Value Reorientation and Local Content Development through Counselling

Abstract

This paper focused on the need for value reorientation and local content development through counselling. Values were seen as attitudes, worth, rules, ideals, standards or qualities considered worthwhile and desirable.  They are reputations, right and regulations which guide and propel the way people should do things and make right choices and decisions. Acculturation has brought about so many other practices that have corrupted the local cultural values. Many Nigerians have, therefore, lamented the perverse values of the present day Nigeria that has given it a bad reputation internationally. People like Akunyili and Ogbuagu have made clarion calls for attitudinal change about the unsatisfactory state of affairs in Nigeria like desire for wealth accumulation, desire for power, fraud, mediocrity, evil appetite, injustice and other practices like dressing pattern, lack of greetings and thanksgiving. It has been suggested that local content development using counselling could be a way of ameliorating the problem of bad values.  By using client centred counselling and cognitive reconstruction techniques, individuals could have better self-understanding, develop positive self concept, think logically and act rationally irrespective of what they see in the society that are likely to influence them.  The old values of our fore fathers that were relevant in our localities could be considered to replace our borrowed cultural values that have made us to become a people without roots.