GROWING TRENDS OF "GET RICH QUICK SYNDROME" AMONGST NIGERIAN YOUTHS.

In recent years, especially in the new millennium,the urge to get rich quick amongst Nigerian youths has increased significantly. This cannot be said to be without factors necessitating this rise in the cases of youths engaging themselves in different diabolical and illegal means to make money. Money is very important no doubt. We need money for transactional purposes, for unforseen circumstances and for our daily needs. That notwithstanding,this money needs to be made through legit and legal means. On the contrary,a good number of Nigerian youths have chosen the wrong path by engaging themselves in ritual killings to make money through fast means.

So far in 2022 alone,alot of ritual killings have been reported in the Nigeria media space. Top on this list are four cases that shocked the entire country. These cases ranges from that of Sofiat Kehinde,a 20 year old lady who was killed at Oke Aregba of Abeokuta,Ogun State. The three men suspects aged between 18_20 years allegedly killed and burned her head fo ritual purpose. According to reports, the deceased was said to be dating one of the killers. Also, a suspected ritual killer, Timothy Odeniyi, was arrested by men of the Amotekun Corps in Ondo State, Nigeria. The 35-year-old man confessed to newsmen that he was promised N30m if he could produce and deliver human parts to Lagos. He revealed that the human parts were to be delivered to one of his bosses living in Lagos. Timothy confessed that he went to burial grounds to harvest the body parts from corpses buried, claiming that he did not murder anyone.

Other shocking cases included that of Jennifer Anthony,a student of the university of Jos,who was found lifeless at a hotel in Jos,along Zaria road,on new year's day. Some of her body parts were missing. A 20- year old Moses Oko was arrested in connection with the crime in Benue state after he fled from Jos for committing the crime. In another case, Afeez Olalere confessed to killing his younger brother for money ritual purposes. He was arrested during a stop and search operation along Itamaga, Ikorodu road in Lagos State by operatives of the Lagos State Police Command. Afeez confessed during interrogation that his mother encouraged him to kill his younger brother after a herbalist she took him to had told him to sacrifice one life which must be his sibling. He had planned with his mother to poison his 21-year-old brother to death. They harvested the required body parts and took his remains to the mortuary.



Factors such as poor parental upbringing, careless flaunt of affluence by celebrities on the social media and lack of strong punitive measures in our judicial system are responsible for the rise of this ugly trend in our society. A very good number of parents have failed in their parental responsibilities of bringing up their children in the way of the Lord. Celebrities also flaunt their wealth on social media thereby enticing this young lads wanting to live the kind of lifestyle lived by their favourite celebrities without knowing the pains and hard work they put up to be what they are. Our judicial system also cannot be left out of this. When a crime is committed and there's no punitive measure metted out to the culprit to serve as deterrent to others, there's always high possibility of others engaging in that same crime as they believe they can easily get away with it.

However, a way out is still possible. First, the youths need value reorientation. The youths needs to change their values and approach to issues of life. There's no short cut to riches and affluence,even if there is,it will always be disastrous. The government should enact laws or rather enforce existing ones to serve as deterrent to others. The family as the first agent of socialization should teach their children and wards good values and morals from early stage. Our mass media can also play a pivotal role to curb or reduce this trend. As the fourth estate of the realm,they should not relent on educating the people on good morals and the dangers of engaging in illegal means to get rich quick.

©Baba Sonny