By Solomon OKPO
Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, has reiterated the need for ethical reorientation to begin from the home, urging parents to take the lead in instilling moral values in their children to counter rising concerns about the behaviour of the younger generation.
The call was conveyed by the Governor’s Senior Special Assistant on Ethical Orientation, Rev. Dr. Osondu Ahirika, during an interactive session with Mrs. Affi Israel Ibanga, immediate past President of the Uyo Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (UYOCCIMA).
According to Dr. Ahirika, Governor Eno believes that parents must be intentional about home training, especially in an era dominated by social media and digital distractions. He warned of the dangers of young people adopting unfiltered media content and values from platforms such as Snapchat, TikTok, Instagram, and X (formerly Twitter), which are increasingly shaping the worldview of Generation Z.
“The Governor is concerned about the all-pervasive influence of smartphones and the internet on young minds, and the growing trend of children learning values independently from online platforms,” Dr. Ahirika said. “This underpins his administration’s commitment to institutionalising ethical standards across the state.”
Echoing this sentiment, Mrs. Ibanga, who currently leads the Women Entrepreneurs and Professionals Development Network (WEPDN) and Happy Hour Connect Initiative (HHCI), praised the Governor’s values restoration campaign. She described the state of society as a “failed kingdom of Satan” that must be reclaimed through deliberate moral instruction.
Mrs. Ibanga cautioned parents not to cover up or excuse wrong behaviour in children, but rather to model discipline, integrity, and strong ethical boundaries at home. She warned that failure to act now would leave Generation Z vulnerable to a culture of mischief and moral decline.
“Our values are first cultivated at home. If we’re going to correct this generational drift, we must consistently give our youths a full dosage of moral etiquette,” she said, urging influencers to use their platforms to promote decency rather than digital mischief.
She further advised the SSA on Ethical Orientation to engage with schools, parent-teacher associations, religious bodies, and traditional rulers to integrate moral teachings into everyday education and communal life.
Dr. Ahirika commended Mrs. Ibanga’s leadership in championing ethical entrepreneurship and called for collective efforts to counter the culture of vanity and deception prevalent in digital spaces.
He advocated using social media, schools, and religious platforms to amplify the Governor’s ethical reorientation drive and reclaim the moral compass of the younger generation.
