A former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke has lamented the rise of internet fraudsters popular known as ‘Yahoo boys’ in Nigerian society.
Diezani said that the societal values in Nigeria have disintegrated to the extent that ‘Yahoo boys’ have become role models to many Nigerian youths.
She highlighted the importance of mentorship and emphasized on the need for youths to work really hard, stating that there was no shortcut to success.
The former minister this while delivering a lecture at a virtual event which was also attended by her former boss, ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, on Friday.
“The ones that have swag, the Yahoo Yahoo boys as my son would say; these in short, are the role models they are looking at. These are the ones that reinforce negative societal norms and values,” she said.
“This is a travesty of an unfolding tragedy for us. Why have I spent time talking about fatherless homes and the impact it has on our children?
“The truth of the matter is that an irresponsible boy tends to become an irresponsible man and it is therefore a vicious cycle. If you plant yam, you cannot harvest plantain.
“There are no shortcuts to working your way up the ladder of life. Progressing in life, in work and relationships – marital or otherwise – is always dependent on consistent effort and hard work.
“As we create more responsible young men, we will generate more responsible fathers which will in turn engender a more sustainable society and build a greater nation of successful Ijaw men and women.”
Diezani said societal values had collapsed mainly because of weak family bonds caused by broken homes.
She said in some instances, children raised by single parents do well in life but it should not be the norm that children should be brought up by single parents.
Below is a video from the event posted on Twitter by blogger, Jackson Ude, who is also the publisher of Point Blank News.
https://twitter.com/jacksonpbn/status/1292518235896774657?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1292518235896774657%7Ctwgr%5E&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fd-27771038304122077970.ampproject.net%2F2007242032002%2Fframe.html
KanyiDaily recalls that Diezani is wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) since 2015 for the alleged misappropriation of public funds running into billions of dollars in oil revenue during her time as Minister of Petroleum resources.
She was reportedly appointed as a Commissioner for Trade and Investment in Dominican Republic and handed a diplomatic passport, which has helped her to evade prosecution despite being in London for over four years.