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Vraag 1 Verslag
Narrate an experience you have had or heard about which illustrates the saying: 'Honesty is the best policy'
How to approach this question: This is a narrative composition built around a proverb. It must tell a single, well-organized story with a beginning, a rising conflict and a resolution, and the events must clearly prove that honesty pays. Below is a model narrative.
HONESTY IS THE BEST POLICY
It was a busy Saturday morning at Oja-Oba market, and I had been sent by my mother to buy foodstuff for the week. The crowd was thick, the traders were shouting their prices, and I clutched the money in my palm as I moved from stall to stall. Little did I know that the day held a lesson I would never forget.
As I turned into the poultry section, my foot struck something soft. Looking down, I saw a fat brown wallet lying half-hidden in the mud. My heart skipped. I picked it up quickly and stepped aside to examine it. Inside was a thick bundle of naira notes, far more money than I had ever held in my life, together with an identity card bearing the name and picture of a middle-aged man.
For a moment, a voice whispered in my mind that no one had seen me and that the money could solve many of my family's problems. But another voice, the voice of my conscience and of my parents' training, reminded me that the money was not mine. I remembered my father's favourite saying: honesty is the best policy. I made up my mind at once to find the owner.
I took the wallet to the market association's office and reported my find. Barely an hour later, a worried man rushed in, describing the wallet and its contents exactly. It was the very man on the identity card. When his wallet was handed to him, tears of relief filled his eyes. He explained that the money was meant for his daughter's school fees and a hospital bill, and that he had been searching everywhere in despair.
Overwhelmed with gratitude, he insisted on giving me a generous reward, and he took my address so that he could thank my parents. A week later, he visited our home and, impressed by my honesty, offered to sponsor my education till the end of secondary school.
That single act of honesty changed my life. It brought me a benefactor, honour for my family and a peace of mind that no stolen wealth could ever buy. From that day, I understood, beyond any doubt, that honesty is truly the best policy.
Antwoorddetails
How to approach this question: This is a narrative composition built around a proverb. It must tell a single, well-organized story with a beginning, a rising conflict and a resolution, and the events must clearly prove that honesty pays. Below is a model narrative.
HONESTY IS THE BEST POLICY
It was a busy Saturday morning at Oja-Oba market, and I had been sent by my mother to buy foodstuff for the week. The crowd was thick, the traders were shouting their prices, and I clutched the money in my palm as I moved from stall to stall. Little did I know that the day held a lesson I would never forget.
As I turned into the poultry section, my foot struck something soft. Looking down, I saw a fat brown wallet lying half-hidden in the mud. My heart skipped. I picked it up quickly and stepped aside to examine it. Inside was a thick bundle of naira notes, far more money than I had ever held in my life, together with an identity card bearing the name and picture of a middle-aged man.
For a moment, a voice whispered in my mind that no one had seen me and that the money could solve many of my family's problems. But another voice, the voice of my conscience and of my parents' training, reminded me that the money was not mine. I remembered my father's favourite saying: honesty is the best policy. I made up my mind at once to find the owner.
I took the wallet to the market association's office and reported my find. Barely an hour later, a worried man rushed in, describing the wallet and its contents exactly. It was the very man on the identity card. When his wallet was handed to him, tears of relief filled his eyes. He explained that the money was meant for his daughter's school fees and a hospital bill, and that he had been searching everywhere in despair.
Overwhelmed with gratitude, he insisted on giving me a generous reward, and he took my address so that he could thank my parents. A week later, he visited our home and, impressed by my honesty, offered to sponsor my education till the end of secondary school.
That single act of honesty changed my life. It brought me a benefactor, honour for my family and a peace of mind that no stolen wealth could ever buy. From that day, I understood, beyond any doubt, that honesty is truly the best policy.
Vraag 2 Verslag
In a letter to your brother who has been studying abroad for the past five years, describe at least three ways in which the current economic situation has affected the way of life of your family.
How to approach this question: This is an informal letter to a brother abroad. It needs the writer's address and date, an informal salutation, a warm register, and clear description of at least three ways the economic situation has affected family life. Below is a model answer.
7 Adeyemi Close,
Abeokuta,
Ogun State.
10 July, 2026.
Dear Kunle,
It has been such a long time since we last heard from each other, and the whole family misses you dearly. Five years is no small time to be away, and I am sure you can hardly imagine how much things have changed here at home. I am writing to tell you plainly how the present harsh economic situation has affected our way of life.
In the first place, the sharp rise in the prices of goods has changed the way we eat. Where mother used to prepare rich and varied meals, we now manage simple food and have cut down the number of times we eat meat and fish. Feeding a family of six has become a daily struggle because the cost of foodstuff keeps climbing.
Secondly, the economic hardship has affected our education. Father could no longer afford the fees of the private school we attended, so both Bola and I were transferred to a public school. We have also had to do without many textbooks and now depend on borrowed copies.
Thirdly, the situation has changed our social life. Father sold the family car because fuel and maintenance became too expensive, and we now travel by public transport. We rarely go out for outings or celebrations as we used to, and mother has started a small trade to add to the family income.
In spite of all this, we remain hopeful and united, and we thank God for keeping us together. Please do write soon and tell us how you are faring in your studies. We count the days until you return home to us.
Your loving brother,
Segun
Antwoorddetails
How to approach this question: This is an informal letter to a brother abroad. It needs the writer's address and date, an informal salutation, a warm register, and clear description of at least three ways the economic situation has affected family life. Below is a model answer.
7 Adeyemi Close,
Abeokuta,
Ogun State.
10 July, 2026.
Dear Kunle,
It has been such a long time since we last heard from each other, and the whole family misses you dearly. Five years is no small time to be away, and I am sure you can hardly imagine how much things have changed here at home. I am writing to tell you plainly how the present harsh economic situation has affected our way of life.
In the first place, the sharp rise in the prices of goods has changed the way we eat. Where mother used to prepare rich and varied meals, we now manage simple food and have cut down the number of times we eat meat and fish. Feeding a family of six has become a daily struggle because the cost of foodstuff keeps climbing.
Secondly, the economic hardship has affected our education. Father could no longer afford the fees of the private school we attended, so both Bola and I were transferred to a public school. We have also had to do without many textbooks and now depend on borrowed copies.
Thirdly, the situation has changed our social life. Father sold the family car because fuel and maintenance became too expensive, and we now travel by public transport. We rarely go out for outings or celebrations as we used to, and mother has started a small trade to add to the family income.
In spite of all this, we remain hopeful and united, and we thank God for keeping us together. Please do write soon and tell us how you are faring in your studies. We count the days until you return home to us.
Your loving brother,
Segun
Vraag 3 Verslag
Write a letter to the Commissioner for Agriculture informing him of the invasion, by certain pests, of farms in your locality and asking for advice and help in controlling them.
15 Farmers' Road,
Idi-Ayunre,
Oyo State.
10 July, 2026.
The Commissioner for Agriculture,
Ministry of Agriculture,
Oyo State.
Dear Sir,
INVASION OF FARMS BY PESTS IN OUR LOCALITY
I write on behalf of the farmers of Idi-Ayunre and its neighbouring villages to report a serious invasion of our farms by pests, and to appeal for your urgent advice and assistance in bringing them under control.
For about three weeks now, swarms of insects, chiefly grasshoppers and armyworms, have descended on our fields. They have destroyed large stretches of maize, cassava and vegetables, feeding on the leaves and stems until whole plots stand bare. Rodents have compounded the damage by burrowing into our yam heaps. The few remedies within our reach, such as wood ash and local sprays, have proved wholly ineffective against so vast an infestation.
The consequences are grave. Many farmers face the loss of an entire season's harvest, which threatens both their livelihood and the food supply of the surrounding towns. If the pests are not checked without delay, they may spread to farms in other districts.
I therefore appeal to your Ministry to send agricultural officers to inspect our farms, to advise us on the correct pesticides and methods of control, and, where possible, to supply the chemicals and equipment at a price we can afford. Training on how to prevent future outbreaks would also be most welcome.
We shall be deeply grateful for a prompt response, as every day of delay increases our losses.
Yours faithfully,
Tunde Adeyemi
(Secretary, Idi-Ayunre Farmers' Association)
Antwoorddetails
15 Farmers' Road,
Idi-Ayunre,
Oyo State.
10 July, 2026.
The Commissioner for Agriculture,
Ministry of Agriculture,
Oyo State.
Dear Sir,
INVASION OF FARMS BY PESTS IN OUR LOCALITY
I write on behalf of the farmers of Idi-Ayunre and its neighbouring villages to report a serious invasion of our farms by pests, and to appeal for your urgent advice and assistance in bringing them under control.
For about three weeks now, swarms of insects, chiefly grasshoppers and armyworms, have descended on our fields. They have destroyed large stretches of maize, cassava and vegetables, feeding on the leaves and stems until whole plots stand bare. Rodents have compounded the damage by burrowing into our yam heaps. The few remedies within our reach, such as wood ash and local sprays, have proved wholly ineffective against so vast an infestation.
The consequences are grave. Many farmers face the loss of an entire season's harvest, which threatens both their livelihood and the food supply of the surrounding towns. If the pests are not checked without delay, they may spread to farms in other districts.
I therefore appeal to your Ministry to send agricultural officers to inspect our farms, to advise us on the correct pesticides and methods of control, and, where possible, to supply the chemicals and equipment at a price we can afford. Training on how to prevent future outbreaks would also be most welcome.
We shall be deeply grateful for a prompt response, as every day of delay increases our losses.
Yours faithfully,
Tunde Adeyemi
(Secretary, Idi-Ayunre Farmers' Association)
Vraag 4 Verslag
There has been a violent demonstration in your school in which damage was done to school property. Write a report for the principal stating the causes of the demonstration, and what you think should be done to prevent a recurrence of such an incident.
REPORT ON THE VIOLENT DEMONSTRATION IN THE SCHOOL
To: The Principal
From: The Senior Prefect
Date: 10 July, 2026
Introduction
This report gives an account of the violent demonstration that took place in the school on Tuesday, 7 July, 2026, in which several school properties were damaged. It sets out the causes of the demonstration and recommends measures to prevent a recurrence.
Account of the Incident
At about noon, a large group of students gathered in the assembly ground chanting angrily. Within a short while the protest turned violent. Louvre blades and classroom windows were smashed, chairs and desks were broken, and the door of the tuck shop was forced open. Order was restored only after the intervention of the staff and the timely arrival of the school security team.
Causes of the Demonstration
Recommendations
Conclusion
The demonstration arose from genuine grievances worsened by poor communication. If the recommendations above are adopted, I am confident that such an unfortunate incident will not happen again.
Submitted by:
Ngozi Eze
(Senior Prefect)
Antwoorddetails
REPORT ON THE VIOLENT DEMONSTRATION IN THE SCHOOL
To: The Principal
From: The Senior Prefect
Date: 10 July, 2026
Introduction
This report gives an account of the violent demonstration that took place in the school on Tuesday, 7 July, 2026, in which several school properties were damaged. It sets out the causes of the demonstration and recommends measures to prevent a recurrence.
Account of the Incident
At about noon, a large group of students gathered in the assembly ground chanting angrily. Within a short while the protest turned violent. Louvre blades and classroom windows were smashed, chairs and desks were broken, and the door of the tuck shop was forced open. Order was restored only after the intervention of the staff and the timely arrival of the school security team.
Causes of the Demonstration
Recommendations
Conclusion
The demonstration arose from genuine grievances worsened by poor communication. If the recommendations above are adopted, I am confident that such an unfortunate incident will not happen again.
Submitted by:
Ngozi Eze
(Senior Prefect)
Vraag 5 Verslag
Read the following passage carefully and then answer the questions on it.
It was a sunny day in the month of May. The sun took its rightful position very early, lending credence to the general feeling that Andrew's birthday ceremony was going to be greeted with the blessing of a pleasant climate. The sky looked so bright that Andrew insisted on having an open-air party. The habitual doubting Thomases had no dissenting opinions to express. Andrew had gone to a great length to ensure a hitch-free party; a party which would remain the talk of the town. Although it was not intended to be free for all, a lot had been done to stamp the occasion on the memories of many people long afterwards.
The bright sun continued to smile. Andrew's face beamed with pleasure with every passing moment. Very few of his conternporaries have so succeeded in reaching the top of the ladder. Andrew in particular had been an orphan of storm. His father's, death during his third year in the secondary school and that of his mother two years later were only two of this orphan's 'storms'. He suffered a physical misfortune when a stockfish machine severed his left middle finger. But Andrew did not despair.
The courage to fail is very cheap. Every fool can afford to fail But it raises one above the herd of cowards and never-do-wells to be up and struggling. The reward of forbearance in the end is resounding success. And so it was for Andrew. Ever since he finished his university education, it had been success galore. He had got a good i job in one of the country's insurance companies. His pay was good, his promotion had been steady and his prospects seemed bright. At forty, he had a good car and had already bought a house of his own. The world was at his feet!
(a) Give, in (iii) word or phrase, the meaning of each of the following words, as used in the passage: (i) dissenting; (ii) stamp; (iii) contemporaries.
(b) What figure of speech is "the bright sun continued to smile?"
(c) (i) What kind of grammatical structure is "the courage to fail?" (ii) What is its function in the sentence?
(d) What two hardships had Andrew gone through in life?
(e) What is implied by the expression The world was at his feet?
Comprehension answers (Andrew's birthday passage).
(a) Meanings of the words as used in the passage:
(b) What figure of speech is "the bright sun continued to smile"?
It is personification, because the sun, which is a non-living thing, is given the human ability to smile.
(c)(i) What kind of grammatical structure is "the courage to fail"?
It is a noun phrase (headed by the noun "courage" and modified by the infinitive "to fail").
(c)(ii) What is its function in the sentence?
It functions as the subject of the sentence (the subject of the verb "is").
(d) What two hardships had Andrew gone through in life?
First, he lost both his parents early, his father dying while he was in his third year in secondary school and his mother dying two years later, leaving him an orphan. Secondly, he suffered a physical misfortune when a stockfish machine cut off his left middle finger.
(e) What is implied by the expression 'The world was at his feet'?
It implies that Andrew had become highly successful and prosperous, so that he could enjoy the good things of life and everything seemed to be within his reach and under his control.
Antwoorddetails
Comprehension answers (Andrew's birthday passage).
(a) Meanings of the words as used in the passage:
(b) What figure of speech is "the bright sun continued to smile"?
It is personification, because the sun, which is a non-living thing, is given the human ability to smile.
(c)(i) What kind of grammatical structure is "the courage to fail"?
It is a noun phrase (headed by the noun "courage" and modified by the infinitive "to fail").
(c)(ii) What is its function in the sentence?
It functions as the subject of the sentence (the subject of the verb "is").
(d) What two hardships had Andrew gone through in life?
First, he lost both his parents early, his father dying while he was in his third year in secondary school and his mother dying two years later, leaving him an orphan. Secondly, he suffered a physical misfortune when a stockfish machine cut off his left middle finger.
(e) What is implied by the expression 'The world was at his feet'?
It implies that Andrew had become highly successful and prosperous, so that he could enjoy the good things of life and everything seemed to be within his reach and under his control.
Vraag 6 Verslag
Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions on it.
Most of the discussions in the newspapers today in Nigeria focus on the problem of corruption and its pervasive effects on our national life. It is a phenomenon which appears to have settled comfortably with us, more so that we now regard it, in a rather casual manner as a normal way of life. One may then wish to ask, what exactly is the complexion of corruption in Nigeria? Why is it so pervasive and how can it be minimized. if not completely eradicated?
Corruption takes many forms in the country. Contracts are not awarded on the objective criteria of professional competence and results of good feasibility studies. It is a matter of personal relationships, club affiliations or the expectation of some kick-backs. Loans are not given out by banks on the merit of what you need them for; it is the kick-backs from the loans that decide the manager's approval. Those who need jobs either have to bribe their way through to get the jobs or they do not get any.
Limited opportunities, the fast declining state of the economy. poor awareness of the rights the state allows. dire needs and a host of others have often been cited as factors responsible for the picture painted above.
Many suggestions have been offered for the alleviation of the problem Some of these suggestions are practical while others appear unrealistic especially in the context of the present orientation in the country. However, the view being held in this write-up is that the problem of corruption can only be tackled by the application of some practical solutions. Thus, we have to start with our leaders. It is being suggested here that our leaders must learn to lead by example. It is not enough for them to condemn corruption, they themselves must not be seen to be involved in any dirty practice. This calls for a great deal of honesty from them coupled with an appreciable degree of integrity and the readiness to help others without expecting to be cheaply rewarded.
Our educational system needs a serious overhaul to achieve some positive results. The teaching programmes must include subjects like Civics and Social Studies which normally expose students to their rights, the limits of such rights and the virtues of good neighbourliness Moral instruction in the schools should be tilted in favour of those imperatives that emphasize justice, fairness and selflessness. In addition, we need a radical reorientation with regard to our value system in the country. There should be less emphasis on the acquisition of material things. Those things that help to uplift the glory and name of the country need to be promoted.
(a) In two short sentences, give the writer's reasons for the wide-spread corruption in Nigeria.
(b) In one short sentence, explain the common pattern that corruption takes in the country.
(c) In three short sentences, summarize what the writer considers to be the practical solutions to the problem of corruption in the country.
Summary answers (corruption in Nigeria passage). Use your own words and keep within the sentence limit.
(a) The writer's reasons for the wide-spread corruption in Nigeria (two short sentences):
(b) The common pattern that corruption takes in the country (one short sentence):
Corruption commonly takes the form of decisions being based on personal relationships, club affiliations and the expectation of kick-backs or bribes rather than on merit, so that contracts, loans and jobs go to those who offer inducements.
(c) The practical solutions to the problem of corruption (three short sentences):
Antwoorddetails
Summary answers (corruption in Nigeria passage). Use your own words and keep within the sentence limit.
(a) The writer's reasons for the wide-spread corruption in Nigeria (two short sentences):
(b) The common pattern that corruption takes in the country (one short sentence):
Corruption commonly takes the form of decisions being based on personal relationships, club affiliations and the expectation of kick-backs or bribes rather than on merit, so that contracts, loans and jobs go to those who offer inducements.
(c) The practical solutions to the problem of corruption (three short sentences):
Vraag 7 Verslag
Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions on it.
The finest asset any child can have is a happy home. Such environment will enable him to develop strength and stability of character, thereby teaching him to face the future without fear or undue anxiety. It also will give him something worthwhile to live for. If he exhibits good judgement in later years, much of the credit must go to those who trained him. If he fails, it may have been due to troubles in his home. his school or unsympathetic and hostile relatives. A great i percentage of juvenile problems can be traced to faulty home education and unwholesome influences in early childhood. Undoubtedly, there would be fewer juvenile delinquents if there were more homes where children learned to love and respect their fellow men.
Remember this: happy parents create happy homes; happy homes produce happy children happy children make happy communities and happy communities make a happier world.
(a) Give one word that could replace each of the following in the passage: (i) asset (ii) stability; (iii) worthwhile; (iv) exhibits; (v) hostile: (vi) unwholesome
(b) State in three sentences, three reasons given by the writer to support his view that a happy home is the finest asset any child can have (c) What does the writer mean by: (i) undue anxiety, (ii) juvenile delinquents?
(d) Give from the passage. one: (i) abstract noun which means honour or praise;
(ii) adverb which means certainly: (iii) verb which means make or produce
(e) In one sentence, state why you think the author uses the word happy many times in the last paragraph.
Comprehension answers (happy home passage).
(a) One-word replacements as used in the passage:
(b) Three reasons a happy home is the finest asset (one sentence each):
(c) What the writer means by:
(i) undue anxiety: excessive or unnecessary worry and uneasiness.
(ii) juvenile delinquents: young people (children or adolescents) who engage in wrongdoing or criminal behaviour.
(d) From the passage, give one:
(i) abstract noun meaning honour or praise: credit.
(ii) adverb meaning certainly: undoubtedly.
(iii) verb meaning make or produce: create (also acceptable: produce).
(e) Why the author uses the word 'happy' many times in the last paragraph (one sentence):
The author repeats the word "happy" for emphasis, to show that happiness is passed on in a chain from parents to homes, to children, to communities and finally to the whole world.
Antwoorddetails
Comprehension answers (happy home passage).
(a) One-word replacements as used in the passage:
(b) Three reasons a happy home is the finest asset (one sentence each):
(c) What the writer means by:
(i) undue anxiety: excessive or unnecessary worry and uneasiness.
(ii) juvenile delinquents: young people (children or adolescents) who engage in wrongdoing or criminal behaviour.
(d) From the passage, give one:
(i) abstract noun meaning honour or praise: credit.
(ii) adverb meaning certainly: undoubtedly.
(iii) verb meaning make or produce: create (also acceptable: produce).
(e) Why the author uses the word 'happy' many times in the last paragraph (one sentence):
The author repeats the word "happy" for emphasis, to show that happiness is passed on in a chain from parents to homes, to children, to communities and finally to the whole world.
Vraag 8 Verslag
Your school has been invited to participate in a debate on the topic: Co-education in secondary schools should be abolished. Write out your speech for or against the motion.
Mr Chairman, timekeeper, accurate panel of judges, my worthy opponents, distinguished ladies and gentlemen, I rise to speak against the motion, that co-education in secondary schools should be abolished. I hold firmly that co-education should be preserved and encouraged.
My first point is that co-education mirrors real life. In the wider world, men and women live, work and build the nation side by side. A school that trains boys and girls together prepares its students for this reality, teaching them from an early age to relate to the opposite sex with respect, confidence and maturity.
Secondly, co-education promotes healthy competition and higher standards. When boys and girls learn in the same classroom, each group strives not to be outdone by the other. This friendly rivalry sharpens minds and raises academic performance for all.
Thirdly, co-education is economical for any nation. Building, staffing and equipping separate schools for boys and girls doubles the burden on scarce resources. One well-run mixed school serves a community far more efficiently than two half-equipped single-sex schools.
Fourthly, co-education helps to break down harmful prejudice. Where boys and girls study together, the old idea that certain subjects, such as science and mathematics, belong only to boys quietly disappears, for the girls prove themselves equal in every field.
My opponents may claim that mixing the sexes leads to indiscipline and distraction. But indiscipline is a failure of guidance, not of co-education. With good teachers, firm rules and proper counselling, mixed schools produce disciplined and well-rounded citizens.
For these reasons, that it prepares students for real life, raises standards, saves resources and destroys prejudice, I strongly urge this house to reject the motion. Co-education should not be abolished. Thank you.
Antwoorddetails
Mr Chairman, timekeeper, accurate panel of judges, my worthy opponents, distinguished ladies and gentlemen, I rise to speak against the motion, that co-education in secondary schools should be abolished. I hold firmly that co-education should be preserved and encouraged.
My first point is that co-education mirrors real life. In the wider world, men and women live, work and build the nation side by side. A school that trains boys and girls together prepares its students for this reality, teaching them from an early age to relate to the opposite sex with respect, confidence and maturity.
Secondly, co-education promotes healthy competition and higher standards. When boys and girls learn in the same classroom, each group strives not to be outdone by the other. This friendly rivalry sharpens minds and raises academic performance for all.
Thirdly, co-education is economical for any nation. Building, staffing and equipping separate schools for boys and girls doubles the burden on scarce resources. One well-run mixed school serves a community far more efficiently than two half-equipped single-sex schools.
Fourthly, co-education helps to break down harmful prejudice. Where boys and girls study together, the old idea that certain subjects, such as science and mathematics, belong only to boys quietly disappears, for the girls prove themselves equal in every field.
My opponents may claim that mixing the sexes leads to indiscipline and distraction. But indiscipline is a failure of guidance, not of co-education. With good teachers, firm rules and proper counselling, mixed schools produce disciplined and well-rounded citizens.
For these reasons, that it prepares students for real life, raises standards, saves resources and destroys prejudice, I strongly urge this house to reject the motion. Co-education should not be abolished. Thank you.
Vraag 9 Verslag
There has been an outcry in the country against the desire to get rich quickly, bribery and corruption, embezzlement of public funds and other forms of moral decadence. Write an article, suitable for publication in a national magazine, stating the causes of these social evils and suggesting possible solutions.
The Menace of Moral Decadence in Our Society
By Chidera Okonkwo
Scarcely a day passes without a fresh report of fraud, bribery or the reckless craze for wealth. The desire to get rich overnight, the embezzlement of public funds and the general decay of decent values have become a stain on our national life. This article examines the causes of these social evils and suggests how they may be curbed.
The first and greatest cause is the worship of wealth. Our society has come to measure a person's worth not by his character but by his cars, houses and money, no matter how they were acquired. In such a climate, honesty is mocked and the fraudster is celebrated, so young people conclude that the shortest road to riches, however crooked, is the wisest.
A second cause is the breakdown of moral training. Many homes are too busy chasing money to instil discipline, while religious and traditional restraints that once guided conduct have weakened. Where children are not taught the difference between right and wrong, they grow into adults with no inner check against greed.
A third cause is weak enforcement of the law. When corrupt officials go unpunished, or buy their way out of justice, the punishment loses its power to deter. Poverty and unemployment complete the picture, tempting desperate people to steal, cheat or take bribes simply to survive.
These evils can, however, be conquered. First, moral instruction must be revived in the home, the school and the place of worship, so that integrity is planted early. Secondly, the law must be applied firmly and without favour, for a corrupt person who knows he will be caught and punished will think twice. Anti-corruption agencies should be strengthened and shielded from interference.
Thirdly, government must create honest opportunities for work, so that the young are not driven to crime by idleness. Finally, society itself must change its values, honouring hard work and integrity rather than unexplained wealth.
If we build strong homes, enforce our laws and reward honest effort, we can rescue our society from moral ruin and hand a cleaner nation to the generations to come.
Antwoorddetails
The Menace of Moral Decadence in Our Society
By Chidera Okonkwo
Scarcely a day passes without a fresh report of fraud, bribery or the reckless craze for wealth. The desire to get rich overnight, the embezzlement of public funds and the general decay of decent values have become a stain on our national life. This article examines the causes of these social evils and suggests how they may be curbed.
The first and greatest cause is the worship of wealth. Our society has come to measure a person's worth not by his character but by his cars, houses and money, no matter how they were acquired. In such a climate, honesty is mocked and the fraudster is celebrated, so young people conclude that the shortest road to riches, however crooked, is the wisest.
A second cause is the breakdown of moral training. Many homes are too busy chasing money to instil discipline, while religious and traditional restraints that once guided conduct have weakened. Where children are not taught the difference between right and wrong, they grow into adults with no inner check against greed.
A third cause is weak enforcement of the law. When corrupt officials go unpunished, or buy their way out of justice, the punishment loses its power to deter. Poverty and unemployment complete the picture, tempting desperate people to steal, cheat or take bribes simply to survive.
These evils can, however, be conquered. First, moral instruction must be revived in the home, the school and the place of worship, so that integrity is planted early. Secondly, the law must be applied firmly and without favour, for a corrupt person who knows he will be caught and punished will think twice. Anti-corruption agencies should be strengthened and shielded from interference.
Thirdly, government must create honest opportunities for work, so that the young are not driven to crime by idleness. Finally, society itself must change its values, honouring hard work and integrity rather than unexplained wealth.
If we build strong homes, enforce our laws and reward honest effort, we can rescue our society from moral ruin and hand a cleaner nation to the generations to come.
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