Before attempting to define indiscipline, I believe it is important to understand what discipline means. From my research, I believe one of the best definitions of discipline is the process of acquiring self-control and the habit of complying. It usually involves following a set of rules in a society or establishment.
Indiscipline can relate to disorderly behavior, rebellious behavior, or chaos; it can also allude to a lack of discipline, control, or appropriate training. Takes a school setting, for example, indiscipline involves students who assault teachers, disobey school rules, cheat in examinations, cause riots in the cafeteria and elsewhere, ingest Indian hemp, get inebriated, lie, and steal. These are all are gross misbehavior at the specific institution.
Indiscipline is described as a lack of restraint and disobedience that results in egregious transgressions of standards and laws and ultimately results in chaos and disorder. Lack of self-control is invariably the root of indiscipline. It explains moral decay, and discontentment,—all of which contribute to theft, robbery, and other criminal activity. As we advance, we will comprehend the reasons behind and effects of indiscipline in our society.
Types of indiscipline in Nigeria
a. Loafing
This happens when people are not putting in their fair share of work. Productivity is decreased when employees or workers in a group do not make their best personal effort to meet the goal.
b. Lethargy
If you are a civil servant, for instance, you would know that you are supposed to go to work on Monday, and with that knowledge, you are supposed to know that you need to sleep early on Sunday night. But if you stay up all night and get to work tired, this could be termed as a form of indiscipline. It could be brought on by a lack of sleep or a heavy workload. Lethargy at work can hurt productivity if it goes unchecked, because people with it will be less motivated to do their jobs, have less mental coordination, and be less alert.
c. Breach of rules (especially by students)
In Nigeria, secondary schools and college institutions have established dress codes that specify what students are supposed to wear. Wearing clothes that don’t follow the approved dress code, like clothes that show skin or underwear, disturbs the learning environment and is therefore seen as a form of disobedience.
d. Bad language
USE Foul language usage is viewed as an act of indiscipline, particularly among students in primary and secondary institutions. Even when used by adults, swearing and using profanity are usually seen as vulgar, indecent, disrespectful, and rude in Nigeria.
e. Tardiness
Tardiness is the propensity to arrive late. This type of disobedience is observed in public and private institutions of higher learning as well as in government agencies. Regularly arriving late to school can reduce productivity at work and have a detrimental impact on learning outcomes.
f. Failure to accept responsibility
Simply put, this refers to the failure to accept responsibility for circumstances within one’s power. Playing the blame game at work can keep the “blamer” from improving and learning and cause other team members to lose faith in them. A harmful workplace culture grows if left unchecked. And this in time, leads to a society where everybody do what they feel.
g. Truancy
Young people of school-going age are more likely to engage in this sort of disobedience, in which a student willfully skips mandatory instruction without proper justification from the school’s administration. Even when pupils are present at school, they may occasionally not attend class. Students who don’t go to school can’t learn as much and may be more likely to do other bad things during class.
h. Minor Infractions
Minor offenses are defined as those activities that do little to no harm. They have very few major repercussions, but, if committed repeatedly, could become serious. An example of this can be neglect, not being there when needed, carelessness, a small violation of the rules, etc.
2. Serious Infractions
These are behaviors that materially obstruct an organization’s ability to run efficiently. Any rational individual would agree that these actions have repercussions that appear to be serious. Major offenses include things like disobeying orders, lying, stealing, or disregarding safety regulations.
a. Nepotism
In Nigeria, instances of nepotism are widespread in both the public and commercial sectors. Nepotism in the workplace occurs when a staff member in a position of high responsibility hires a cousin or friend for a position without taking into account the more competent and experienced candidates who are also available. Talented workers lose motivation when their working atmosphere is like this, and bias is encouraged.
b. Drug abuse
About 29.4 million Nigerians consume psychoactive substances, prescription opioids, and other harmful drugs, including cannabis, cocaine, tramadol, morphine, methamphetamine, tobacco, and diazepam, among others, according to NDLEA statistics published in June 2022.
Drug abuse leads to a generation of youth whose future are wasted and they can’t keep the money they earn due to their bad addiction.
c. Vandalism
This is the intentional destruction of private or public property without the owners’ consent. Breaking windows, setting things on fire, ransacking a place, painting it, busting open oil pipelines, etc. are examples of vandalism.
d. Forgery
Making, changing, using, or possessing a fraudulent writing with the intent to commit fraud is known as forgery. It can take many different forms, ranging from writing a check in someone else’s name to forging one’s own academic record. It is also known as counterfeiting when money is the target of the forgery. In all fifty states as well as by the federal government, forgery, also known as “uttering a false instrument,” is a serious crime that carries a felony sentence.
The ability to produce and distribute reliable papers is essential to our society. Forged documents can have detrimental effects on organizations, people, and political bodies that are severe and broad-reaching. Forgery is severely penalized because of this.
3. Intolerable Offenses
These transgressions are so severe that they seriously damage or jeopardize a nation. For the majority of individuals, they constitute a threat and a danger. Examples of this kind include using weapons; thievery; fighting that causes severe injury to others; etc. Bribery refers to the giving or receiving of gifts, compensation, or prizes in exchange for special treatment. Offering stuff to public authorities as a way to get around local laws or having a senior public official accept money from a worker to get a raise are two examples. In addition to having negative consequences for the reputation of the parties involved, bribery can also lower morale.
a. Kickbacks
This is widespread in both public and private sector workplaces. Kickbacks occur when a contractor seeking a contract negotiates with an employee (or group of employees) of the company or government agency awarding the contract such that the employee(s) will receive a share of the contract’s payment in exchange for helping the contractor land the contract. The contractor typically submits an exaggerated invoice, and the employee(s) of the victim firm receive a “piece of the action” for winning the contract.
b. Embezzlement
The epidemic of embezzlement is felt in Nigeria’s public and private sectors alike. A person (or group of people) transferring money or other assets entrusted to them for their personal use or for something it wasn’t intended for constitutes an act of indiscipline known as embezzlement. In the public arena, embezzlement can take the form of paying salaries to undeclared employees, misusing public funds, or honoring shady contracts. The effects of embezzlement hinder Nigeria’s overall growth and have an impact on the supply of infrastructure for public welfare.
c. Cultism
In Nigeria, young people primarily engage in cultism at the secondary and university levels of school. These young people who participate in cults profess loyalty to covert organizations like the Buccaneers, Black Bra, and the Supreme Vikings Confraternity, among others. These cult groups often steal, mess up school activities, threaten people, and hurt or destroy people or their property.
I hope you have been able to assimilate the three major types of indiscipline in Nigeria and also understand the 15 examples I have given in this article. Let me know in the comments if you have other questions. Thank you.
Author
Abbey Johnson has a Masters degree as an engineer and has over 3 years of teaching and research experience. He is happiest when on a bike and is also interested in electric energy and computer Science.