Dr Michael David, Executive Director of the Global Initiative for Food Security and Ecosystem Preservation (GIFSEP), has called for the strengthening of family values as a foundation for shaping responsible individuals and a healthy society.
David made the call in an interview with reporters on Sunday in Abuja.
According to him, while policies may shape systems, families shape people, and people ultimately shape society.
The environmentalist said he drew inspiration from a sermon delivered by Rev. Fr. Raymond Nor, Priest-in-Charge of Blessed Tansi Catholic Church, Pyakasa, Abuja, during the Feast of the Holy Family.
He said the homily, titled “Strong Families, Healthy Societies,” emphasised the central role of the family in societal development.
“The message was simple yet profound: society is a direct product of the family.
“What we see in our communities, institutions and leadership structures is often a mirror of what is happening in our homes.
“The family is the first school of life. It is where values are learned, character is formed, and attitudes toward responsibility, love and community are shaped. When families are healthy, society benefits,” David said.
He noted that when families were broken or dysfunctional, society inevitably reflected that brokenness.
According to him, societies marked by violence, intolerance, corruption and irresponsibility do not emerge overnight.
“They are often the outcome of families where love was absent, unity was fragile, forgiveness was withheld, and responsibility was never taught or modeled.
“Bad families produce a troubled society, and decaying families give rise to a decaying social order.
“Where there is no love in the home, it is unrealistic to expect compassion in public life.
“Where forgiveness is not practiced within families, resentment and division thrive in society,” he said.
David added that when children grow up without learning accountability, discipline and service to others, irresponsibility becomes normalized in governance, business and civic life.
“The opposite is also true. Families built on love, mutual respect, forgiveness and shared responsibility produce individuals who carry these values into society.
“Children raised to understand duty, empathy and consequences grow into adults who respect laws, value human dignity and work for the common good.
“A family that teaches responsibility raises citizens who are accountable not only to themselves, but also to their communities and future generations,” he said.
He said the Holy Family provided a timeless model of commitment, sacrifice and mutual respect, noting that their example underscored the importance of choosing unity over division and responsibility over neglect.
“In a time when social decay is often blamed solely on politics, economics or institutions, we must confront a more uncomfortable but honest truth: the rebuilding of society begins at home.
“If we desire a society characterized by justice, peace, compassion and responsibility, then investing in strong families is not optional; it is essential.
“The future of society is being shaped today in our living rooms, dining tables and everyday family interactions,” he said.
David described the cleric’s homily as a wake-up call, stressing that to heal society, the family must first be strengthened.
