Sound Character is an inspirational book that has made so much impact in the lives of several primary and secondary school students across Nigeria since its first publication in 2005. Spiritual and financial partners with the God Father and Family Church International, Akure, Pastor David Adegboyega, the author of the highly compelling educational book spoke to Adeola Ogunlade on the making of the book and how Nigeria transformation is hinged on character transformation.
What were you doing before your present vocation?
I worked at Media Perspectives Limited for 17 months and then joined First Bank on 18 March 2008 till 25 March 2022. In view of the passion to raise a critical mass of young Nigerians to whom corruption is not an option, I took a bow from the bank to focus on this passion.
My 14 years with the First Bank have prepared me for this journey to transform Nigeria. To transform Nigeria will take us the next 50 years because the decline we see today happened over the last 50 years. I call this the #50YearChallenge. For that to happen, we must work with the teenagers and younger ones today and for the next 50 years, so we do a bottom-up cleansing of the people.
What informed your passion for sound character cultivation?
As I mentioned above, the need to raise a new generation of Nigerians to whom corruption will not be an option informed my passion. Also, the need to engage young people on how to manage freedom because I have realised that freedom is a combination of two words ‘free’ and ‘dom’ which means that you are free but within a ‘dom’ain. The question is what determines the domain? While in secondary school, the teachers, assembly, lights out in the dormitory, weekly hairdo for the girls, etc. helped to define the domain of their freedom. But by the time our young people enter higher institutions, they find freedom so there is a need to engage with them on how to make the best of it.
My passion is fueled by the vision of a new nation, and that means new people and that means the young ones of today because they are really the tomorrow we dream of. I love the song by Timi Dakolo ‘Great Nation’. A part of it says: “We’re all we have, we’ll defend our land, we believe in this nation, and we know we’ll get there.” That song inspired me to work with HarnessMusic to create the sound character theme song.
What are sound character and its significance to a healthy society or nation?
Character is the inner form that makes anyone or anything that it is. It is the essential content a person is made of, the inner reality and quality in which thoughts, speech, decisions, behavior, and relations are rooted. Character is a combination of qualities that make up a person, and it could either be good or bad. It is the invisible part of a person that governs conduct. Sound Character attributes show you as a person of value and positive influence on society. Sound Character attributes include godliness, patience, hard work, integrity, obedience, humility, responsibility, perseverance, and biggest of all, love. The greatest significance of sound character is that it helps us manage freedom. And, don’t let us think this only pertains to young people. Everyone is constantly challenged by freedom, and the antidote to managing freedom is sound character. The few sound character qualities highlighted above are enough to transform society or nation. Take ‘patience’ as an example. Just imagine for a moment how our roads will be if everybody is patient with the other road users. Imagine arriving at a junction where four roads meet, and where the traffic light is not working. Can you just imagine everyone being patient and allowing others to go in their turn? This sounds like Utopia! But we can make it happen if we dare. If you dare to be, you will become. Sound character impacts the four pillars of society which are the home, education, religion, and the media. Imagine when these sound character qualities hold sway in all any of these pillars.
Tell us about your book, ‘Sound Character: Maxim for a Successful Future’, that many public and private schools have infused in their curriculum.
The book contains daily nuggets on sound characters with cartoon illustrations. It is intended that this is used daily during the assembly to speak with the students while parents can use it at home during their family devotion. It is a very handy book with incisive nuggets.
Altogether, about 40,000 copies have been printed and distributed. Several well-meaning individuals and organizations have made this happen. The first person to blow my mind on the possibilities of the book is the Wife of a former Governor of Ogun State, Mrs. Olufunso Amosun, who branded 10,000 copies to celebrate Nigeria’s 52nd Independence Day Anniversary in 2012. First Bank, where I used to work, did 17,000 copies. Hon. Jide Jimoh, then Chairman, Yaba LCDA (now Honourable Member of the House of Reps, Lagos Mainland Federal Constituency) did 1,000 copies in 2014. A fashion SME, Brand Collections by Nene, did 1,200 copies in 2022, while my wife and I have done over 5,000 most of which have been given out. Several schools including some Federal Government Colleges have bought the books. The most interesting is a school by name Immaculate Grace School in Ojokoro area of Lagos; where the books have been used for the past 10 years everyday at the assembly where teachers and even the students have a roster for reading and explaining the book at the assembly. Recently, Sceptre Comprehensive College in Ketu area of Lagos shared a testimonial of a student returning some amount of money because they are being taught sound character. I was thoroughly awed.
The book has impacted across the country through the support of volunteers such as Seyi Okewale when he served in Wamba LGA of Nasarawa State, Ayo Emmanuel Ojo when he served in Onitsha, Anambra State, John Ikhatalor when he served in Jos, Plateau State. Chinyere Okafor also gave me the opportunity to impact students at Ago-Iwoye in Ogun State. I can go on and on but we are only just getting started.
How does the book aid the intellectual, moral & social growth of children?
The philosophy behind the book is that what we put into education today will reflect in our society tomorrow. Children are tabula rasa, meaning clean slates; they do not have any preconceived ideas giving us a good chance to ingrain the desired values in them. The sound character book aids the intellectual, moral, and social growth of children as they daily interact with the quotes and cartoon illustrations. The illustrations tell a thousand stories that children can interpret in their own way, and own the meaning. This is even more powerful than when someone tries to explain the meaning to them. I have amazing testimonials from proprietors and proprietresses. The book also has versions for parents where they can write for their children on sound character; their handwriting then becomes their voice when the child is thousands of miles away from home. There is also a 31-day calendar version which can be hung on the wall in each classroom or bedroom. All these help to reinforce the sound character message.