’s educational system as instruments for inculcating national unity, morality and peace culture among the various ethnicities, it is disheartening and now a thing of concern that moral education, civic responsibility and the right sense of values are gradually shifting in our society. All manner of social vices such as cultism, bullying, equipped theft, hijacking, killings, extortion, rape, civil disobedience, cybercrime, and fraud exist. Patriotism, obedience to the law, loyalty to constituted authority, contributing to the development, peace, unity and progress of the state, amongst others, all seem to have dissipated. These cases portray a reckless negligence, weak and kindergarten attitudes towards preaching and the promotion of peace, peace culture and moral education for sustainable nation building to the citizenry.