President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday said public servants and many in the private sectors who have questionable wealth are celebrated with alumni recognitions, honourary degrees, chieftaincy titles and sometimes higher religious titles in the country.
He stated this during the 65th Annual Council Meeting of the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) in Abuja.
Buhari, who was represented by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, said Nigerians are no longer concerned about the process of attaining success because the end justifies the means for them.
The President also said cheating in examination and attainment of fake certificates among Nigerians had become a normal thing because of collapse of values in the society.
Such collapse in value, he explained, makes it difficult for policy makers to effect change in the society.
He said: “Today the attainment of wealth, power or educational influence is the mark of success which is not necessarily a bad thing except we are no longer concerned with the process of attaining success.
“The end it appears today justifies the means which explains why cheating in exams and fake certificates simply do not generate the sort of outrage that such conduct would have generated years ago.
“Public servants and many in the private sectors who have unexplanable wealth are celebrated in one form or the other with alumni recognitions, honourary degrees, chieftaincy titles and even higher religious titles.
“Often, cheating is with the collusion of parents and teachers. This only reflects the failure of values in our larger society.”