Adolescents blues
By Jacqui Iwu (jackie@sunnewsonline.com)
Saturday September 15, 2007

I walked into a restaurant at Okota road in Isolo Lagos and, I was shocked to see young boys in school uniforms, with big bottles of Guinness stout on their tables. This was supposed to be during school hours when they should be in their classroom learning. The boys were not alone but with their female school mates and couple of men whom I discovered were potential ‘customers’.

I could not stand it and I called the waiter quietly and asked her which school the students belong to and the waiter told me more than I inquired. The school boys turned out to be pimps for the men who came to pick or will I say, select girls(the female students) organized by the boys.
I can hear someone say—a-ah jacqui this is a common show with teenagers everywhere you go now. I know! Most times you hear such stories but witnessing them right before your eyes is, like watching a movie.

While I watched the young boys clutching their big bottles of stout and the female ones stupidly giggling, discussing silly things with the men while they should be in class studying, I remembered my own secondary school days and I felt proud of myself, my parents, teachers and principal. During my secondary school days in Owerri Imo State, who are you to be seen outside during school and after school hours? In a restaurant with men?(your parents must come beg for your re-admission) In fact, during school hours when you accidentally step out of class (if not break period) and suddenly bump into my principal ( which was always visible and checking everyone) you ran as far as your legs could carry you(though she meant no harm).

How could teachers and principals allow their students roaming the streets and town during school hours and class period? Take a look at the handsets I saw with the girls—handsets that cost nothing less than thirty thousand Naira. These are girls who probably come from very poor background. Try trace them to where they come from, you will discover their parents neither could afford such expensive phones. How about their appearance? A female student with eye shadow, lip gloss and dangling earrings? Yet they entered the school compound, including classrooms with the teachers staring at them in such things? If it were in my school then, you dare not cross the school gate with such things on you, not to talk of sitting down in class with them.

If you were unlucky my principal was driving out and saw you at the gate coming to school all made up,(your funeral) she would practically yank off your ears with the stupid earrings you wore. You are in school to study and not to do fashion parade. Today, teachers and principals watch female students appear in school with all kinds of attires and fashion accessories and they simply ignore them. Are they afraid of the young ones or what? You hear some of them say—did they not come from homes? Fine, if their parents fail to do their own duty, does that mean the school authority should also fail to guide and discipline teenagers entrusted into their care?

This explains why exam malpractices, cultism, and unwanted pregnancy are very common among adolescents . There are so many irrelevant issues teenagers of today get involved with at their early stage of life which distract them from progressing. When they missed parental guidance at home, missed the school authority’s own, what else is there to channel and guide them into fruitful adulthood? Their entire life system will then be guided by peer group pressure and the internet which do not help much. With peer group and the internet, they are on their own and can be mis guided—big time!! How about our churches and mosques? What are their own roles in helping the adolescents? Give me a good break pl-easse!!

I have seen and been to churches where their youth forums are all about money contribution for picnics etc. During service you will see boys and girls arranging dates outside. Infact, most young ones look out for churches with sharp babes and happening guys so they can mingle!! I always ask-where are the church pastors and elders? Are they not seeing these boys and girls and their activities?

Dear teeny boppers, my teeny-weenys, when you start behaving like an adult in your early life, when you get to adulthood(not old age) you get fraustrated with life. For parents of today, a lot of you have really lost it !! A lot of you have failed in your responsibilities as parents!! No matter how poor, busy you are as a parent, you owe it to the children you brought into this world to guide and protect them as well as making sure they become successful and fulfilled adults. Do not expect the schools, churches and mosques do that for you because it is your sole responsibility to do so. The children carry whatever training they acquire at home to everywhere they go in life. GOOD OR BAD!!

FITNESS WATCH: Instead of missing lunch daily, skip dinner.
BEAUTY SPLASH: During makeup, use liquid-to-powder foundation with SPF for that satin-flawless finish.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

When a teenager missed parental guidance and protection, it becomes very difficult to carry on successfully into a meaningful and fulfilled adulthood.