JORAS - Nigerian Journal of Religion and Society

The increasing spate of moral decadence and the degeneration of our moral values have not left any fabric of the society untouched. The various political, economic and social institutions at different levels, particularly in Northern Nigeria, have not been immune to this cankerworm. Taking a historical and sociological perspective, this paper traces the origin of the decline in social values from the Sokoto Caliphate era to the colonial period and the era of military interregnum. It is argued that leadership and educational institutions, which are critical to reorientation by virtue of their socialization capacity and capability, lost their focus as a result of internal contradictions that were worsened by colonial domination and subjugation. The colonial system did not share the existing values in Northern Nigeria. Its rampaging exploitative system conquered the values it met on the ground through a new professional and commercial class and the Native Authority system. The military came into power with no well articulated or robust values and ideals. Thus, our educational system entered into a crisis in ethical values with which it still finds itself struggling today.

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