Graduating Students of LAFROGRAMS advised to Shun Risky Behaviours

 Graduating Students of LAFROGRAMS advised to Shun Risky Behaviours

Young people have been advised to shun risky behaviours like: drug abuse, cultism, ritual killings, violence, kidnapping, sexual perversions, teenage pregnancies, insatiable quest for illicit wealth, pornography and other behaviours that would truncate their dreams in the future. This charge was given by Dr. Olusanya Dacosta who was a guest speaker at the prize-giving and valedictory service of the Lagos African Church Grammar School, Ifako, Agege, Lagos which was entitled his paper, “Signs of the Time”.

Dacosta said drug/substance abuse among young people today is becoming more alarming and the tide needed to be stemmed even as young people take all kinds of substance like “gutter water”, tramadol, codeine, cannabis, rohypnol, glue, petrol, sewage and urine as “inhalants”.

Speaking on the negative effect of drug/substance abuse, he said, “it affect you physically because it is very harmful to your body; it affects your studies due to loss of concentration; it degrades your mental health leading to depression and drains your parents finance apart from making you to lose self-esteem and control.

Apart from drug abuse, the speaker warned young people to stay off pre-marital sex, sodomy and sexual perversion which lead to HIV/AIDS, unwanted pregnancies, abortion, cervical career and so on. Buttressing this, he said “today HIV is behaving a teen disease. Every year, HIV finds its victims with younger people even most HIV may be caught during the years.

Having outlined the delinquent act associated with young people, Dacosta as a way of counsel told the listeners which comprise the graduating students and their parents on how to survive the time talking on the essence of proper guidance and the right type of association.

Making choice of the right type of friends is very important as most juvenile or delinquent behaviour are occasioned by the wrong type of friends. He narrated a sad incidence of a final year student who was found with drug in the first time in the university and was mistaken.

He also said that having the fear of God as their creator would make them to have the right direction and guidance as youths.

Furthermore, he advised them to stay focused and avoid distraction in whatever they do.

Lastly, the importance of skill acquisition was also emphasized. He said acquiring one vocational skill or other would make them to be both personal and socially responsible for themselves and the society.

Dacosta who was a former director with the West African Examination Council (WAEC) said the theme of his presentation was informed as a result of the happenings in the society lately which is a source of worry to him and hence young people needed to properly guided so they can fulfill their God-given purpose in life.

After the presentation, the principal of the school, Mrs. Mojisola Oyetayo thanked the speaker saying the lecturer was timely and impactful.