Social Media a Distraction to Nigerian Youths, Says Oyedepo

Oluchi Chibuzor

The Chancellor of Covenant University (CU), Dr. David Oyedepo has decried the negative impact of social media on the Nigerian youths stating it is distracting them from focusing on resourceful initiatives.

According to him, this trend had eroded the abilities of the nation’s emerging generation and has led to an increase in cybercrimes and other social vices.

The Chancellor stated this at the institution’s 15th convocation ceremony held in Ota yesterday, witnessed a total number 201 first class merit out of the 1664 grandaunts with first degrees and 254 higher degrees students.

In his remarks address, titled, ‘A wake up call to generation on the wrong side of history’, Oyedepo said many youths were not investing adequate time into resourceful ventures but rather in the wrong usage of social media.

“I also recently defined planning as programming to secure the present and capture the future. All of the above need time for implementation and that is the trap of social media. It unconsciously robs people of their future by robbing them of their time.”
Oyedepo urged that it was time the nation dealt with the virus of social media before it causes the country to have zero number of heroes across all spheres of lives in years to come.

“The social media saga has eroded the substance of destiny of most youths today. What is supposed to be a plus has suddenly become a major minus because everything of value delivers through investment of time.
“Suddenly we are faced with a generation on the wrong side of history. The honour of this generation has been wiped off, chatting all day with no time left to think, plan, programme and engage productively in the pursuit of any task,” he stated.

Meanwhile, the keynote speaker, Dr. Valentine Obi, Founder & Group CEO, eTranzact Global, in his speech tithed ‘Repositioning Higher Education in Africa: Building Reputation Gaps in African Universities’, argued that the changing role of higher education in this age of disruption, with a particular focus on the way, computation, data and innovation should be the center of learning in the fourth industrialization age.

“Online learning platforms and adaptive learning from big technological firms are competing with the traditional institutions across the world. It is high time our higher institution focuses on a lifelong learning programme into their school programme,” he said.

Obi, said the $4.6 trillion global educational market should be a wakeup call for African universities to close the gap between industry and business, adding that the recent trends of adaptive learning from major big techs companies are shaping the future of learning.
Citing examples of emerging exponential technological innovations in health, transportation, housing, Obi stressed that institutions must begin to focus on teaching applied learning that relates to people’s needs.

“Education is no longer just for your citizens, it is now a global franchise. The pandemic at least showed us that. People were able to study from unimaginable distances,” he added.
However, the Vice-Chancellor of the University,, Prof Abiodun Adebayo, maintained that the CU as a leading world-class university is committed to global sustainability initiatives and would continue to undertake actions to promote the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

“Covenant University has continued to provide quality education and learning opportunities for lifelong learning through our Centre for Lifelong Learning and the African Leadership Development Centre, where short courses are offered in diverse fields of knowledge.”
According to him, a total of 1,664 Bachelor and 254 Higher Degrees were conferred on persons who have been found worthy in character and in learning.