Saddened by the fact that recent researches have proven that more unsuspecting teenagers make up a bulky percentage of the about 500,000 reported cases of HIV/AIDS in Nigeria, coupled with the widespread of other sexually transmitted diseases, counsellors who spoke to Vanguard Learning said that this menace should be blamed on parents who shy away from imparting sexuality education in their young wards.
President of Polished Pillars Foundation, Mrs. Chioma Emma-Nwachukwu held that the menace of sexual perversion amongst teenagers should be blamed on most parents who shy away from their obligation of imparting right moral values in their children.
Similarly, Olayiwola Sokoya-Olayinka, a Fire & Safety Instructor at FAAN is of the view that parents should be more cautious about what their children indulge in, rather than leaving them to having their minds corrupt, as a result of their being too busy with jobs and businesses.
Sokoya-Olayinka said; “The first step for teenagers is leading a moral life, worshiping God in truth and in spirit and doing what God wants. They should understand that what makes them beautiful persons is doing what God approves and not leaving a corrupt life, which goes against the conscience. If our teenagers and youths possess this inner beautiful spirit of living right, I believe the future is bright for this country.
“Another step is that our leaders need to recognise that these young ones are the future of the nation and the future starts now. We must all stop being passive in imparting the right morals in these teenagers. In fact, we must stop thinking that they should be left alone to do whatever they like, that one day, they will mature to understand right from wrong.
“This is the time we must all start preparing them for the challenges of the future. By so doing, we must guide their minds from all these vices. Our leaders must come together to understand that making laws must be zeroed in on making life better for the people. The recent bill which passed second reading on the floor of the Senate about child-marriage is appalling. Rather than this unholy law-making, laws that will protect and ensure a better future for them should be the focus. ”
Emma-Nwachukwu expressed concern that stakeholders amongst whom are parents, counsellors, teachers and government must no longer look only at the academic training of teenagers and young adults, but at their character and moral upbringing.
