By Sunday Ani
LAGOS State Commissioner for Youth and Social Development, Mobolaji Abubakre Ogunlende, and the member representing Surulere Constituency 1 at the Lagos State House of Assembly, Desmond Elliot, as well as popular Nollywood actor, Hank Anuku and others, over the weekend warned students against engaging in social vices and advised them to flee from such activities.
They gave the warning and advice at a one-day symposium as part of the activities marking the on-going 2024 Femi Gbajabiamila Football Competition for Secondary Schools in Surulere Federal Constituency.
The event was a mentorship, empowerment and talent discovery campaign, aimed at enlightening the students against such social vices as cultism, inter-school fight, drug abuse, and cyber crime among others.
With over 2500 students drawn from 58 secondary schools in the state, the event attracted known personalities from the Nollywood industry, politicians and captains of industry who took turns to share personal life experiences as they enjoined the youngsters to shun social vices.
In his message to the student, Ogunlende emphasised the danger of social vices and advised the students to say no to drugs and cultism at all times, lamenting that one common pandemic among the younger generation is the scourge of social vices.
“My message to the students is to say no to drugs because we know that this tender age is when our younger ones start to get peer pressures about drugs and cultism.
“We thank Desmond Elliot and Femi Gbajabiamila for putting this event together, and we are here just to preach this message.
“It is also part of our agenda under the leadership of Gov Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s social inclusion, gender equality and the youth.
“We are not going to leave anyone behind. For us to leave anyone behind, we need to start from the bedrock of the society, and that is our students because they are the leaders of tomorrow.
“One common pandemic that is plaguing them is social misdemeanour and there is no other better way to tackle it than for us to come together as government officials, private organisations, actors and leaders in the society to preach the same message.
“I can tell you that all the students here will take something home from one person among the speakers and that is why we need to encourage initiatives like this where people can come together to say something that will make the students become better citizens,” he said.
Also speaking to the students, Elliot said the event would help them to realise that they could achieve and attain any height in life once they are dedicated and serious with things.
He noted that the programme would redirect the students’ energy towards positive activities, which would in turn suppress the urge to engage in such social vices like drug abuse, cultism, cybercrime or street fighting.
He said: “We have so many vices these days that are prevalent in our schools, such as drug abuse, cultism, cyber crime, bullying, inter-school fight, and the likes which we must address.
“We have professionals and those who have paid their dues across the industries and they are here to encourage the kids that it is not just about playing football but how it will affect them, which is why I said it is not just about competition but how can we relate with them, touch their lives, hear from them and see how we can help them.
“We also have people from the Lagos State House of Assembly and whatever the kids are saying, we will also document them and relate them to other members on the floor of the House.
“You heard the students share their experiences about how they trek and engage in street fights and how things are difficult at home. And sometimes because of the kind of situation we find ourselves in this country, we forget to pay attention to the needs of these kids. But we have to raise them all.
“We are going to make this programme better and what we have here are ambassadors and representatives from each school and we have 58 schools represented here.
“There are over 2500 kids and trust me it is not easy even to organise programmes like this. One thing I’m sure is that a child will take something important home from this programme.”
On his part, Anuku who always plays the role deviant in society told the students that what they see on the screen is make-belief. He told them the dangers of getting involved in drug abuse, cultism, cybercrime or other social vices, and warned them against indulging in such activities as it would only ruin their career and lives.