Rediscovering Social Consciousness

Animals  cannot attain
self-consciousness and so are incapable of performing moral acts. Unlike animal, right from conception every human person has the imprint of the eternal law. Through  this inborn lights, humans  receive  a natural instruct to act or behave as  befit  their  nature  and to live according to reason. This spark which was not quenched even in the heart of Cain when he was driven out of paradise  as known as the conscience.
The term  conscience is derived from the Latin word “Conscientia” (synthesis  in Greek) meaning awareness. Conscience is a name for the function of distinguishing between right or wrong. It is the norm of morality for human action. Through the force and affluence of this interior  eye or visual capacity, the human person is guided  in the path of common good. The universal  principle of the conscience is that the good must be done and evil must be avoided. The conscience  is capable of living  or dying. Thus, when one fails to enlighten  or listen to the conscience, it defies  and so  that person  denigrates to the  level  of an animal. This explains why some people feel  their  short coming more accurately  than others.
The traditional African Society understood  these principles  very well in the good old days, Africans were known for their clear  concept of the universe  and  of the principles of ontological balance. The African  world view of man and of the universe was holistic because it was based on unanimism  and communalism. Deep  sense  of solidarity and  oneness of voice  was the order of the day. According to Joseph  Fairan in his  book titled “Foundation of African Communication: with examples from Yoruba culture”, in the traditional African  Society there was  a kid of co-existence between  the society and the human person,  a shared  view of the world  to which  the idea of the individual as a separate being  from the  unified  bording force  was foreign. Thus, the reality of the communal  world took precedence  over the reality of the individual life because the emphasis  was on the social norms of  the community rather than on individual pleasure. Obligations were expected from the  individual and the community was supreme and so  can make  or unmake the individual. Consequently, person hood  was earned and not simply given  because one is born  of human seed. Such  was the dignity  of the human person in the traditional African society.
However, in recent times, social consciousness is on the  verge of extinction. Some scholars attribute this to some bitter experiences the Nigerian society has gone through  in the past that influenced it greatly, such as colonialism.
According to Igboanusi, the Colonialists  were the camouflage of liberation  freedom  but the consequences of their individualism destroyed traditional norms and brought a lot of damage to the African society so that many of the norms are either crocked down or even  ridiculed. Thus, the African society not only face  identify crisis but are also unable to give the people  proper  direction because its objectivated meaningful  social  order has been unsettled.
Consequently, new morality with its tendency to focus on the freedom of individuals, on change and on the primacy of immediate  personal value is now the order of the day.  Actions are now justified  based on their effectiveness and efficiency in bringing about some expected selfish ends. A typical example  of this –survival of the fittest syndrome are the recent political unrests in the Ikwerre kingdom. The   recent shooting in Nye Fli in Rumuporikon  town of title Chief,  Chief  Anthony Owabie of his son because of diverse  political  interests  easily come to mind. What on  earth could push a father to shoot his own son or a brother to destroy the properties of his brothers. Our fore fathers will certainly turn in their grave  in hearing this. These  ugly incidents arrest only un African but are also unjustifiable.
Every culture has its values. Value is the way a culture propels itself. Thus, without these values, the human person loses his/her personhood  and becomes an animal .
In African,  life is the greatest value. Other  values are peace, justice honesty, unity, wisdom  etc. the present day African society has lost its values. The sin of this age is the sin of Adam and Eve. Everyday, in various  places and profession, people struggle to be good.
Thus, falsehood, violence, terrorism, exploitation, arm and  pa robbery are celebrated. People now kidnap their own kindred. Bribery and corruption is condoned even by those who should champion it. These people seem to forget that the  fate  of Adam and Eve can befall them.
For us to rediscover social unsciouness and our identify as Africans,  we need to cultivate a society where morality  can thrive. To this effect,  tradition  education should occupy a fundamental place in the upbringing of young people as it was is the past. People should  be taught  to respect our traditional values and to appreciate  the harmony is the universe. Sanctions should be provided  to deter  and to nip in the bud  any attempt to destroy the common good. This will inculcate in people ethical sensitivity and equally help them to become moral agent or persons  capable  of following the established moral codes of the  society freely.
Obasi is of CIWA, Port Harcourt.

Marie C. Obasi