Abstract
Ethics, values, and morals in institutional leadership and management have eroded most Nigerian leaders as a result of the high rate of social sins—and that the ways leaders conduct themselves have destroyed society. Social sins, which are now permeable in Nigeria, have become legitimate or acceptable and quite common nowadays, and institutional leaders have little or no influence on solving the menace of social sins in their institutions and families. This chapter empirically reported the findings of cutting-edge research that reviewed and systematized what was hitherto known and what is yet to be acknowledged as social sins and the quality of institutional leadership and management in Nigeria.
TopIntroduction
The sermon of the Seven Social Sins was delivered by Frederick Lewis Donaldson in Westminster Abbey, England on March 20, 1925. He referred to these sins as the “7 Deadly Social Evils” (Donaldson, n.d). It was a misconception that Mahatma Gandhi was the first to speaker about the concept of social sins. It was on record that Mahatma Gandhi published the same list in his weekly newspaper in India in October 22, 1925 (Gandhi, 1925). Munroe (2014, p. 123) added “action without accountability” as the eighth social sin. To speak of social sin suggests that within the knowledge of human existence it is common place that individual's sin and it affects others. Sin in the correct sense of the word is often a private act since it is an act of freedom on the part of an individual and not of a group or community. These individuals are conditioned, incited and influenced by varied and powerful external factors. The individual may additionally be subjected to tendencies, defects, and habits along with his or her conditions. In some cases such external and internal factors could weaken the individual to a greater or lesser extent. However it is a truth in our religion, which is additionally confirmed by our knowledge, belief system and reasoning. The truth can not be forgotten or blamed on individuals' who sin or external factors like societal structures, systems or people.
Social sins are against the good and the exigence of the entire broad spectrum of the rights of others. The term social sins will be applied to sins either by commission or omission with reference to political, economic, soial, and religious leaders behaviors in society.
Admittedly, social sins are realities and things that delineate societal standards, and once they become generalized it reaches an alarming proportions as social phenomena. They nearly always become synonymous with human behaviors, even when their causes are complicated and not continually specific in some societies. Thus, if we speak of social sin in the context of this chapter, the expression has no literal meaning. However, to talk analogically of social sins in the context of Nigeria results in misunderstanding from many quarters irrespective of our religious affiliations. However, it should be viewed as an attraction to the consciences of all who get involved in social sins.
Unequivocally, I should add quickly that there are acts that mean and typically constitute social sins. However, some social sins are legitimate or acceptable and quite common presently in Nigeria. Social sins or private sins, unambiguously lead to additional or less automatically to the watering down and virtually the termination of the economic, social and political progress of a country. In line with the usage of the concept of ‘social sins’, and within the sense of its usage, organizations or institutions must rely on ethics, values, and morals to function effectively. Any nation that allows good values to erode her must pay for it dearly. Nations, institutions (private or public), nonprofit organizations, and families must ensure that strong values are promoted and protected. When ethical values are not promoted and protected, it leads to societal decadence and deficiencies in values and morals (Ololube, 2018a)
At the epic of the state of affairs of social sins, which is profoundly experienced in Nigeria, sinful individuals keep multiplying and societal values are beginning to be jeopardized. Therefore, the truth remains that even when such a state of affairs exists and efforts at modifying it structurally fail using institutional ways like the forces of law (courts), it means that social sins really have proven to be on the increase and efforts at combing it seems to be incomplete.
Key Terms in this Chapter
Leadership: The action of leading people or a a group of people in an organization through different styles of leadership. It involves the ability to communicate, influence, encourage, and motivate people to take meaningful and productive actions.
Sin: Sin in the correct sense of the word is often a private act since it is an act of freedom on the part of an individual and not of a group or community.
Social Sins: Any act(s) that are against the good and the exigence of the entire broad spectrum of the rights of others. They are sins either by commission or omission with reference to political, economic, soial, and religious leaders behaviors in society.
Effective Management: An effective management is the ability to leader people through processes and practices to achieve results. It flows from team members who willingly follow management enthusiastically and are committed to success.
Institution: A ny establishment that is founded for economic, social, political, religious, educational, or professional purposes established law or practice (e.g., an academic institution).