Hey there, middle schoolers! Today, we’re going to talk about something important – certificate forgery. Yeah, it’s a big word, but don’t worry, I’ll break it down for you.
So, there’s this guy named Peter Obi. He ran for president in the last election in Nigeria. He says that some leaders in Nigeria do the wrong things because they are living a falsified life. What does that mean? Well, it means that they are pretending to be something they’re not.
One way they do this is by faking their academic records. You know, those certificates and degrees you get after finishing school? Yeah, some leaders lie about having those. They make fake certificates to make themselves look smarter than they actually are.
Peter Obi thinks that academic qualifications shouldn’t be the only thing that matters when it comes to being a leader. But he does believe that leaders should be honest about who they are and what they’ve achieved.
He says, “It is the issue of leaders making statements, doing things that are honest and truthful. This is an issue of honor and integrity. It is the foundation on which you build society.”
Basically, he’s saying that leaders should be honest and trustworthy. If they lie about their qualifications, how can we trust them to do the right things for our country?
Peter Obi also gives some examples of great leaders who didn’t have fancy degrees. One of them is Abraham Lincoln, who was the president of the United States. Lincoln came from a very poor family and didn’t have a formal education, but he was still a great leader.
Obi says, “He didn’t have to say he had a PhD here or there to generate arguments like what we are having all over Nigeria today which is bringing the credibility of the nation into question.”
So, you see, you don’t need a bunch of degrees to be a great leader. But you do need to be honest about your past and who you are.
Right now, some governors, lawmakers, and even the president in Nigeria are facing legal battles because of the lies they told about their academic records. It’s causing a lot of problems and making people question the credibility of their leaders.
So, the lesson here is that honesty matters. It’s important for leaders to be truthful about their qualifications and not pretend to be something they’re not. That’s how we can trust them to make the right decisions for our country.
