Don't take what doesn't belong to you.
Don't defraud people for whatever reason.
If you see something going wrong, say something.
I had an experience that made me to remember each statement in three different occasions
Don't take what doesn't belong to you.
Whenever my father made the above statement to me, it reminded me of how dishonorable stealing is. He used every opportunity to tell me how stealing reduces the worth of a man. I was about eight years old when I experienced what made me to absolutely believe that you don't need to steal to get what you admire, it can be yours by being truthful and honest.
I was walking down the street on a fateful day when I saw a 50 Naira note fall from the pocket of a man walking in front of me towards the same direction. Prior to that evening, I had met my father to give me 20 Naira so that I could buy juice but he said he wasn't having money. Immediately the money fell, my mind was riddled with two thoughts; taking the money and returning back home or calling the man to hand it over to him. I decided to do the former. I took the money and pocketed it, but instead of returning home, I decided to continue to walk down the street to a shop to buy juice.
I walked barely for 30 meters after picking the money when I saw the man turned back. He walked up to me and asked if I saw any money as I was coming. He had searched his pocket without finding it. At this point, my integrity was put to test. I remember my father's statement immediately. I decided to tell him the truth and handed him the money.
You are such a good boy. Keep it up.
He eulogized my action and ended up telling me to go with the money. He gifted me the money.
I reflected on the experience for days. What I thought I could only get by lying was gotten by telling the truth. This experience comes to my mind each time I am faced with the temptation of being attracted to what doesn't belong to me.
Don't defraud people for whatever reason.
I was in 300L in the University when I was appointed the acting President of my State students' association. There was a certain amount of money that the State government paid to each and every student of the State's origin in institutions of higher learning. I was to liaise with the government officials sent from my state to pay all eligible students who had, months before, bought the bursary form. When the official arrived in the city, she called me to meet her in a hotel so that we could finalize the modalities of payment of the money. When I arrived at the hotel, the level of entertainment I received was a surprise. I didn't know that all the fruits, wine and other things gotten for me and my team were to influence our position in the discussion that was to follow.
The woman wasted no time to explain the norms associated with such payments
Welcome Mr. President. As I have always done with your predecessors and I don't know if they had briefed you before now, the list of eligible students I have with me is 2000 and we are going to paste 1000 on the notice board and this 1000 are the ones to be paid the bursary.
What happened to the remaining 1000 names? I interjected
The money meant for those 1000 names would be shared between me and you in the ratio 7:3.
I was shocked at such a dubious request. I asked about how the 1000 names would be selected from the 2000 in the about 40 pages document containing the names.
We are going to tear the pages randomly to get 20 pages out of the 40. She replied.
Whereas some of my executive members were asking me to negotiate the lopsided sharing formula, I rejected the whole request. A year before then when I was paid the money as an ordinary member of the association, I knew the purpose that the money served for me and I realized that there are many students in such a situation that are in dire need of the money.
I remember my father's statement and insisted every student must be paid and they were paid.
If you see something going wrong, say something.
In the same vein, I was always told to speak out when I see things going wrong. In my second year of my university education, I had an experience in an examination hall. A lady was cheating with some pieces of papers carefully pasted on her thigh. She had some hand written notes - possible answers to the examination questions- on the papers. From where I was seated, I noticed her head movement from her thigh to the table top and I began to suspect some wrong things going on. After a careful watch, I sighted the papers and I remember what I was told about saying something when I see something going wrong. I immediately alerted the invigilator and the invigilator caught her in the act. She was made to fill the malpractice form.
It was a general knowledge to everyone that whoever is found guilty of cheating in examination will be expelled. The lady was interrogated by a disciplinary panel of the university and was expelled after being found guilty of examination malpractice.
The moment of revelation.
I experienced the first two narrated stories but the last one is made up. I always wish to say something when I see something going wrong but it may be difficult if my statement would bring severe punishment such as expulsion of the culprit. I may be skeptical in doing that.