By Babatunde Ayedoju

While conflicts can hardly be  absent from any human society and can be managed, so to say, social deviance is not a habit that should be treated with kid gloves. This seems to underscore the appeal recently made to youths by the Ondo State Governor, Dr Lucky Aiyedatiwa, to eschew violence and shun social vices that could mar their future.

Mr Governor made the appeal at a youth multi-stakeholders summit, organised by the Coalition of Nigerian Youths on Security and Safety Affairs (CONYSSA), where he was represented by his deputy, Olayide Adelami. Instead of towing the line of social delinquency, Governor Aiyedatiwa had admonished the youths to embrace hard work, excellence, and integrity as their tickets to greatness in life.

He said, “make no mistake, the road to the top is not always smooth. You must put in  hard work, you must burn the night candles. Above all, you must keep your head up and say no to social vices.”

“We are deeply committed to empowering the youths of Ondo state, believing that if our young people are given the right opportunities, they will choose innovation over crime. This is why we gave approval for the formulation of the state’s youth policy within the framework of the ‘OUR EASE’ developmental agenda.

Mr Governor went ahead to highlight the empowerment which his administration had done for over 5,000 youths in different areas of agriculture through the IFAD LIFE-ND project, while giving a hint about another programme to train 500 youths in ICT in partnership with GIZ, which would come up soon.

To show that the youths, indeed, needed to flee every appearance of social vices and delinquency, the Ondo State Commissioner of Police, Mr Wilfred Afolabi, who spoke at the same event, said that Ondo State is ranked among the top five states involved in cultism in Nigeria, based on intelligence reports, a development that he described as disheartening.

 Afolabi, who was represented at the event by the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Oluseyi Okenla, stated that cultism, generally regarded as a dangerous menace, had infiltrated not only schools but even the neighbourhoods.

He pointed out that a lot of unsuspecting young people who ought to be engaged in productive activities ended up being lured into secret cults, including some who did not even go to school at all, adding that some of them cannot even explain why they joined the unlawful groups.

“What they know is that, they say we should kill, we will go and kill, they say we should do this, we will go and do this. This is a very dangerous menace.

“You see, the issue of cultism thrives on manipulation, fear. They will promise you heaven on earth; they say if you become a member, this is what you will gain,  but it’s all lies,” he said.

Talking about why cultism and other social vices plague the society in the first place, Chief Samuel Adetuyi, a retired Commissioner of Police, blamed factors such as lack of good role models, corruption, injustice and impunity, unemployment, and bad leadership.

He said, “when we were growing up, we had role models we looked forward to, such as doctors, teachers, priests, engineers, and many others. Also, there was merit then, which required hard work, and hard work will not allow you to have time for cultism and other vices. Today, all that is gone. If they want to employ 100 people now, only a few will be employed based on merit; the rest will be employed based on who they know, unlike in our time when merit was placed above sentiment. Not that there was no sentiment then, but it was minimal.”

While pointing out that unemployment had rendered a lot of graduates and even some artisans helpless, Chief Adetuyi stated that this sad development, which some perceive as a form of injustice, can push them into unwholesome activities.

“A lot of people commit crimes and get away from it. Therefore, others are encouraged to do the same. Somebody stole  billions, but there is no consequence. Yet, another person steals some tubers of yams and is imprisoned,” he added.

The security expert, while stressing that no situation is irredeemable, added that we must change our attitudes: “How can someone be driving, get to a traffic point, see the red light and refuse to stop? It doesn’t happen in other climes. If we want to see positive changes, we must lead by example.”

Similarly, Professor Adediran Ikuomola, a criminologist, noted that social vices have always been part of human society, and they cut across all age groups. According to him, the situation becomes a serious matter when it gets out of hand.

Professor Ikuomola opined that alongside youthful exuberance, the culture of simply not wanting to do the right thing enables social vices to thrive around us, of which cultism is chief. He said that people tend to think that they can get by all means whatever they have not been able to achieve through legitimate means.

He also noted that the educational system in the country is bad, saying, “Our school system is bedeviled by examination malpractice. It’s easy to condemn the students. You expect them to pass and get good grades, but they have not been taught properly and have not read.”

Still talking about how the educational system had contributed to social vices such as cultism, the criminologist said that not much had been done to provide good alternatives for students and youths at large that can turn their attention away from wrong behaviour.

His words: “Are there good alternatives like sports, quizzes, debates, and other extra-curricular activities? Most primary and secondary schools don’t even have playgrounds for sports, neither do they do what we knew as PE in the past. If things that can motivate them positively are not available, they will explore the wrong options.

“They need to be well engaged and see a clear vision of a brighter future. Create avenues to constructively engage young ones. Parents must also have the capacity to cater for the needs of their wards, because youths who are not trained become adult that will create problems for the society later.”

Dr Mrs. Kemi Adebola, a sociologist, pointed out that a lot of young people currently find themselves in the age of adventuring, saying that such adventure can lead them into cultism and other social vices through negative peer pressure.

She also identified a lack of home training as another major factor that leads to general breakdown of law and order, adding that parents need to diligently imbue sound home training in their children while also taking time to build self-esteem so that peer pressure will not lead them into social delinquency.

She also recommended advocacy and seminars by religious institutions, schools, the family, and relevant government agencies.

Dr Salman Adisa, a psychologist, identified  lack of self-discipline, a lifestyle of competition, over-ambition, a fake life, desire for power, and lack of proper home training as factors responsible for cultism and other social misdemeanor.

He advised that parents should balance autocratic, laissez-faire, and democratic forms of parenting by punishing their children when necessary. While noting that cultism and other vices can only be reduced, not eradicated, he also recommended stiffer punishments for those who are caught.