Foundation Tasks Igbo Women To Proffer Solutions To Vices Among Youths
Dr Uba Iwunwa, the founder and chairperson of Ikenga Abiama Dynasty Foundation (IADF), has called on women across Igboland to use the occasion of their ongoing annual August meeting to brainstorm on the possible solution to the insecurity in the region.
Iwunwa, a Nigerian-Canadian Peace Ambassador, who made the call in a Statement in Awka raised concern about the rising cases of drug abuse and cyber fraud among youths in recent times.
The Foundation chairman said this year’s August meeting provided women and mothers the opportunity to discuss ways to discourage youths from drug abuse, cyber frauds, prostitution and other vices.
She said the rate at which youths consumed Mkpuru-mmiri and other narcotic drugs was alarming and urged that decisive steps were taken to discourage it and rehabilitate the already addicted once.
According to her, I want to appeal to our various women groups holding their annual August meeting to look into the rising anti-social behaviours of our youths and come up with measures to checkmate them at the family and communal levels.
“People should be mindful of the fact that illicit drug consumption has a correlation with the current wave of crime in society. I am speaking as a concerned mother who understands what is at stake here,” she said.
Iwunwa who is also an artist and writer said mothers should take special interest in the daily activities of their children and bring back the old practice when parents called their children to question their source of wealth or even disowned for keeping ill-gotten wealth.
She said apart from being a crime to defraud people of their money or engage in prostitution, it also had negative social implications on society.
She regretted that drug abuse among school children was on the increase, noting that domestic violence against children had put a question mark on parents, especially mothers in training their children.
“Mothers must also understand that they are the heart and conscience of society and must wake up and take the lead in this battle against social vices among youths.
“Today, our youths are increasingly being drawn to cyber fraud and prostitution to live luxurious lives instead of education and legitimate businesses.
“Investigations revealed that most parents, especially mothers don’t question their children when they begin to display an ostentatious lifestyle even when they do not have legitimate means of livelihood.
“I am begging our women to put a stop to this ugly phenomenon by coming out with strong measures that would force parents, especially mothers to prevail on their children to stay away from these vices and embrace honest means of livelihood.
” We must work hard to restore that dictum: ‘Ezi-afa ka ego’ in our families and society.
