Rev. David Idowu, President of the Nigerian Baptist Convention and Visitor to Bowen University, Iwo, Osun State, has urged Nigerian youths to resist the pressure to acquire wealth through fraudulent means, money rituals and other shortcuts to success.
He gave the charge at the 21st convocation ceremony of Bowen University, where he urged the youths to remain focused, purposeful and committed to hard work despite the distractions and declining moral values in society.
Idowu expressed concern over what he described as the breakdown of the country’s value system, particularly the growing involvement of teenagers in money rituals and the willingness of some parents to accept proceeds from such activities.
He said, ‘My challenge to our youths in this generation is for them to remain focused. We live in a very noisy world, totally distracted. We see distractions everywhere, we see confusion everywhere, and it must be said that society is not helping because we live in a society where the value system is broken down. We live in a society where teenagers are now going into money rituals and parents are happy to collect money from such teenagers.’
The Baptist cleric also challenged the popular notion that youths were leaders of tomorrow, insisting that young people already had important responsibilities in the country’s development.
He cited his appointment as a church pastor at the age of 21 and the leadership contributions of Nigeria’s independence-era leaders, including Obafemi Awolowo, Ahmadu Bello and Tafawa Balewa, who assumed leadership responsibilities in their 30s.
He urged the youths to take their moral lives seriously, remain prayerful and understand that hard work, even when its rewards were not immediately visible, would eventually pay off.
‘My charge to them with the fast-money syndrome is for them to continue to trust God. He who has brought us into the world knows what we need and has said He will provide for us. There’s always a season of sowing and reaping, so while sowing, they should remain focused and continue to trust God. Continue to do what is right. Hard work pays; it may look foolish now, but it pays. They should be hardworking and prayerful and take their moral life seriously,’ Idowu said.
He also charged the graduating students to pursue life’s opportunities with determination, describing their academic qualifications as a means to greater accomplishments.
The BOWEN visitor urged them to run their race with purpose, prudence and perseverance, warning against living aimlessly or surrendering to laziness.
In his convocation address, Rev. Yusuf Gwadah, the university’s Chancellor, advised the graduands to complement their academic achievements with strong character, integrity and compassion.
‘Remember, the world needs more than brilliance. You should be men and women of integrity, courage and compassion,’ he said.
Similarly, Deaconess Joan Ayo, the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council, challenged the graduands to identify their individual strengths and develop competitive advantages that would distinguish them in their respective careers.
She urged them to embrace innovation, take initiative and build confidence rooted in the word of God, encouraging them to think creatively and translate their ideas into practical achievements.
Prof. Jonathan Babalola, the Vice-Chancellor, also reaffirmed the university’s commitment to preparing its graduates for the future, urging them to distinguish themselves wherever they found themselves.
The ceremony featured the graduation of 1,443 students, comprising 1,345 undergraduates and 98 postgraduate students. 218 graduating students bagged First Class degrees, 657 obtained Second Class Upper Division degrees, while 315 would receive Second Class Lower Division degrees. The graduating set was named the Laureates Class of 2026.
Meanwhile, the Bowen University Parent Forum announced cash rewards for outstanding graduating students, offering N1 million to the overall best graduating student, N700,000 to the second-best and N500,000 to the third-best.
The Forum also announced N250,000 for each of the overall best graduating students in the university’s colleges.
The overall best graduating student, Bankole Oyindamola Naomi, with CGPA of 4.98, received N1 million, while the second-best graduating student, Taiwo-Adigboluja Ayobami Benedict, with CGPA of 4.97, received N700,000.