SERI begins nationwide campaign against corruption, drug abuse, other social vices

Tony Okoh, Uyo

A new non-governmental organisation, the Social Engagement and Reorientation Initiative (SERI), has commenced operations in Nigeria with a mandate to promote ethical values, responsible citizenship and attitudinal change as part of efforts to address the country’s growing social challenges.

The organisation was officially inaugurated on Tuesday in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, alongside simultaneous launches in Abuja and Makurdi, marking the beginning of what its founder described as a nationwide movement to rebuild Nigeria through character development and civic responsibility.

Speaking during the inauguration ceremony in Uyo, the Founder of SERI, Engr. Ekemini Amos inducted over 100 volunteers and called on young Nigerians to become active participants in rebuilding the nation through volunteerism and community service.

According to Amos, although SERI was established in 2019 with the vision of championing social, ethical and attitudinal reformation, the relaunch in Uyo, Abuja and Makurdi represents a renewed commitment to confronting the moral and social challenges confronting the country.

He described the initiative as a response to the gradual erosion of societal values and urged citizens not to remain silent in the face of declining ethical standards.

“Our silence and our refusal to act in the face of eroding moral values make us complicit in the crisis. I did not come into this world to watch my nation decay. SERI was born out of that refusal,” he declared.

Amos said the organisation was founded on the conviction that every citizen has a responsibility to contribute to building a better society.

He lamented the increasing attraction of young people to internet fraud and the “get-rich-quick” mentality, stressing that integrity and hard work must once again become the defining values of the younger generation.

“I have always believed that I was born to correct the things I grew up hating. I grew up hating the sight of our young people chasing internet fraud and a get-rich-quick mentality as if integrity had an expiry date.

“I grew up hating reckless driving that turns our roads into graveyards. I grew up hating littering and environmental degradation, the carelessness with which we treat the land that feeds us. I grew up hating corruption, prostitution, drug abuse and every small compromise that tells a child that ‘this is just how Nigeria is’,” he said.

The SERI founder explained that the organisation would embark on advocacy campaigns in schools, markets and communities to promote civic consciousness and educate Nigerians on responsible behaviour.

He added that the initiative would mentor young people, discourage involvement in crime and social vices, and provide positive alternatives that encourage dignity in labour and productive living.

“We will mentor young people and show them that there is dignity in hard work. We will remind Nigeria that a nation is built not just with cement, but with character, because I believe, as I have always believed, that it is everybody’s obligation to leave the world better than we met it,” Amos stated.

He commended the volunteers and development partners in Uyo, Abuja and Makurdi for embracing the vision of the organisation and choosing constructive engagement over indifference.

“You have chosen action over apathy. You have chosen hope over despair, and together we will inspire a new generation of responsible citizens,” he said.

Delivering the keynote address titled “Building the Mindset of Nation Builders,” Dr. Reuben Etuk emphasised the importance of instilling ethical values and civic responsibility in young Nigerians.
He urged educational institutions to place greater emphasis on character formation alongside academic excellence, noting that sustainable national development depends largely on the quality of citizens produced by the nation’s schools.

The inauguration attracted partners, civil society stakeholders and public officials, including the Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Akwa Ibom State Council, Comrade Nsibiet John; the Senior Special Assistant to Governor Umo Eno on Ethical Orientation, Dr. Osondu Ahirika; and the Senior Legislative Aide to the President of the Senate, Barr. Kemfon Neke, who served as one of the lead discussants.

Participants expressed optimism that SERI’s programmes would contribute significantly to promoting ethical leadership, responsible citizenship and value-based national development across Nigeria.