Integrity

Need  for People of Integrity in the Society

One of the qualities that a person should aspire to have is Integrity. Integrity is the quality of being honest and always having high moral principles in all you do. Principles are moral rules or sets of ideas which make you behave in a particular way. Integrity has a lot of attributes and features especially those that are considered good or useful. Some of these attributes are:

Attributes  of Integrity

Honesty:It is the ability of being truthful and straight forward at all times. Honesty is an intrinsic value that has the quality of being straightforward, reliable, truthful, sincere and godly in human activities. To be honest means to be responsible, respectable and fearlessly truthful.

An honest person is usually committed to his words and disapproves of corrupt tendencies. He is well regarded, respected and looked up to as a societal model and source of godly inspiration.

Features of Honesty

An honest person possesses certain features which distinguishes him from the public.

These include:

1. Being committed to duty and the task set before him.
2. Showing uncompromising support for justice and truth.

III. Being trustworthy this brings him dignity and integrity.

1. Living a disciplined life which shows in his being reliable and dependable.
2. Being bold and courageous to defend the truth and condemn permissive living.
3. Being self-assertive and self-reliant.

VII. Being alert to one’s conscience and to the public.

Benefits of Honesty

Honesty has the following benefits to the individual and society:

1. It leads to economic, social and political advancement.
2. Honesty removes fear, bitterness and acrimony in the social, political and economic circumstances of life.

III. Honesty attracts patronage and good work to the individual and society

1. Honesty has unsolicited defenders, protectors, admirers and lovers.
2. Honesty promotes justice and fair play among individual members of a society.

Selflessness:It is the ability to show more interest in the welfare of other people

Courage:This is ability to face difficulty, danger or pain without fear.

Integrity:It is the ability to stand and stick to sound morals and principle at all times.

Sincerity :it is the ability to be open minded and to have clear mind towards issue

Co-operation:Ability to work with other people to achieve a common goal.

Fairplay:It is the ability of been considerate and to avoid cheating. This is the state of being impartial in your treatment to other people.

Justice:It is the ability of being just,righteous and upright.

Contentment: It is a means of being happy and satisfied with what one has. Happiness and satisfaction gives a person of integrity the mind to plan to work harder in life. Contentment cancels greed and covetousness from te life of a person of Integrity.

Truthfulness: This is the act of being sincere in action, character and utterance. If a person is truthful, what he says does not contradic what he does.

Examples of People in the Society with Integrity

Late Professor Dora Akinyuli – The former DirectorGeneral of National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control. She has worked contentiously more than all those who ave headed that agency.

Religious leaders such as Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Abubakar Salas, Shiek Muydeen Ajani Bello, Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye, Pastor W. F. Kumuyi, Reverend Felix Meduoye and other religious leaders.

Gani Fawehimi (SAN) – A reputable lawyer who hates to see people cheated. He criticizes positively and stood to fight for the common man.

People of integrity maintain high standards and moral principles in the society. They are sincere, honest and exhibit fai-paly in all their dealings with people. Their live styles will affect everyone around them especially young people.

ASSESSMENT

Define integrity?

List TWO attributes of integrity?

List TWO examples of people in the society with integrity?