Upholding The Virtues Of Honesty, Personal Integrity In Governance

When you talk of honesty, it simply means truthfulness, sincerity or frankness, freedom from deceit or fraud. A book Honesty attempts to explain how Babatunde Raji Fashola became governor of Lagos State. It is a message delivered during a church conference by Nigeria’s Vice President-elect, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo in 2010, and reproduced by Grace Fehintolaoluwa. In ten steps, Osinbajo explains the powerful and positive impact honesty and integrity can have on a country, community and workplace. In the first five steps, Osinbajo critically looks at Nigeria, a blessed but poor country, threatened with poverty and insecurity. Osinbajo also incorporates examples of places like the United Kingdom, America and Japan, and how the gospel of Christ brought development to these communities. This serves as a motivational factor to those who believe they are too little to make a difference in a community, especially in contemporary Nigerian society, where people choose to ignore situations they could positively have impact on. Honesty speaks directly to the dishonest people, how they misuse the mandate and trust given to them to govern. The last five steps are on the principles of abundant life, which is found in Jesus Christ. It’s about the exemplary conduct of the Puritans, who followed the principles of the Bible, which brought tremendous growth to their community. No wonder that the Puritans were sought for in business dealings. The book explains how Fashola, a simple lawyer who found favour, became the Governor of Lagos State, because he was diligent. This gives hope to those who are diligent in whatever they do. There is always a good prize that comes with it. Honesty is coincidental and timely, considering that Nigeria is about to begin a new political dispensation that emphasizes change and honesty. Honesty is a 40-page book, written in a simple language for easy comprehension.