The future, they say, is in the hands of the youth, no doubt, but with the kind of character we see in our society today, one will be forced to ask the question, are the youths the leaders of tomorrow? The dropout rate from school is on the increase, and the love for education has been traded for the love of money.
Drugs of all sort are now handled by these supposed leaders of tomorrow, disregard for laws steady on the increase, and the funny thing is that most parents are pushing their children into it. According to an old adage, a child who washed his hands well will dine with elders. The washing hands in this adage means good behaviour and cultivation of good character, but today, that definition has changed.
The washing of hands now means the person with money. And instead of the elders, these young ones advise while these elders sit and listen. The man with the money is the money who is given respect, and they tell you age is just a number, and people nod their heads to it.
In our streets today, the majority of the drug addicts are between the ages of 15-25. Drugs have taken over the street. The peddlers are young youth with promising talents. The question now is, how did we ever get here because, like ten years ago, we were far from what we see today?
The Following Reasons Could be the Factors that have pushed our Youths into such Lives.
1-Bad Educational Structure:
An organized country should have an educational structure that will give the students hope of better life after graduation. Today’s youth drop out of school because when they see their seniors rooming the streets after school, it makes them feel there is no hope for them going to school again and so they quit to look for something else to do and if they do not find something good to do they become thugs in the streets.
2-No Proper Enlightenment to the Youths:
when students feel they do not have hope of going to school again after seeing their senior failing in life, it is only wise to create an awareness program to educate the youths that their own life can be better and just because it did not work Mr A does not mean it will not work for them. But no, society keeps calm and allow these youths to advise themselves, and you know when kids receive advice from kids the society only become a playground.
3-Neglect on the Part of the Parents:
Our today’s world, the internet has become the parents of many youths. Our fathers and Mothers no longer train up the child in the way that he should go; rather, they push their children into wasteful ventures, comparing them to other children. A story was told of a parent who was telling his son to do what other of his mates are doing to make money, not minding what the outcome will be.
4-Social Media:
Social media is like a two-edged sword. Although it has its good sides, it also has its bad side as well. The entertainment industry today, especially music, is characterized by young folks displaying their wealth and smoking their music videos. Songs in the streets today are not educating in any way, and that is what our youths listen to every day. Like what the ears hear constantly tends to impact the mind of a person over time. Our youths today do drugs mostly because of the kind of people they select as their role models.
I know everyone who comes across this piece will say where or what is the work of the federal government in all these? Today’s government has failed as a government, and so it will be useless to put your hope in them. I centred this piece on what we can do for ourselves to help better our lives and help take the future with a sane mind, and we can talk to ourselves, educate each other and parent resume to their full position.
