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By Bianca Iboma-Emefu
A Psychology consultant and security expert, Dr. Festus Amajuoyi, has advised students of tertiary institutions in the country to shun social vices and embraced good moral values as only a positive attitudinal change would enable them achieve success.
He acknowledged that as youths, the students can positively change the country’s current narrative through hard work, improved moral standard and thinking out of the box if they make the right choices.
Amajuoyi presented a paper titled: “ The choices you make either make or mar you”, at a seminar organized by the Federal College of Fishery and Marine Technology (FCFMT), Victoria Island, Lagos, during orientation programme for new students.
The paper focused on the various positive choices and decisions as well as negative decisions students make that can affect their performance in school and the society at large.
“Human life is very delicate. No matter how well we planned and plotted things out, the decisions, choice we make either make or mar us. As students you need to be careful about your choices in life. Any negative or wrong decision made is a choice.”
Amajuoyi advised young Nigerians that it is choice, not chance that would determine their destiny, stressing, “decide to do something now to make your life better. The choice is yours.I see a future in you.”
The speaker lauded the Guardians and Counseling Department of FCFMT for spear heading this initiative as it has brought hope for the students and would aid them secure their future.
He called on stakeholders in the education sector to play active role to help model and shape the students as well as prepare them for future endeavours.
“The youths are the wealth of every nation and the most valuable asset a country can have. Whatever you impart into their lives brings out all the gold, the diamond and other resources needed to build a great nation.
“To build a nation depends on what values are imparted into the young ones, who are the future of the nation. No matter how much a nation budgets for education to empower her young generations, as useful as that may be, without inculcating the right values and ethics in them, they will come out being the cleverer devil.
“Many parents stopped imparting the right values into their children and neither the schools nor the religious places took it as a major responsibility until we slipped into the decadence that the nation is witnessing today, ‘’ he noted.
Amajuoyi acknowledged that the values imparted into many of the youths in the 60s and 70s made them well behaved, contented, while ensuring that they turned their eyes away from corruption and crime, thus the country was peaceful.
He noted: “Children of that time were told tales by moonlight that taught honesty, equality, kindness, compassion, treating people the way you want to be treated and helping those in need. Hardly will you see a child so bold as to crush an insect because of the fear of killing what God has created or take what did not belong to him because everyone valued his name, believing that instead of stealing, it was better to work.
“The future of any nation or entity lies heavily on the youths. Whatever legacy we pass on, whether good or bad, could make or mar us as a nation.”
Amajuoyi challenged parents, guardians, schools, and government to rise up to their responsibility to ensure that good values and characters are inculcated in the young ones from a tender age.
He explained that in many instances, rewards and prizes are handed to out students for excellent performance in academics and sports, with little recognition for exhibiting good values and character.
