NIGERIAN youths have been advised to seek mentors beyond the entertainment and other ‘vanity sectors.’
The vice chancellor of the first Technical University, Ibadan, Professor Ayobami Salami, gave the advice recently when he delivered a lecture entitled ‘Saving Our Schools from Moral Decadence in the Internet Age’ at the 62nd anniversary of Lagelu Grammar School, Ibadan.
According to him, one of the problems the Nigerian value system is facing is that many students and other youths now do not look beyond the entertainment arena to pick their heroes, which he said is to the detriment of other vital sectors on which the development of society depends.
At the event which was attended by many dignitaries, including the president of the Lagelu Grammar School Old Students Association, Justice Adegbola Adeniyi, Salami warned against an education and value system where vanity is celebrated.
He said: “Another aspect of the dilemma is that our students now choose their mentors and heroes from entertainment and vanity sectors. ‘Vanity’ here does not necessarily indicate that any particular sector is vain or unworthy, but people who used to be traditionally societal idols and heroes do not appeal to the majority of our youths anymore.
“How many of them see models in accomplished accountants, lawyers, writers, doctors etc. the way we used to? Rather, some musicians, athletes and, God forbid!, social misfits who command money with questionable sources are their heroes. In other words, values are down when it comes to what inspires many of them.”
Salami noted that the dilemma was compounded by internet penetration, saying the digital revolution was capable of making or marring the system.
He stated: “The threats against our value system is legion: disrespect for dignity of labour, get-rich-quick syndrome, rape and other forms of sexual licentiousness, fraud/Yahoo Yahoo, examination malpractice, cultism, indecent dressing, among others.
Other factors he identified as confronting value system include what he called cultural and language gap, cultism, examination malpractice, sexual abuse, ritual killing.
Towards resolving them, he canvassed the need to give students internet/news media education, provision of financial education, propagation of culture, history and religious education, boosting teachers’ sense of commitment and killing corruption.
At the programme that featured a spelling competition, cultural display by students, were; wife of the first Technical University VC, Professor Abiodun Salami; Colonel Bola Ogunsanwo (rtd); Professor Olufemi Omisore, Dr Duro Ogunsesan and Ambassador Yinka Oyinlola.
While saluting founding fathers of the school as well as those who remain its pillars, Justice Adeniyi announced that the LAGSOBA would construct the school’s perimeter fence in the next one year.
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