Paper short abstract:

There is a growing moral decay in Africa and the world over culminating in retarding moral development which is evident in our society. This arises from our contemporary over- secularization of values in today's world. We need to begin to find ways to address this trend.

Paper long abstract:

In most primitive societies including Africa, religion was the superstructure upon which other structures were built. It was the superstructure upon which morality was built and rested. Speaking in opposition to Marxian thought religion, rather than the economy, was the superstructure in traditional societies. Every structure in most traditional societies - political, economic, social and, I dare say, cultural - was dependent on and informed by religion. Marriage, pregnancy, childbearing, upbringing/training of children, respect, character, building and sustaining relationships, creating/protecting the norms of the community etc are all sacred/religious obligations in traditional societies.

There is a growing moral decay not only in African societies but the world over. The problem has resulted in retarded/retarding moral development, which is evident in our society today, arises from our contemporary over-secularization of values and issues in our present human world. We need to begin to find ways to unwind the very winding ways of over-secularization through which we have arrived at this very unsatisfactory destination of moral decay and collapse with its painful consequences of lack of care and value for human life.

The sanctity of human life has been thrown to the winds in nearly all parts of the world. The more we secularize our lives, the more insecure our lives become. We have a duty to bring to a halt this overwhelming trend called secularization.