Sunday Awoniyi, a Professor of Social Ethics at Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko, has proposed the reintegration of African ethical values to promote morality, responsibility, justice, and selflessness among leaders and citizens as a way of tackling corruption and moral decay in Nigeria.
Prof. Awoniyi made this known on Tuesday, June 2, 2026, while delivering the institution's 64th inaugural lecture titled, "The Wages of Corruption and Leadership Failure: Socio-Ethical Frameworks as Pathways to Social Transformation."
The don argued that, contrary to the belief that corruption results from legal, administrative, and economic failures, it is fundamentally a socio-ethical problem stemming from a distorted ethical consciousness in society, where "vice appears virtuous and injustice appears normal."
While bemoaning the consequences of corruption and leadership failure on societal development, he warned that corruption in Nigeria and across Africa has become systemic. According to him, it is now embedded in institutions, normalised in culture, and often rationalised as a survival strategy.
Prof. Awoniyi highlighted various forms of corruption, including bribery, embezzlement, extortion, nepotism, money laundering, vote rigging, patronage, misappropriation of public funds, and contract scams. He also noted unethical political practices such as agitation for second terms and the abuse of entrusted power or position for personal gain.
He stated that these practices have resulted in weakened institutions, economic stagnation, and the erosion of public trust. He added that they have further denied poor Nigerians access to healthcare, education, and dignity, while leadership failure worsens the situation through a refusal to repent, make restitution, and implement reform.
In addition to moral decay, he blamed personal greed, declining ethical sensitivity, lack of accountability, societal acceptance of corruption, weak transparency, slow judicial processes, trivialisation of corruption cases, absence of moral criteria in promotions, and poor encouragement of moral uprightness.
The social ethicist proposed a socio-ethical approach that integrates moral values, social institutions, cultural narratives, and public accountability to drive moral transformation, rather than relying on legal reforms, which he said have repeatedly failed to change the country.
On a fundamental level, Prof. Awoniyi urged relevant institutions to embrace virtue ethics and character formation, alongside the revival and reintegration of African ethical values.
He highlighted traditional values such as respect for elders and leaders as essential for wisdom and social stability. He also stressed collective responsibility in supporting vulnerable groups, including orphans, widows, and the elderly, as well as participation in communal endeavours as a necessity rather than a choice.
He further stated that conflict resolution and the promotion of social harmony should be treated as shared responsibilities, not left solely to legal institutions, warning that the decline of these values has significantly contributed to Africa's contemporary social challenges.
Prof. Awoniyi called for the institutionalisation of ethics, moral philosophy, civic responsibility, and accountability training at all levels of leadership development, including political, public, and corporate service.
He also emphasised the need for moral re-socialisation and strengthened civic education at every level of schooling, with a focus on trust, social responsibility, and the collective good over personal gain.
Aside from strengthening the justice system and accountability, he further appealed to leaders to embody the values they promote, adding that public ethics should be demonstrated visibly and consistently.
"Anti-corruption policies should be combined with legal enforcement, ethical education, institutional reform, and cultural transformation. This is because punishment alone cannot defeat corruption without moral consensus.
"In addition, active citizenship and moral courage should be encouraged by protecting whistle-blowers and civil society actors, effectively promoting an ethical intolerance of corruption at the societal level," Prof. Awoniyi said.
Earlier, the Vice Chancellor and Chairman of the occasion, Prof. Olugbenga Ige, congratulated the lecturer on delivering the university's 64th inaugural lecture, describing it as a historic academic tradition and an intellectual milestone.
He commended Prof. Awoniyi for his intellect and courage in advancing ideas and research that address societal challenges and promote national development.
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