From David Onwuchekwa, Nnewi
Likely solution to growing cases of ritual killings for money and hard drug addiction amongst Nigerian youths has come from one of the Igbo leaders, Chief Rommy Ezeonwuka.
Chief Ezeonwuka who is the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Rojeny Games and Tourist Village, Oba in Idemili South Local Government Area of Anambra State said, yesterday, that Nigeria could only get it right if it could divert the minds of the youths to sports and skill acquisition.
He said that the youths had pursued the quest to get rich quick due to bad orientation which could only be changed, according to him, with things that were attractive enough to occupy the attention of the youths.
“There is need for re-orientation to tame the minds of the youths to turn them from being porous.
“What Nigerian youths are passing through has happened in other countries of the world but leaders of those countries woke up from their slumber and took decisive measures.
“Jamica, for an example, in the 70s was filled with drug addiction and youth restiveness. Almost 90 percent of Jamican youths were engaged in the smoke of ganja and they believed in it and believed in idleness. But leaders of that country woke up and reasoned that unless the minds of the youths were channeled to something else, something that could magnet their minds and give them a different orientation, the situation would not come. That was the miracle that worked for Jamica, ” Chief Ezeonwuka said.
He noted that today no country ever expected that Jamica could take over athletics of the world. He said that Jamica had continued to promote athletics as all Jamican youths had long ago developed interest in sports competition.
Chief Ezeonwuka continued: “You know one Olympic Gold Medal is worth $2million. In their outings they started about in late 80s, Jamica was coming first, second, third and even fourth in every international competition whether Olympics or world games.
“Then the whole world was shocked and that ended drug addiction and all manner of anti-social activities in that country. Every youth now aspires to be the greatest in athletics and other games in Jamica. America that used to take over athletics in the world now starts featuring 5the position.
“You see how youths glue themselves during international football matches. They do betting. Those areas have to be well exploited. Those football enthusiasts know all the clubs in Europe. So, we can as well re-energize the Nigerian leagues. I wonder why we can’t use sports to revolutionalize the minds of the youths, ” he queried.
Chief Ezeonwuka said that sports could engage the attention of fourty five percent of the Nigerian youth population. He named skill acquisition as the second solution to youths involvement in ritual killings for money and hard drug addiction.
According to him, skill acquisition should be added to school curricula both at the secondary and higher institutions level and be religiously imparted to the students.
“This idleness starts from the school where you go and lecturers will teach you nonsense, something that is not relevant to your daily living. Eventually they give you a certificate for knowing nothing and then you begin to parade yourself as a graduate in society with nothing to offer.
“So, the way out is to channel the minds of the youths to all manner of sports and skill acquisition.
“Government, private individuals or organizations should also invest in mechanic and computer village establishments to engage a big chunk of the youth population, ” he insisted.