By Okechukwu Onuegbu
A forum of intelligentsia and moralists have identified value reorientation as tools to enhance productivity, address insecurity and other societal vices ravaging Anambra State.
The forum cum end of year party organised by Anambra State Civic and Social Reformation Office (ANCISRO), a social orientation faculty in governor Chukwuma Soludo's office, was attended by philosophers, media practitioners, lawyers, scholars, among others.
They argued that formation and strict adherence to societal values would not only provide enabling environment for all to thrives but restore the dignity of man, as well as reposition Anambra State as a liveable and prosperous homeland, and destination for foreign and local investors.
The keynote speaker at the forum, Chief Bar. Akachukwu Maduakolam, in a lecture entitled Anambra values and how it affects Yuletide, had identified Anambra State as having a strong value which upholds integrity as a virtue, encourages industriousness, truth and honesty.
According to him, with observance of our shared values, the State could leverage on her challenges to build a liveable and prosperous homeland capable of addressing the japa syndrome (oversea traveling) because of numerous human and material resources available herein.
He argued that Anambra is uniquely and strategically situated at crossroads having shared a boundary with six States in addition to many markets and industrial hubs.
"Our greatest challenge is being unable to harness our core values. By projecting what we called Anambra values, we will build a destination," he stated, while calling on elites and affluence to always make lives comfortable to those living around them through training and charity so as to guarantee the safety of their children and society generally.
Maduakolam also stressed the needs for respect and equality before the law, access to justice to all, even as he enjoined the government and elites to make the laws of the land available to the public, and the media to join in public sensitisations.
He also enjoined communities to use the period of Christmas and New Year festivities to provide justice to the oppressed, while addressing people grievances through Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR), which according to him, would go a long way in addressing insecurity and restoring peace.
Also speaking, a discussant and Deputy Director, Planning and Research Strategies, Mr Chinedu Okwelogu, urged the law enforcement agents and media to refrain from what he described as exaggerating or under reporting issues as it amounts to committing crimes.
Contributing, another discussant and former National Vice President, Southeast, Nigeria Guild of Editors (NGE), Mr Victor Agusiobo, advocated for value reorientation of the uniformed men which included the law enforcement agents, traffic control agents, among others.
According to him, this could help in getting them to provide solutions or peace rather than hiding to wait for offenders to be fined or prosecuted.
Earlier, the Managing Director, ANCISRO, Sir Chuka Nnabuife, while re-emphasising that value reorientation would help to restore law and order, and build a liveable and prosperous homeland, advocated for revival of youth organisations that orientate people towards social service, volunteerism and patriotism.
"Anambra State's government's decision to set up ANCISRO comes timely, amid an unprecedented fast degeneration of values and sense of civic responsibility among our people. Our society's values may never have dropped as low as we are witnessing currently.
"The situation has gone so bad that in homes, communities, including faith-based organisations such as churches, mosques, places of traditional worship and others where morals and ethics used to be the stronghold of teaching and orientation, how to get rich, quick has taken over.
"The way we are going, we would not achieve a livable and prosperous homeland if we continue without law and order and keep ignoring our civic responsibilities. Anambra's ultimate greatness depends on these. All through the ages in history, great societies never toyed with maintaining orderliness through upholding their laws and encouraging citizens as well as sojourners to live up to their civic duties.
"Without keenness for law and order, high sense of patriotism and such vital development factors as concern for the wellbeing of our land, genuine interest in our neighbours and hospitality, our land would not grow to a greater one. At best, we would get pockets of individual instances of richness but the larger society would remain impoverished.
"In such a situation, everyone would feel unconnected and the weak would feel increasingly, alienated, making them to infest their angst on society in the form of disenchantment, engaging in criminal activities such arson, violence and other vices," he added.
It would be recalled that the governor of Anambra State, Professor Chukwuma Charles Soludo established the Anambra State Civic and Social Reformation Office (ANCISRO) on September 1, 2024, with mandates to inspire and instill an enduring reformation of the values and social conduct of the citizenry with the view of making the state livable and robustly prosperous.
The event also witnessed songs and Christmas hymns rendention.
