N’assembly clerk: Nigeria fast losing its youths to wealth obsession

Ojo Amos, clerk of the national assembly, has cautioned youths against engaging in “diabolical rituals” to make money. 

Speaking on Monday at the 2022 Commonwealth Day celebration in Abuja, Amos said youths want to become rich overnight, and as such, they end up engaging in “nauseating atrocities” which constitute a problem for society.

“Talking about delivering a common future for our teeming youths in Nigeria is a huge challenge to parents and society because of the disturbing circumstances and distasteful scenarios surrounding them today. The tide must change positively so the next generation is not doomed,” he said.

“Nigeria is fast losing her youth to the obsession of wealth and fortune which has plunged them into diabolical rituals. Our youths now want to become rich overnight while some suddenly turn living horror to their pals.

“May l ask the question: what type of future are our youths looking at when teenagers and under-aged children are incredibly involved in money rituals? What kind of future is waiting for our youths when the craze for sudden wealth has even overtaken morality and godliness?

“What future awaits a generation when its youth spends long hours chatting on social media sites yet the long hours wasted online on can be channelled to productive activities that can enable one acquire quality education. For instance, through online tutorials and making good use of online research materials.

“Over the past two decades, social media has gained so much growth and fame worldwide but the youth and teenagers are the leading and most fanatic of these social platforms to the point that they even use the social network while in class or even at religious places.

“Where do we go from here in the face of nauseating atrocities enveloping our society? For me, it is never too late to drag our children and youths from the jaws of certain identified destruction. That is one of the reasons the theme chosen for this year’s Commonwealth Day is timely and very instructive.”

Amos said rather than create problems, youths should use their creative energy to fix the country’s challenges.

“Through your creative energy and youthfulness, you can become an active player in addressing identified challenges,” he said.

“The task of delivering a common future calls for collective efforts to achieve. We must, therefore, work for the present in order to secure the future. Know today that the future is you.

“This is, therefore, a wakeup call to all parents, religious leaders, schools and the mass media to all go back to the basics and courageously identify where we missed our ways into the jungle of barbarism that now violently threatens the future of the youths in our society as government cannot do it alone.”