Mr Augustine Ugbaji, an official of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), on Tuesday in Abeokuta decried the rate family values have been going down in the Nigerian society.
Ugbaji, who expressed his concern during a campaign to commemorate the 2024 International Day of Human Rights, pointed out that this could be traced to the get-rich-quick syndrome.
He stated that parents remain the first agent of socialisation for children.
“Children were born with the ‘tabula rasa’ mind and whatever parents instil in them is what they showcase outside.
“Parents should therefore create a family value system in their children, which will prevent them from getting influenced by peer groups and being lured to join secret cults,” the NOA Deputy Director of Admin and Finance said.
“It’s a ‘garbage in, garbage out’ system. Therefore, whatever the parents instil in them is what they showcase outside,” he added.
Ugbaji urged parents to train their children to imbibe good morals.
“This is necessary so that they will not be looking for quick money that will lead them to their untimely deaths,” he said.
Speaking also at the event, the agency’s Deputy Director of Planning Research and Strategy, Mrs Nkechi Rotimi, urged parents to be security-conscious at all times.
She encouraged them to protect their children and train them to understand the negative effects of hard drugs and the get-rich-quick syndrome.
“Security is everybody’s business, and ill-gotten money will not last,” Rotimi said.
Another speaker at the event, Mr Folarin Olayinka of the Community for Defence of Human Rights (CDHR), advised governments to incorporate technology into security to enhance safety in the country.
“There is also the need for community engagement on security matters, because security should be a collective effort of all individuals,” he said.(NAN)
Family values are declining says NOA official
