BY PAUL EGEDE
Chairman of the Delta Printing and Publishing Corporation (DPPC), publishers of The Pointer titles, Olorogun (Dr) Ebenezer Okorodudu, has attributed Nigeria’s issues to a dysfunctional family system.
Dr Okorodudu also emphasised the importance of parents fulfilling their responsibilities to address these challenges; an admonition he gave when he chaired the graduation ceremony of Promise Greater Light International School in Agbor.
He said there are three agents of socialization in bringing up a child; the parents, the peer group and the secondary influence (society). ‘’In those days, the family played a critical role in shaping the lives of their children before chasing them into school, where they remodel the child and channel their life towards the productive end.
‘’But today the reverse is the case’’ Okorodudu said, adding that Nigeria’s problems are there because the family as the primary form of socialization has collapsed. ‘’Today’s parents are after money thereby leaving their primary assignment which is their children in the hands of the peer groups who also lack proper upbringing.’’
He also blamed the church for failing to incubate moral values in the children, adding that instead, the church has directed its messages to prosperity (money), as they do not preach the sermon of righteousness anymore.
Okorodudu fault parents who no longer know how their children got admission into tertiary institutions. ‘’They do not care how their children are coping in school. Some parents depend on their girl child in university for upkeep and care of the younger ones and this has led many girls into prostitution and boys into committing fraud and other crimes.
He challenged the parents to do their best to make sure they support the children in their educational pursuits. ‘’Don’t depend on them as they are growing up to take care of you, Rather sell whatever you have to fund their education so that it shall be a blessing to you as they grow up to become respected members of society.’’
The DPPC Board Chairman urged the teachers to ensure they model the children to be in their proper way of life. He added that discipline is part of education and as such, teachers should not withhold discipline.
Earlier, the proprietor of the school, Revd (Dr) Promise Dibie, in his welcome address, appreciated God Almighty and everyone else who came to celebrate with the school in their first graduation ceremony.
