Moral decay the cause of our challenges – Shaningwa

The minister of urban and rural development, Sophia Shaningwa, says the numerous challenges the country is faced with are the result of moral decay among its citizens.Speaking at an Oshakati town council Totem Expo fundraising event at the weekend, Shaningwa said “Western habits” caused by a lack of cultural guidance had resulted in the youth not showing respect towards their elders.“The challenges that we are faced with in our country are clear products of moral decay, unusual social behaviours characterised by killings and other immoral acts, driven by lack of proper cultural guidance that would provide an understanding to Africans to define who they are and where they originate,” Shaningwa said.“Our cultures have been destroyed over the years as a result of colonial oppression, which in the process influenced our young people to adapt to Western habits,” Shaningwa added. Shaningwa said a nation with a strong culture was a nation with minimal crime and other immoral activities, which is why she called on the youth to learn about their cultures from the elders.“We have senior citizens around us whose wisdom needs to be harvested to ensure that the youth are well informed and are guided to respect their cultures before emulating cultures from elsewhere,” Shaningwa said.She talked about totems and the important role they played in terms of cultural identity.“African cultures, including totem aspects, carry our African identity and that is the reason we should uphold this very important feature of our being,” Shaningwa said.The minister praised the Oshakati town council for planning to host its sixth Totem Expo, saying that it aimed to close the gap between cultural values and modern practices.The council raised close to N$1 million in pledges at the fundraising event.The theme for this year's Totem Expo, which runs from 25 May until 3 June, is: 'My Culture, My Pride'.KENYA KAMBOWE

Moral decay the cause of our challenges – Shaningwa

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Namibian Sun 2025-06-18

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Moral decay the cause of our challenges – Shaningwa

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Namibian Sun 2025-06-18

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