16/08/2025
MARKING THE THIRD ANNIVERSARY OF THE PASSING OF THE VENERABLE REVEREND FREDERICK MAWUENYEGA LAWLUVI- AUGUST 16, 2025
THEME: REFLECTING ON HIS CHARACTER TRAITS OF DISCIPLINE AND INTEGRITY AND THEIR PLACE IN PERSONAL OR SELF-DEVELOPMENT AND SOCIETAL PROGRESS
WRITTEN BY: NUTEFE LAWLUVI (DAUGHTER)
INTRODUCTION
Beloved in the Lord, it is a great blessing to be alive to witness the third anniversary of the passing of The Venerable Reverend Frederick Mawuenyega Lawluvi. We do this with great reverence for a man who was not a self-seeker but was concerned about the welfare of all those who happened to find themselves in his sphere of control and or his sphere of influence. As a family man, a teacher, a minister of the Gospel, a mentor etc., his earthly existence impacted many lives. Where there was no hope, he saw potential and restored hope. Where there was turmoil, he saw the need peace and restored peace. Where there was condemnation, he saw the need for support and so much more. It is this man that we pay tribute to today!
BODY/THE SUBJECT MATTER
RELECTING ON HIS CHARACTER TRAITS OF DISCIPLINE AND INTEGRITY AND THEIR PLACE IN PERSONAL OR SELF-DEVELOPMENT AND SOCIETAL PROGRESS
With regards to his character trait of discipline, among the definitions of discipline, this definition suits the purpose of this speech. Discipline – to carefully control the way you work, live or behave, especially to achieve a goal.
As of integrity, it is the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles and uncompromisingly adhere to them. Integrity is the practice of doing the right thing all the time; doing what is morally right even when no one is watching, making honest choices and standing up for your values.
Integrity is more than a virtue- It is a guiding principle that shapes character, builds trust and fosters responsible and ethical society. But integrity is not innate- it must be nurtured through intentional teaching, modelling and reinforcement. We live in an age where integrity is relegated to the background for power and material success- where “the end justifies the means” is a mantra for too many adults who influence children.
Unfortunately, the consequences of ignoring integrity are real, and the psychological damage can run deep, even for those who sit silently on the sidelines. Like second hand smoke or involuntary smoking, the effects of disrespect and dishonesty often seep invisibly into the bodies and minds of children.
As Mahatma Gandhi succinctly said, “To believe in something, and not to live it, is dishonest.”
To reverse these hurtful trends, families must ask themselves tough questions about what they most value in life, then teach children to live those values. This can be done in a number of ways including:
Model Integrity Daily: Children learn by example. Demonstrate honesty, keep promises and take responsibility for your actions. When children see adults making ethical choices, they internalize these behaviors.
Create a Safe Space for Honesty: Encourage open communication where children feel safe admitting mistakes without fear of excessive punishment. Reinforce that honesty leads to trust and growth.
Teach the Power of Accountability: Mistakes are learning opportunities. Help your child understand that taking responsibility for their actions- even when it is hard- demonstrates strength and integrity.
Use Real-Life Examples: Share stories about integrity in action, whether from history books, or personal experiences. Discuss the long-term benefits of making ethical choices.
Set Clear Expectations: Clearly define the values and behaviors you expect, such as truthfulness, fairness and responsibility. Consistency helps children internalize these principles.
Coming back to discipline, being disciplined implies purposefulness, tenacity of purpose, resilience, self-control/staying true to oneself. Discipline involves the ability to remain focused, adhere to schedules, and consistently work towards goals despite challenges or distractions. These, Reverend Lawluvi demonstrated in his capacity as a teacher, a minister of the Gospel and all the other roles he played in his life journey.
Being disciplined will give someone the disposition to manage the Wheel of Life which comprises of the physical life segment, spiritual life segment, intellectual life segment, vocational life segment, financial life segment, married life segment, family life segment and social life segment and all their specificities. To manage the Wheel of Life effectively requires having vision, mission, values and principles. Being a person of integrity, that is being honest and having strong moral principles, will augment a disciplined life. These are important for personal or self-development (the conscious effort to improve oneself and achieve one’s full potential) if one will become a useful person in society.
How will someone be able to do this if he or she cannot carefully control the way he or she works, lives or behaves so as to achieve a goal and also lacks honesty and strong moral principles?
Talking of personal or self-development, it encompasses skills, knowledge, and overall well-being leading to a more fulfilling life. This is a life long journey and can involve various aspects, such as social, emotional, intellectual, physical, and spiritual growth as illustrated by the segments of the Wheel of Life.
Key aspects of personal development are:
Self-awareness
Goal setting
Skill development
Continuous learning
Emotional intelligence
Physical well-being
Mental well-being
Social development
How will personal development benefit anyone? Personal development will lead to increased self-confidence and self-esteem, improved relationship, enhanced career prospect, greater sense of purpose and fulfilment, improved mental and physical health, increased resilience and adaptability and greater overall life satisfaction.
Reverend Frederick Mawuenyega Lawluvi carefully controlled the way he worked, lived or behaved with strong moral principles. He expected other people to develop their character traits of discipline and integrity because one tree does not a forest. If discipline will impact personal development and societal progress, then individual members of society must possess it. Someone may ask how?
Discipline can be cultivated through practice and intentional effort. It can be inherited though. Recent scientific research suggests that there may be a genetic component to self-discipline and related traits. Does that mean that some people are naturally predisposed to be disciplined? Despite this genetic predisposition, it does not determine one’s level of discipline. Rather, it may influence an individual’s baseline tendency toward disciplined behavior. The interplay between genetics and environmental factors play a significant role in shaping disciplined behavior.
NURTURE OVER NATURE
While genetic factors may provide a certain foundation, it is our environment and experiences that significantly shape our ability to be disciplined.
Talking of societal progress, it refers to the improvement and advancement of society in various aspects, including social, cultural, economic, and political dimensions. It signifies the positive change or development that occurs over time, leading to a better quality of life, increased well-being, and enhanced opportunity for individuals and communities. This includes advancement in healthcare, education, housing and access to basic needs and services. Social progress aims to reduce poverty, inequality, discrimination and social injustices, ensuring that all members of society have equal opportunities and rights. Attaining these will require having the three resources of any organization (manpower, materials and money with manpower being the most valuable of them) by the relevant organizations. Manpower that is the individual employees, must possess the character traits of discipline and integrity in pursuit of the organizational goals of the relevant organizations which will in turn impact societal progress.
CONCLUSION
Having reflected over the character traits of discipline and integrity of Reverend Frederick Mawuenyega Lawluvi, it is certain that they have a place in personal or self-development and societal progress. I will conclude by saying that all of us especially the younger generation must uphold the virtues of discipline and integrity to build trust and foster responsible and ethical societies. Beloved, let us observe one minute silence in memory of The Venerable Reverend Frederick Mawuenyega Lawluvi- the candle which burned to give others light- and our other dearly loved departed ones.
May his soul and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God rest in peace.
-Amen-
Thank you all for your audience and God bless us all.
