First Lady Oluremi Tinubu has called on mothers to instill the right values in children and create a bond of trust and channels of communication.
The First Lady made the call while speaking at the National Cybercrime Summit and Launch of the 24/7 Rapid Response Desk by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Abuja.
She said no one can prosper without hard work and honesty and going otherwise would have grave repercussions.
“Be their friends, don’t be judgmental, but love them until they find themselves. We are the children’s first teachers and have great influence on our children. What we inculcate in them matters a lot to their outcome in life,” she said.
She said the world is confronted with a pressing reality of the digital age while offering unprecedented opportunities and has also exposed the nation to new vulnerabilities which should be addressed urgently and drastically.
“I am informed that thousands have been arrested, prosecuted and convicted, yet there is no indication that the number of those involved is decreasing.
“With young people accounting for more than 60% of the population, the involvement of youth in cybercrime is a threat to the nation’s quest for economic development and stability.
“It is crucial that we emphasise and entrench the culture of hard work rooted in honesty and dignity of labour among our teeming youth. In this regard, parents play a pivotal role in raising and guiding their children and wards to be God-fearing, inculcate in them good values, morals and a sense of patriotism.
“Bond of trust and understanding should be created between parents and their children to allow for open communication, whereby their fears and insecurities could be addressed,” she said.
Quoting from the Bible, the First Lady said every hand must be on deck to make the nation a prosperous one.
“We must always bear in mind that Nigeria is all we have, hence the need for all to work together to sustain the glory of our nation. As pointed out in the scriptures, “…that the profit of the earth is for all: the king himself is served by the field.” (Ecclesiastes 5:9).
“As leaders in our various endeavours, we must realise that the commonwealth of Nigeria is for all of us to benefit, hence, the need to assist and guide our youth to engage in positive online activities, rather than resorting to cybercrime,” he said.
The First Lady also unveiled the 24/7 Rapid Response Desk aimed at reducing the response time between cybercrime report time and response by the EFCC.
