Character is said to be defined as the way a person thinks, feels, and behaves. Our characters are what make up our personality. Personality is unique to every individual just like one’s fingerprint.

Two individuals cannot have the same personalities. One can share the same set of characters with another individual, but not the same personality. No two people can think or behave in the same way. We might have similar thoughts or actions but they can’t be exact.

From the paragraph above we can see that characters are what make up our personalities. But what makes up our characters?

Characters can only be developed from our physical and outward activities; they can’t be developed internally. Let's imagine someone who thinks about wanting to give to the less privileged, but he or she didn’t do so; you can’t call such a person a philanthropist right?

Wisdom and knowledge unlike character can be gained even without leaving the comfort of your bed, but characters are what you display (your actions and inactions) when you interact with other people, in making or taking a decision.

For instance, I can choose to be nice to people or not. I can choose to tell lies and not to. That’s how your character comes out.

You can seek improvement by studying other people, reading books, and having self-reflection, but if you don’t act on what you’ve learnt it will never become part of you or your character.

Building blocks of character

Your characters are a product of what;

you value (A person who values humanity would tend to be kind, merciful, or compassionate),

your priorities (What you prioritize makes up your character, someone who prioritizes himself or herself all the time might tend to become selfish and cruel),

and your choices (the choice you make or take is what affirm that you truly have such characteristics. People don’t know what you are thinking but they can see your actions which are results of your choices).

National Development

Aristotle once said:

“All development in society begins with the development of the character of the young."

A country's characteristic is made up of the total sum of the characters of each of its citizens. If most of the citizens of a particular country have good or positive or hardworking characteristics it would reflect on how the country is being viewed internally and externally.

But when the majority of the citizens of a particular country or society are crooks or criminal-minded, and all they think about is how to steal or cut corners; such a society or a country can not be progressive no matter the leader in charge.

Sadly, this is the case in my country. Everyone laments about our incompetent, bad, and corrupt leaders. But they forgot that these leaders came out of the society too. Some of these citizens that complain bitterly are also stealing or cutting corners in their respective organizations or in the service they offer people. That’s why when leaders get replaced with different or new people, we see no changes.

I am sure it isn’t wrong to say that the number of honest people in my country; Nigeria, has reduced. And day by day people ditches honesty to soil their hands with corruption and all manner of socially ill vices that won’t bring about the progress of the country but decline.

Just like Aristotle said the development of the young ones is the building block of a society. Our youth minds have been polluted by everything around them; for example, the music they listened to, what they see the older ones do, and so on.

Most times when I think about what the future hold for my dear country; I can’t see any aspect to be happy about. Many smart Nigerians have missed opportunities due to the bad impression some corrupt people have left about the country in foreign countries.

After all, what is the essence of all the intelligence and talent when you are not trusted? Trust is what makes people think you are good for a particular job or position.

06-08-2022

2:25 pm

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