SMOKING AMONGST OUR YOUTH

Smoking amongst our youth has become predominant. Nearly every young guy you see on the street indulges in the act of smoking. It’s alarming to know the rate at which Nigerian youths smoke ‘weed’ a. k.a ‘igbo’
Factors that might have lead them into smoking
PEER PRESSURE; Some youths get influenced by their friends or the particular group of people they move with. It is no longer surprising that Nigerian youths are looking for fast money, instead of learning a trade, they go about riding motorcycles popularly known as ‘Okada’ They keep friends amongst these Okada riders and consequently some of them indulge in smoking with the reason of shaking off cold, while some of our youths join cliques, where majority of the members of these cliques are clubbers, drunkards and smokers, when they go for social outings no one wants to be the odd one out, so they all become the same.
POOR PARENTING; some parents do not have control over their children neither do they have any curfew in their homes, while some parents can’t all their children and ask them what the matter is at that particular moment. Some parents are being good enough but when the child is being exposed to a lot of things, in a case where person has a very good physical structure, he attracts a lot of unnecessary attention, people around him give him wrong advices, telling him he’s old enough to take his decisions, he shouldn’t inform anybody before he takes a step forgetting that experience is the best teacher above all there is nothing stopping parents from their children closer to them and to ask them the challenges that they are facing at that point in time.
IGNORANCE; A great percentage of our youths that in indulges in smoking are illiterate, very good examples are ‘Agbero’s’ a.k.a ‘Area boys’ and ‘Omo o ni le’ better translated as ‘illegal land tax collectors’ People like these do not know the consequences of smoking, though it is written on the packet of their cigarette that “smokers are liable to die young” but can they read this or do they know the meaning. Why would one risk his lungs for pleasure? – It’s highly unreasonable.
Conclusion; Evil company corrupts good manners, everyone should be careful of the type of friends we keep. Flee away from every appearance of evil.
Parents should bring up their children in the way they should grow, so that when they grow old they would not depart from it. It is what a child learns at home he exhibits outside. No one should hide under the fact of ignorance because ignorance is a disease. Abstinence pays.
Closing note; I have been contemplating on writing this article, but I was inspired to start writing it immediately I saw an old friend indulging in the act of smoking, I was touched.
I implore anyone who indulges in the act of smoking to desist from it. If the youths of Nigeria say good bye to smoking, it does promise Nigeria of a very bright and rewarding future, because our future leaders are ruining their lives with ‘hemps’ and ‘weeds’ Let us stoop the act amongst our youth, for the good of Nigeria
GOOD PEOPLE GREAT NATION
Alebiosu Omobolade