By Dayo Adesulu
In its efforts to rejuvenate our cherished social and cultural values particularly among the youths, Society Icons, a non governmental and leadership development organisation has taken the campaign for value re-orientation to secondary schools across the country.

The campaign which came in form of workshops, seminars and conferences took place at Holy Child College, Ikoyi, Lagos. According to the Programme Director, Society Icons, Barrister Stella-Marris Mejulu said that  the programme was borne out of the desire to guide younger generations along the part of greatness and efforts to contribute to the re-branding campaign of the federal government.

“We are putting up this programme to contribute to the re-branding project of the Federal Government of Nigeria.

As we celebrate 50th independence anniversary of our great country, we thought it wise that our children need to be carried along because they are the future leaders of this country”, he explained stressing that they have brought resource persons who have seen it all to speak to the school children on the need to toll the part of honour and greatness.

In her speech entitled, “ Managing Change”, one of the resource persons who spoke to the students of Holy Child College and other attendees, a Chief lecturer, Federal College of Education, (Technical), Akoka, Dr Pat Mba bemoaned the level in which the country’s values have depreciated

Said she: “Our traditions and cultural norms have broken down. Our value system have actually depreciated. Therefore, there is need to bring children, youths into the limelight and inculcate in them what value system is and should be through workshop like this.” According to her, this is one of the ways through which they could be reintegrated into the cultural norm of the society.

Speaking further, Dr Mba noted that change like the internet, has both the positive and the negative sides. “Change is like the internet education. When you open the internet, you will see bad things and good things too. But we are talking about good things,  we are talking about positive change that will motivate the individual and propel him into action.”

While stressing the need for parents and other stakeholders to train their wards from childhood, the educationist revealed that it is only through training that positive changes could be identified as no meaningful achievements could come from bad attitudes. “Training in the right position is very important in managing change.

If I’m doing bad, how do I know that I’m doing bad, except I am  told, which means, you need a model to show you that this is how positive change can be achieved.”

Also speaking, the Administrator of the Holy Child College,  Rev. Sister Sophia Onuorah said that she partnered with the group to hold the workshop in her school because she realised the need for value orientation in the country.

“I allowed this programme for us to rob minds together and know what our values are . I saw the speakers and I know that they have something to offer us together we will begin to think what value is . I’m happy with what I have heard so far”, she disclosed, adding that the students would be challenged at the end of the programme to imbibe the right values.

Earlier in his opening remarks at the workshop, the Executive Director, Society Icons, Mr Mike Okonji, said that they took the campaign for value re-orientation to schools to assist parents and teachers in the task of training  young children.

While encouraging the students to place value on their social and economic activities, he called on the leaders within and outside government to de-emphasise the issue of ethnicity and religion in their quest to govern the country.