AAUA Don, Laleye blames Africa’s developmental setbacks on decline in moral values

…..Seeks re-evaluation of Omoluabi, Ubuntu concepts

By AAUA IPPRU

A Professor of Philosophy at the Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko,  Solomon Akinyemi Laleye, has asserted that Africa’s ongoing developmental struggles are rooted not merely in economic or technological deficits, but in a profound moral collapse. He therefore proposed a holistic moral renaissance anchored in family, education, community, and institutional reform as a precondition for sustainable human development on the continent.

Delivering the university’s 41st Inaugural Lecture titled “The Ethics of Complementarity and the Third Face of the Coin: An Indispensable Route to Integral Human Development”, Professor Laleye argued that Africa’s moral infrastructure has eroded, with dire consequences for governance, innovation, and social cohesion.

Professor Laleye emphasised that families are the bedrock of ethical formation. Describing a child’s early mind as a tabula rasa, he stated that “Parents must nurture virtues such as honesty, empathy, and responsibility. The failure to do so compromises the future moral compass of society.”

He further underscored the role of schools as pillars of ethical training. Education, he contended, should not focus solely on academic excellence but must also cultivate moral consciousness through curricula embedded with ethical values.

Turning to the wider socio-political landscape, Professor Laleye criticised the failure of public institutions to embody justice and accountability.

“Where justice is selective and institutions ignore ethical violations, society cannot progress,” he declared.

He called for urgent reforms that would reposition governance institutions as ethical guardians, capable of restoring public trust and enforcing fairness in public affairs.

Central to the lecture was the concept of the third face of the coin—a metaphor symbolising the transcendence of binary oppositions in favour of integrated, holistic development. This concept, rooted in his philosophical doctrine of complementarity, promotes the balance of individual aspiration and communal welfare.

Drawing an analogy from Greek mythology, Laleye warned that innovation without ethical restraint like Icarus’s reckless flight could lead to ruin rather than progress.

“True human development must harmonise creativity with wisdom. Progress must be ethically grounded.”

Professor Laleye also reflected on Africa’s rich moral heritage, particularly the Ubuntu philosophy and the Yoruba Omolúàbí ethos, both of which uphold communal harmony, respect, and duty over rights.

He noted the decline of traditional ethical systems that once championed values like respect for elders, community service, and environmental stewardship.

“We must reawaken these traditions—not for nostalgia, but because they offer practical tools for rebuilding Africa’s moral capital,” he said.

Among his recommendations were:

• Integration of ethics into all levels of education.
• Development of community service initiatives to promote civic engagement.
• Promotion of intergenerational dialogue to restore cultural continuity.
• Institutional leadership training grounded in moral responsibility.

He also proposed a continental movement for moral reawakening, calling on scholars, religious leaders, and policymakers to collaborate in redefining Africa’s developmental model through an ethical lens.

Vice Chancellor of AAUA, Professor Olugbenga Ige, praised the lecture, describing Professor Laleye as a “model intellectual whose work bridges the academy and society.” He noted that the University would consider the integration of the lecture’s key recommendations into its civic and moral instruction framework.