The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, has advised students to shun cultism, drugs and other vices capable of undermining their academic career and future.
Gbajabiamila spoke on Sunday in Lagos at the end of a two-day counselling and health programme organised for students in his Surulere 1 Federal Constituency.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the programme, which featured career talks, counselling and free medical screenings and treatments, was organised by a volunteer group, Gbaja Professionals Volunteer Network.
The speaker said drugs, cultism, teenage pregnancy and others were dream killers, urging students to avoid them.
Gbajabiamila advised students to rather take their education seriously, saying they could achieve their life goals through education.
He said he had visited schools across the country to teach students and counsel them against drugs, cultism and other vices.
Gbajabamiala said that the teaching programme, which he undertook periodically, was to inspire students to greatness.
”Now, when I go round to teach the children, I always make sure I address certain things away from academics.
”There are certain things that are important in education beyond classroom education.
“The issue of drugs that have permeated our society today is something I never hesitate to talk to the children about, because of its danger.
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”The same thing with drugs, being out of school, cultism and so on. Dear students, those things take you nowhere, and they take you nowhere fast.
”So, it is important that you continue to imbibe the culture of going to school regularly, staying away from drugs; beware of teenage pregnancy, beware of cultism and other things that can affect your future,” he said.
He said he was glad that feedback from his teaching programme showed some students were beginning to imbibe the right values.
Gbajabiamila also urged students to always respect their parents and to always take to their advice, especially on education.
He said without education, it would be impossible for him to become the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
The speaker commended the volunteer group for organising the programme, saying the initiative was noteworthy as it concerned the health and education of children.
He identified education and health as key to development, adding that no nation could achieve progress with uneducated and unhealthy citizens.
While promising to always support anything that would uplift his people, Gbajabiamila said he was particularly happy that the initiative was taking off from his constituency.
According to him, he will continue to support the volunteer group as it reaches out to students in other parts of the country.
Meanwhile, the Coordinator of the group, Mr Lukman Lawal, said the programme would be taken to the six-geopolitical zones of the country to counsel students on the need to study hard and shun vices.
According to him, the programme, which addresses some health needs of students, is an initiative to complement government’s efforts on education and health.
”We believe government alone cannot do everything, and that is why we, professionals under the network, are volunteering to support the government by rendering some services to the people,” he said.
He added that some top company executives were part of the volunteer group, saying the mission of the group was to touch the lives of as many students as possible. (NAN)
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