Parents, leaders cause of moral decadence among youths

The Lagos State Scout Commander, Dr Bosun Arilesere, has blamed parents and Nigerian leaders for the pervading moral decadence among young generation of Nigerians.Speaking at a pre-dinner lecture marking the State's Scout Council's 8th Eko Commissioners' Camp, held at Four Square Camp, Ground in Idimu, Lagos State, last Sunday, Dr Arilesere remark that most Nigerian leaders and parents are engulfed in the urge to acquire money and material things to the detriment of proper upbringing of their children.Lamenting that the shrinking of good family and societal values began with the advent of the oil boom in Nigeria, the Lagos State Scout Commander stated that the focus of the annual camp events for its youthful members is 'non-formal education' which has not only been attracting large membership in the state in recent years, but had equally resulted in positive character-moulding of the youths.Speaking in a similar vein, the chief lecturer of the pre-dinner event and a seasoned pilot, Mr Babatunde Oyetayo, remarked that through annual camping of the youths which provides disciplined and good leadership platforms for the youthful members of the scout irrespective of gender, religion or social background, the membership of the voluntary organisation has increased to 45, 000 in the state.In another development, Mr Guilbert Akinlawon, immediate past State Commander and now National Assistant Chief Commissioner for Zone 1, revealed that as the Scout is being given a re-direction to fill the gap created by long years of societal neglect of the youths, the organisation is getting recognised by appropriate stakeholders in the society.Commending Governor Babatunde Fashola and Honourable Justice Enitan Akande, the state's patron and president of the Scout respectively for their 'unalloyed' support, Engineer Akinlawon said that, 'now that scouting has changed its direction positively to what it used to be, parents are advised to take pro-active steps in getting their wards registered to be active members of this life-changing organisation'.Continuing, he charged Scout leaders to keep the momentum going so that the character building the Scout is known for should resonate enduringly. As he put it, 'The Scout leaders should show more interest in the boys and girls and establish interaction with the parents, especially with the efficient means of communication at the disposal of every citizen of our country. With this, one is convinced that a good number of our youths will be prevented from straying into crime and other criminalities which are the bane of our society.
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