THE Director-General of Warri, Uvwie and Environs Special Area Devt Agency, (WUEDA), Hon. Prince Godwin Ejinyere has advised Nigerian youths not to take short cuts in life to avoid negative consequences.
Prince Ejinyere gave the advice at a youth mentorship programme and book launch in Effurun, organized by Initiative for Community and Moral Values, (ICMV).
The WUEDA DG, who was represented by the Agency’s Director of Admin and Finance, Mr. Simon Esi, appealed to the teens and youths not to be carried away by what they see others do, especially in the social media. “Learn how to grow and not to jump or climb in life, so that you don’t fall. Life is stage by stage; don’t be on the fast lane,” he advised.
He enjoined youths from rich families not to allow the wealth of their parents intoxicate them but instead, they should seek and acquire knowledge that would enable them achieve their goals in life. He cautioned parents who encourage their children to go into fraudulent activities in order to get rich fast to stop forthwith, and commended Mrs. Stella Odika, convener of the programme, for mentoring the youths, and writing a book on youth mentorship.
Speaking earlier, the Executive Director of Value Rebirth and Empowerment Initiative, (VREI), Pastor EdeworEgedegbe who chaired the event, blamed Nigeria’s current development woes on leadership deficiency, an issue occasioned by failure of the family unit to provide quality home education for the children. “Parents should mould the character of their children at home so that they can live better lives in the future,” the Pastor noted.
For his part, the Pastor of Word of Life Bible Church, Ugbolokposo, Effurun, Pastor Victor Urhioke described Mrs. Stella Odika as an asset to all grades of persons, and called for support for her vision. Others in their good will speeches thanked Mrs. Odika for the initiative, assuring her of their partnerships with her.
In her lecture titled “The Power of Education,” the guest speaker and Head of Integrated Science Department, Delta State College of Education, Mosogar, Dr. Rechel Atomatofa stated that education has power to place one high in life, quoting some scholars like Plato, Kofi Annan, and Nelson Mandela, she said, “Education is not the preparation for life but life itself; education is power and what one does with it; education is the passport to the future; education is the most powerful weapon with which one can change the world.”
Highlight of the event was the unveiling of the book, “Living an Outstanding Youthful Life: Valuable Insights for Young People,” written by Mrs. Stella Odika. The book reviewer, Hananel Beniku-Ejebe of Shamar High School said the book met the challenges of the 21st century youths.
“It is more than a book because it is a practical step-by-step guide to successful living. If we can put the instructions in the book into practice, the Nation will change; it will help to mitigate moral decadence among our youths today,” he opined.
The event climaxed with the presentation of awards to some deserving participants in the ICMV training programme to boost their morale, and also to encourage them perform better as good examples for others to emulate.
