By Juliet Ambali 

The family is the easiest and most accessible space that any individual can begin to contribute immensely to the society, the nation and the entire globe at large. Every component of the nation you intend to build can be found within your family circle. Look at the bigger picture of the nation and back at your home and you will see that you have yourself a sector where your impact can be greatly felt.  

Mr A wants to reform certain areas in policy, but has not explored a smaller fraction of that ambition within his household. Ms B wants to influence the educational system, but does not realize that the heart of this change starts at home.  

Sadly, most of the challenges faced by the society today, such as corruption, violence, dishonesty, indiscipline, and moral decadence, cannot be tackled solely by legislation alone. Laws are essential in regulating behaviour, but families play the role of the moral police within the four walls of the home to mould characters that are suitable enough to contribute to nation building. 

There are areas to develop in several aspects or sectors within the family unit, but if we put the cart before the horse and misplace these priorities, one will find out that rather than achieving that grand goal in nation building or global advancement, one will miss the opportunity to lay the foundations that will have lasting impact in the nation. 

Therefore, it is very essential that as individuals, we go all out to ensuring that we are intentional about building wholesome families. This begins with your personal development. One cannot build a nation when one has not yet actively worked on personal building. What you want to build in the nation should only be a reflection of the healthy mindset you have built for yourself. When you can intentionally look out to seeing how you can improve your life holistically by first breaking away from hurtful pasts, childhood traumas, family dysfunctional systems that may be controlling how you think, how you operate, and how you navigate life, what you hope to build in the nation will be easier to implement. 

Before you have a government, a school, a religious centre, work organization or a marketplace, there is the family. It is within the family that values are first taught, character is first formed, and the foundation for responsible citizenship is laid. What is desired for a nation should first be cultivated as core values within the home.

‎Nation-building is not the responsibility of political leaders, policymakers, or influential institutions alone. Clearly, these groups have and play significant roles, however the family remains the first and most enduring institution for building strong nations. A society cannot thrive beyond the quality of what its people make of it. 

To achieve this, building the nation through the family certainly requires intentionality. Families must understand that this unit goes beyond simply living together. It involves living purposefully as a unit. Parents should create enabling environments where core values around different facets of life are intentionally passed down. Imagine nurturing children who have the mindset to contribute immensely to something greater than themselves. In little ways, modelling a life of service, empathy, civic responsibility, respect for diversity, and commitment to the common good are values that should be nurtured from childhood. Imagine what nation that will be like?

The family is a catalyst.  It is the starting point, the foundation. Let us begin from there and imagine what a world that would be where individuals put first things first and excel in the examinations that life brings.  

Juliet Ambali, an editor/writer, wrote in via [email protected]