Experts unlock secrets of breaking barriers to teenagers in Lagos

By Chuks Eze

Over 1000 students from 35 secondary schools in Amuwo Odofin Local Government Area of Lagos State and its environs gathered recently in Festac Town to listen to experts on how to overcome life obstacles, so as to be able to achieve their life’s dreams and ambitions.

The programme organized by a nongovernmental organisation, i NEED to KNOW Foundation, tagged, ‘School Conference 2.0’ and themed, ‘Breaking barriers,’ had such seasoned speakers as Arowolo Abisola Olufunmilola, Assistant Director of Education in Lagos; Keji Hamilton, President, Global Centre for Drug Eradication; Mrs Oluwakemi Bello, Head of Field Operations, Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency (DSVA); Mary Lazarus, Actor/filmmaker and the Convener/Founder, I need to Know Foundation, Mrs Vivian Kayode-Yusuf.

According to Mrs Kayode-Yusuf, the idea to bring such a number of students together to tutor them on how to break many barriers that could hinder them from achieving their life’s dreams and ambitions stemmed from the realization that many parents don’t have time for their children, especially the teenagers and young adults.

“A lot of parents are not available for these teenagers. They are busy running after money thinking they are working for their children but they are missing the bigger picture and that is being present in their lives. From our dealings with teenagers, there are a lot of barriers that need to be broken. These barriers range from cultural to social and mind barriers, among others. These youngsters need to break a lot of these barriers.

“There are things that over time, parents have grown to believe are the normal way of life but that is not true. The fact that you were brought up in a particular way, doesn’t mean that your children should equally be brought up that way. We are dealing with a different generation. This is a very intelligent generation; a generation that asks questions. You don’t just tell them to do anything and expect them to do that without questioning as most parents were trained. It is a different generation, so they need to break through these barriers and to do that, we must teach them. We need to put them through these challenges so that we don’t have problems in the future,” she said.

Specifically, she mentioned cultural barrier as the leading obstacle before the teenagers, followed by mindset barriers. She said the programme was to let the teenagers know that they could be what they want to be. “We want them to know that they are more than who they think they are, irrespective of what people or their environment think of them. They are unique and special. God has an agenda for everybody.

“They are not here for fun; they are here to have a change of mindset. We have speakers on addiction to drugs, domestic and sexual abuse and distractions, among others. They need to know about all these problems and how to overcome them when confronted with any of them in life,” she stated.

She noted that if most parents had the same opportunity being offered to the students, many of them would have been great in life but the reverse was the case. Most parents, according to her, made several mistakes which prevented them from achieving their life’s dreams because they didn’t have the opportunity of listening to people who have had ugly experiences in life as young people.

“We understand that these children are our future and the future of the nation. We have also discovered over time that if most parents had the opportunity of people speaking to them on various challenges of life as these children are exposed to, they wouldn’t have made some mistakes they made in life. A lot of parents would have turned out better but because they didn’t have such opportunities, they turned out in different ways. So, this is an opportunity for young teenagers to learn, unlearn and relearn,” she said.

The programme brought together teenagers from different schools, cultures, beliefs, values and backgrounds under one umbrella to listen to speakers talk to them on different life’s challenges and how to overcome them.

She called on the government to help the organisation in penetrating more into the public schools. “It is easier to access private schools. The public schools also need these teachings as well, so the government should assist us to have more and easy access to them.

“We have about 35 schools from Amuwo Odofin and outside. I wish we have more foundations doing what we are doing, I mean fending for the young ones. They need help,” she submitted.

She expressed satisfaction at the turn out, saying, “I feel so happy. I think over 1000 children are here. I thank the schools for trusting us and releasing their children to us. I want to appreciate the Lagos State Education District 5, Agboju, for the wonderful work they are doing there.”

Also speaking about the programme and why he always supports his wife, Mr Kayode Yusuf said his wife is giving meaning to life, stressing that success is not just acquiring money but how many people one has impacted in life, “and that is why I am always here to support the programme.”

On the programme, he said: We are impacting the life of future generation of our leaders. We impact the lives of these young generation because they own tomorrow. Tomorrow is so bright and beautiful and we teach them life’s principles; things they need to be the best in life.”

Speaking on distraction as one of the barriers that need to be broken so as to achieve one’s purpose in life, Olufunmilola advised the students to avoid social media distraction such as TikTok, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter and pay rapt attention to their studies.

She told them that distraction would only bring about failure in their tests and exams and urged them to control their phones by keeping them at a distance and putting them on silent modes.

She said: “When you take away your phones and silence them, the reward will be good grades in your tests and exams.”

Mr Hamilton told them a story of how hard drugs like Indian hemp, heroin and cocaine pushed him into criminal life and how God eventually rescued him and brought him to Christ as a born again.

He urged them to avoid bad friends and drugs, warning that they may not be as lucky as he was. “Know the kinds of friends you keep,” he warned.

He also told them that who their influencer is in life is also very important. “Don’t let a bad person be your influencer. I looked up to Fela Anikulapo Kuti as a young adult and that was how I abandoned school as an undergraduate of Pharmacy at the University of Ibadan and joined Fela’s band in his Kalakuta Republic. I committed all sorts of crimes, including armed robbery. I was involved in all kinds of drugs. In fact, I was known as the youngest son of Lucifer in Ikeja but I was saved by Jesus Christ. Run away from bad influencer. Avoid bad friends. Avoid drugs because you may not be as lucky as I am,” he advised.

Mrs Bello also took the students on a journey into what domestic and sexual violence is all about, advising them to avoid teenage sex and wait until they are married. This, she said, is to avoid teenage pregnancy or abortion that could lead to complications and infertility in future.

Mis Lazarus also told the students how she was able to discover her talent in acting and resigned from her good paying job.

She urged them to always discover their God-given talents and explore them to be successful in life.