Kunle ADELABU & Olatunji ADEMOLA
It was yet another moment of unforgettable experience at the weeklong celebration of the 70th anniversary of Oriwu College, Ikorodu, on Tuesday, October 29,2019 as members of old students’ association of the premier school organised an educative and exciting interaction and lecture for the current students.
The event, which was held at the school hall, took off around 11am and had an impressive attendance of the old students, who, like the current students, dressed in the school uniform to bring back the good old memories of their time in the school.
Several speakers, who are products of the school, seized the opportunity presented by the event to give back to the school as they delivered impressive lectures on Drugs Abuse’, ‘Cultism’ and ‘Decision Making On Future Careers’.
Among the speakers were Dr. Wasiu Odufisan (university lecturer), Brigadier General Toyin Ibrahim (retired Army officer), Dr Demilade Longe (retired Lagos State Permanent Secretary and a Doctor), Mrs Funmilayo Balogun (retired Lagos State Permanent Secretary and a Chartered Accountant), and Mr Musbau Bolarinwa (Agro-Economist).
Meanwhile, Dr Odufisan, while speaking on ‘Drug Abuse and Addiction’, described addiction as a mental disorder and added that family history of addiction, peer pressure and smoking among others are things that can cause addiction.
While warning parents that their children learn more from their actions, enjoined them to show good moral examples which they can copy.
In tackling drug abuse, Dr Odufisan enjoined parents to guide their wards’ activities and pay attention to their whereabouts, establish rules and consequences, keep track of prescription of drugs, provide support for them and know their friends.
He also urged the parents to always monitor their wards closely to have a better society.
“We can make our community grow by monitoring our children and guarding them aright” , he stated.
Mr. Olanrewaju A.Hermann, who spoke on “Cultism and its Consequences”, while tracing reasons why students join cultism, stated:
“Some young students who are members of cult groups have experienced very unstable or non-existent family relationship, but they do not constitute the norm.
“A number of students have known pains and deprivations of a single-parent home and perhaps for this reason, some have strongly identified with older students who provide a parental image.
“More than anything, the young people pursuing cults today are involved in search for identity and a quest for spiritual reality that provides clear-cut answers to questions.
“The chief target of cults are children of affluence, these ones may be suffering from identity confusion or identity crisis and they want to be identified with reknowned group and so, they are easily carried away by the activities of the cult”.
Proffering solutions to the cult problems, Hermann called for the introduction of moral education in primary and secondary schools, treatment of cultism and its consequences in the General Studies courses in all schools, including tertiary institutions.
He also enjoined parents to take time in understanding their children and wards and also watch friends that their wards are keeping and encourage mass participation of students in sporting activities and other extra-curricular activities among many other ways.
Other speakers, while delivering brief lectures on selection of career for future, used their personal life challenges and achievements in guiding the students in making future decisions.
The occasion also served as an avenue for the cheering old students to reunite and relieve the fond memories of their days in Oriwu College with nostalgia.
Curtain was drawn on the memorable event with the presentation of a mathematical set and three exercise books to each of the current students of the school by the old students’ association.
