Gbajabiamila: Rising social vices among youths growing concern

By Ayorinde Oluokun/Abuja

The Nigerian presidency on Thursday declared support for the Special Committee on Campaign Against Social Vices in Secondary and Tertiary Institutions led by Professor Jerry Ugokwe.

Speaking during a meeting with members of the committee led by Ugokwe its chairman, at the State House, Abuja, the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila described its mandate as critical to Nigeria’s future.

While expressing confidence in the integrity and capacity of the committee, Gbajabiamila noted that its designation as a “special committee” underscores the importance of its assignment, which centres on the wellbeing and moral development of young Nigerians.

The Chief of Staff warned that rising social vices among youths constitute a growing national concern.

He noted that that although young people are often described as the future, deliberate and coordinated action is required to secure that future.

He also noted that while many of the Federal Government’s ongoing reforms are forward-looking and targeted at the younger generation, failure to properly guide and support youths could undermine the long-term gains of those reforms.

Gbajabiamila emphasised that tackling the menace requires a whole-of-society approach involving parents, teachers, religious leaders, communities and relevant institutions. He noted that the challenge has assumed near-pandemic proportions globally.

“It takes a community to raise a child, it’s not just about the parents anymore, it’s about the clergy, your neighbour, the teachers, so we all stand in locus parentis for the children.

“We cannot sit-back and do nothing and expect this country to grow or develop if you do not start from the foundation”, he noted.

He also underscored the strong link between law and morality, describing moral re-orientation as fundamental to addressing social vices in schools and campuses.

The Chief of Staff highlighted that government of the day has introduced policies and reforms targeted at youths and encouraged them to take advantage of the windows of opportunities offered.

While urging the committee to think innovatively and adapt to changing realities, Gbajabiamila drew from his experience of engaging students directly through school visits, saying such interactions have produced positive feedback.

He assured the committee of the Federal Government’s readiness to collaborate, adding that efforts would be made to mobilise support from corporate organisations through Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives and to explore possible budgetary provisions.

As a demonstration of personal commitment, he announced a ₦50 million seed donation to support the committee’s work, to be released in two tranches beginning with ₦25 million. He further assured members that his office would remain open for sustained engagement.

Earlier, the Chairman of the Committee, Professor Jerry Ugokwe, expressed appreciation for the audience and for the vision behind the committee’s establishment.

He said the initiative reflects the Federal Government’s commitment to confronting social vices among Nigerian students through a structured presidential intervention, describing youth moral wellbeing as a national priority requiring sustained institutional attention.

Professor Ugokwe explained that the committee’s mandate includes identifying and addressing social vices in schools, promoting discipline and responsible leadership, and collaborating with institutional authorities and security agencies to combat cultism, drug abuse, examination malpractice, cybercrime and related offences.

He added that the committee is also responsible for organising sensitisation campaigns and recommending policies to strengthen student welfare, campus security and academic excellence.

The chairman noted that since its inauguration, the committee has moved from policy to action, successfully holding major engagements in Edo and Kwara States as part of its nationwide drive.

He therefore appealed for the Chief of Staff’s strategic backing and stronger institutional ownership, including approval and logistical support for a proposed grand national launch of the campaign at the State House Conference Hall.

Professor Ugokwe assured the Presidency of the committee’s commitment to transparency, measurable outcomes and sustained stakeholder engagement.

Also speaking at the event, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Student Engagement, Comrade Sunday Asefon, who led members of the committee to the State House, highlighted the urgency of the intervention, citing a tragic case of a university student whose death was linked to drug intoxication.

He said such incidents underscore the need for a coordinated national response to rising social vices among young people.

According to Asefon, the committee was deliberately structured as a multi-stakeholder platform bringing together education authorities, religious leaders and other critical actors to drive holistic value reorientation among students.

He disclosed that following the committee’s inauguration, his office engaged the Federal Ministry of Education, which subsequently made a budgetary provision for the committee in the 2025 fiscal year, describing it as a useful starting point.

Despite limited resources, Asefon noted that the committee has already conducted programmes in Edo and Kwara States and is planning a larger national engagement in Abuja.

He therefore appealed for stronger institutional support, stressing that the committee’s work aligns closely with the administration’s broader youth development and nation-building agenda.