The Use Of Social Media Has Caused More Harm Than Good To Our Culture” – Adelaja Adenuga
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One could actually wonder where the world is heading today. Our new generation has come up with its own way of dressing brought about by Western culture. By our standards, Nigeria and other African youths today dress indecently. Indecent dress code is the exposure of one’s body to the public. Culturally, people are expected to dress well because culture has a lot to do with the way people in the society dresses.
‘’Social media may have its good aspects of increased connections between people and creation of an environment in which you can share lots of buying and selling of stuff online, but then it has in many ways influenced our cultural heritage in different negative ways. People do share whatever they want to share on social media and some of them are things children should not be exposed to even at their early stages in life. For example, the longer everyone spends on their phones, the less time they spend with the people that matters in their lives, their loved ones.
When we have positive social interactions, our bodies release endorphins that help make us feel good’’ explained adelaja.
In a chat with our correspondent, Dr. Adelaja Adenuga the founder of the Adelaja Adenuga Foundation who has sincere passion for the elderly’s welfare felt so concern for the future of our culture which he sees as going into the extinct. ‘’I am afraid of future of our youths who would definitely be leaders of tomorrow. Most of them are involve in cultism, yahoo yahoo, use and abuse of drugs such as opium, marijuana, narcotics and involvements in other illicit acts. Some of them want to become rich overnight which is not possible. We need to re-orientate them so as to have a change of heart. They have to be useful to themselves, the society and the nation at large. Parents should also play their own roles to better the future of their children. The parents are not really doing enough. They need to create to train their children.’’
On the impact of social media on culture, Adelaja emphazized that the impact of social media on culture cannot be overestimated. He explained that it had a great influence on the cultural changes in the society so that the roles of men and women have been defined by the mass media. In the process, it affected both intercultural and international communication. According to him, each and every society has a way of dressing; a dress code which is accepted by society and which shows respect to the public. In the 21st century, Nigerian as well as other African youth’s dress code has changed negatively. People, especially youths, do not care about decent dressing. Up until the late 80s, people used to respect the traditional way of dressing: women were expected to dress modestly which included loose and long dresses. It was not allowed for a lady to show her thighs; it was considered disrespectful. Men used to dress in long trousers or shorts and cotton shirts.
‘’Indecent dressing in society is also associated with poor parenting. This is a major problem and a major cause of indecent dressing. Parents should be role models to their children hence they have the mandate to educate and control their children on a more sober way of dressing. Some parents themselves dress so carelessly in public such that it is hard for them to control their children when they see them dressing indecently. As the saying goes, “Charity begins at home”. Indeed, charity and discipline should begin at home. Hence, decent dressing should first be practiced at home’’ he concluded.
On the way out, he wants the federal government to regulate dress codes in our primary, secondary and tertiary institutions. Starting to curb the children from tender age should be encouraged.
The management team of the Adelaja Adenuga Foundation (AAF), a community based non governmental organization saddled with numerous community development programmes and projects have made arrangements to support the indigenous people of Abigi and environs of Ijebu Waterside, Ogun State with medical tests such as eye tests, vision screening, presentation of free medical glasses, free drugs on malaria, high blood pressure, cough and so on alongside end of the year gifts of food materials to the elderly in the community.
As part of the program, the teeming populace of Ijebu Waterside would also be sensitized during the one day End of the year community empowerment program on the need to promote the cultural heritage of the Ijebu Waterside and ijebus generally, foster and promote unity, good relationship among the community members; use the gathering to campaign against drug use/abuse, cultism, indecent dressing and all forms of social vices among secondary school students and youths at the community level as welk as encourage peaceful coexistence, mutual understanding and harmonious living in the community, all in an effort to empower the youths and community members so as to make them responsible and useful citizens of the community and the country at large.
There will also be debates in ijebu dialect for the secondary school kids, Other programs lined up to make the end of the year community program rich and lively are lecture on: ‘’Consequences of substance abuse: Its impacts on Nation Building’’ by a Director from the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), the Federal law enforcement agency in Nigeria under the Federal Ministry of Justice charged with eliminating the growing, processing, manufacturing, selling, exporting, and trafficking of hard drugs. There will also be questions and answers on Ijebu origin, foods, arts and culture, standard of living, dresses, ways of life and so on and to crown it all, there will be gifts for the elderly people at this end of the year program among funfair and refreshments.
His Royal Majesty Oba Olusegun O. Ogunye the Ojotumoro of Abigi kingdom would be hosting the timely event. Dignitaries that have been invited to grace the occasion are Rt. Hon. Dr. Tokunbo Oshin as the event Chairman; Pharm. Hajia Modupeola Omonike Bankole, Wife of the Ogun State Commissioner of Police and Rt. Hon Akeem Balogun Agbolade, Deputy Speaker of the Ogun State House of Assembly as Distinguished Guests of Honour; Invited Special Guests of honour are: Dr. Adetayo Ganiyu-Obafemi, Regional IT Head at the Nestle Central & West Africa with his office in Ghana; Dr. Jimson Olufuye, Chair, Kontemporary Konsulting Ltd who also is the Chair, Advisory Council Africa ICT Alliance (AFICTA), Abuja; Apostle Adetayo Pekun Adelaja based in UK while the Guests of Honour would be Mr. Sodipo Rotimi Samuel the head of the logistic section at the Telios Development Ltd and Dr. Bola Adekola, the registrar at the Federal University of Agric, Abeokuta.