Did you ever consider it a mischief or an absurdity the description of the present generation as a waste by our own Nobel laureate, Professor ’Wole Soyinka? The sordid story of the Nigerian youths suggests that the man fondly called “Kongi Harvest” in the world of literature may be right after all.
The youths of nowadays lack respect for elders. They do not have regard for our highly esteemed cultural values like prostrating before their parents, as a mark of honour, whenever courtesy demands such. The male ones wear weird hairstyles and some also adorn themselves with earrings while some female youths have predominantly taken to prostitution as a way of living.
Immoral dressing among youths is another way by which immorality among the Nigerian youths has dealt a dirty blow to our widely acclaimed rich socio-cultural values. Some of our youths, the ladies especially, dress half-naked, leaving much to be desired. This menace is still very prevalent on our campuses across the country today. This is largely promoted by the effects of acculturation, which has brought about negative effects on Nigerian youths and it also threatens to erode our cultural values.
Adverse effects of technology have done immense damage to the proper upbringing of our youths. Most Nigerian youths have become experts in using technological devices such as social media to dupe people. Minds of our youths are being corrupted as a result of evil films they have been addicted to. Many female students of secondary schools have been put in the family way as a result of watching pornography.
Students of nowadays do not read to pass examinations, rather they hustle for ‘Orijo’ and ‘black-market’ examination centres with the support of some of their parents who forget that whatever is a short cut is always short-lived. More worrisome is the fact that leaders of today, most of whom have been at the centre stage of leadership since Nigeria became independent in 1960, do not give youths of today responsibilities that can equip and prepare them for future challenges. Rather, Nigerian politicians arm our youths to become potential criminals. Whatever has become of the Nigerian youths is a reflection of our leaders at all levels of governance.
Our youths do not just go bankrupt in a day. It is a combination of many variables and accumulation of effects of many societal ills that have gone out of control. The family as an integral part of the larger society has vital roles to play to revive youths. Parents should devote time to train their children before they mix with the larger society. Most parents nowadays run after money, leaving their children/wards vulnerable to societal evils. Moulding a nation begins from individual homes.
Our religious houses – churches and mosques – also have their own purposeful roles to play in this regard. They must preach good morals and values so as to enhance proper upbringing of our youths. Unfortunately, our religious houses in the country are after money and mundane things. Our institutions of learning from primary to the university levels also have their own roles to play. Good values and ideas should be integrated into our schools’ curriculum.
Youths of today are often said to be leaders of tomorrow, hence we need to rediscover the missing need for a more practical approach to positive change directed towards the rebirth and re-branding of our youths for a better tomorrow.
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