Civic Education Lesson: National Symbols And Leaders

Introduction

In our last lesson, we learnt what civic education is, the reason we need civic education as well as ways of learning civic education. In this lesson, we will be learning about our national symbols and our leaders.

This lesson will enable us to know the people, the places and the things to respect in our nation because national symbols represent the collective identity of any given nation, symbolise the shared values of the people in that nation. Hence, in order to foster the sense of belonging and loyalty in all citizens of the nation, our respect to people, places and things that makes up the national symbols and leaders is very important.

What Is Respect?

Respect is the attitude of consideration or showing high regard to a person; or the admiration for a person or symbol because of perceived merit. In a simple term, we can say, respect means to admire/like somebody or something simple because of their good qualities and/or achievements. It could also mean showing care for someone, something or place that is important in the nation.

Qualities And Achievements That Commands Respect

The following are some of the qualities and achievements that can earn a person respect in the nation:

• Being truthful by saying the truth at all times and in all situations.
• Good dressing and grooming.
• Educational attainment.
• Successful businessmen and professionals in their respective career.
• Positions attained and roles in life e.g., president, governor, family heads, pastors, teachers, imams, e.t.c.

People To Respect

1. Family members: In the family we should respect our father, mother, our older brothers and sisters and our relations such as uncles, aunties and grandparents. The views of the younger ones in the family must also be respected.

2. School authority: Principals, head teachers, teachers, prefects, seniors and class monitors among others are the people we should respect in the schools.

3. Traditional rulers: These rulers includes the Obas, Emirs, Obongs, Obis, paramount rulers, village/clans head, youth leaders and other traditional title holders.
   
   Traditional rulers

4. Religious leaders: They are pastors, pops, imams, and the priests.
   
   Religious leaders*

5. Political leaders: President, vice president, ministers, senators and their representatives at the federal levels; governors and commissioners and their representatives at the state level; chairmen and councilors and their representatives at the local levels as well as other appointees in political offices and parastatals.
   
   Political leaders

Places To Respect

The following are places of national symbols to respect:

1. Public places: These places includes the schools, airports, seaports, roads, parks, libraries, stadiums and the museum.
   
   Airport

2. Places of worships: Examples are, churches, mosques and the shrines. These places must be respected by the citizens by not littering them with nylons, disposable and other consumable leftovers.
   
   Church building

3. Public buildings: These places includes the kings palaces, courts of laws, offices of political leaders, community/town halls and civic centers.
   
   Court

Things To Respect

The following are things we must respect which forms part of our nation identity:

• Other people's view in the state, federal, locals and the communities must be respected.
• We must respect other's culture and traditions such as foods, dresses, languages and beliefs.
• We must respect the national constitution.
• National symbols such as the national flags, national anthem, national pledges, coat of arms, mace, national currency and statues of great heroes and heroins must be respected.
• We must also respect the national monuments like theatre, stadiums, museums as well as dams among others.
• Public properties like electric poles, oil pipelines, telephone wires, public water taps, traffic lights, post offices and street lights are to be cared for, protected and respected.

Ways Of Respecting People

There are different ways of respecting people which forms part of our national identity and some of these ways are as follows:

• Assist an elder to carry his/her load as a sign of respect which is acceptable.
  
  
• Stand up for an elder to sit be it at home, in a bus, in a gathering or any other public places where the need arises.
• Greet your parents and other relatives when you woke up in the morning, when you return from school and met them at home or when they return from work.
  
  
• You show respect by waiting for an elder to pass in a small passage before you come in.
• Do not refuse when you are sent an errand by the elder.
• Show respect by waiting for an elder to first extends his hand before you shake his hands.
• Show respect by removing your cap when greeting a traditional ruler.
• When an elderly person is speaking to you, listen without interruption and speak when he ask you to.

Ways Of Respecting Places

Public places of national symbol must be respected, the following are some ways of respecting these places:

• Avoid writing on the walls or littering the environment with dirt.
• We show respect to places of worship by keeping quite during worship.
• Show respect to our environment by putting all dirty things in the dustbin.
• We show respect our schools by not damaging the chairs and tables or writing on the school walls.

Ways Of Respecting Things

Things in our nation can be respected in the following ways:

• We show respect to our national currency by not squeezing the note or writing on them.
• Avoid tearing the national flag, rather, fly them at public places or during national occasions.
• We show respect to our national constitution by obeying it's laid down rules and regulations.
• Standing up when singing and reciting the national anthem and national pledge is a way of showing respect.

National Leaders

National leaders are those individual who serves as our representatives in all levels. They speak for on our behalf when national issues arises. Some of them include past and present freedom fighters, past and present democratic elected presidents, ministers and other members of the National Assembly serving as senators and legislators.

Below is the pictures of some #Nigerian national leaders and the #world national leaders among others.

National leaders

World leaders

Exercises

What have you learn in the lesson, try if you can remember.

• How do you define respect?
• Explain majors of showing respect.
• Mention ways of respecting things and places apart from the above mentioned ones.
• Who are the national leaders to remember?

Conclusion

That is the end of the lesson presented in this post. I believe you have learned something in this lesson.