Ikpoba Hill Youths Forum Takes Advocacy Against Social Vices To Schools

From Chris Akhabue 

The Ikpoba Hill Youths Forum in Collaboration with the Edo State Ministry of Education and the Ikpoba Okha Local Government Council have begun a massive advocacy against involvement of Secondary School Students in Social Vices.

The two day program which began on Thursday at the EOAC School premises and Notre Dame both in Ikpoba Okha Local Government Area of Edo State was rounded off yesterday after visitation of the advocacy train to Army Day Secondary School and the Western Boys High School in Ramat Park area of the Benin metropolis.

 The two day enlightenment Campaign tagged "No To All Forms Of Social Vices" such as indecent dressing, drugs, Cultism examinations malpractice, hooliganism, Rape, prostitution etc according to the organizers, was designed to inculcate right values in the students at their formative stages.

According to the Chairman of the Youths Forum, Comrade Kingsley Osemwingie, while speaking with Journalists at the event, pointed out that he is particularly interested in catching them young by inculcating the right values in the growing up Children. He said it was easier to inculcate such values at that formative stages hence the decision to embark on the advocacy.

" I have always had the dream of helping the growing up Children and teens to learn good attitudes and behaviors through this kind of advocacy which can help in reinforcement of the persistent instructions from their teachers in their schools and from their parents at home. I believe that when the students receive such instructions from others aside from their parents and teachers, it would further reinforce the persistent instructions they receive from their homes and schools and because of this belief and in line with the Edo State governor's zero tolerance for crime, I sought the permission and collaboration from the Edo State government through the ministry of education and the authorities of the Ikpoba Okha local government Council.

We started planning this event about six months ago. I met with my executives and we put our heads together to raise funds for the initiative and by the Grace of God, we were able to raise the initial funds to commence the program which we want to pursue relentlessly until the desired results are achieved and in the light of the foregoing, we are appealing to well-meaning individuals, corporate organizations and the Edo State government to assist in making this vision of raising and nurturing our teenagers in our schools and society to be adapted to saying no to vices such as Cultism, drugs, sexual immorality, prostitution, stealing, violence, rape, killings, fighting,etc. which are capable of derailing them in life a sustainable endeavor.

"We strongly believe that most people who got involved in Cultism, premarital sex, smoking and drugs, and other related vices didn't have adequate knowledge and understanding of the inherent dangers in what they were involving in and if they had knew of the end results of such association or involvement, they would have possibly thought otherwise and avoided them from the onset before it became too late and as such we believe that imparting the right values at the right time which is at this formative stages is a sure way of building the future of our next generation and the Nation at large and this is our own way of giving back to the society by attempting to create a crime free society. He thanked the Edo State governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo for his position of zero tolerance for crime and criminality in the state.

According to the resource person who delivered key note addresses at the various schools, an educationist and career counselor, Mr Isekhale Akhigbe Charles said that the essence of the initiative was to see how sound moral values and acceptable norms can be inculcated at the formative stages of Edo children as it could help reduce some of the social vices in society today.

"The initiative is to inculcate moral values and knowledge into our children, students and pupils. We are starting from the Secondary session and we hope to upscale to the senior secondary school which is the basic education level but right now we are working on the basic education level and we are instructing them to help us disseminate our instructions of zero tolerance to members of their families, their younger ones, to their peers and associates in their neighborhood. 

"This is not just a one off thing.We have a series of similar lined up programs that would help to build up the desired moral upbringing in our teenagers and the subsequent events would definitely consolidate on what we have started.

Responding to questions from Journalists some respondents have this to say.

"My name is Mrs Tolu Imoru, the Vice Principal, Academics, Western Boys High School, Ikpoba Hill, Benin-City. This advocacy is a welcome development as it will strengthen and reinforce what we as teachers have been imparting in the students concerning the need to say no to social vices. Hearing the same values and instructions from neutral persons is an added advantage as it will definitely help to engrave it into the subconscious of the students and I want to use the opportunity to thank the organizers for the commendable initiative".

Also speaking, Master Ola Destiny, an SS One Student of the Western Boys High School, had this to say; " Social Vices are not acceptable forms of behavior in our society as it has a lot of negative effects in one's life and on the society at large and I have benefited from today's event because it has come to add to my willingness to stay away from social vices as my teachers and parents have always been telling me and I want to encourage my fellow students to always listen to their teachers and parents as well and also engage only in positive activities.

 

All efforts to reach the Ikpoba Okha local government Council Chairman, Honourable Zino Osawaru were unsuccessful as he was said to be engaged with some official assignments but sources close to him affirmed his support and commitment to the success of the advocacy initiative.

Highlights of the events witnessed the presentation of excellence award by members of the Forum to its Chairman for his selfless service to the community and presentation of school materials such as exercise books to exceptional students who addressed their colleagues on the negative effects of social vices.