He pointed out that many elderly parents experience sorrow when they witness their children facing struggles that could have been avoided with a more robust foundation in their formative years.
He said that many elderly parents are not happy with the paths their children and grandchildren have taken, adding, “For many, their joy in old age comes from the progress and strong values they see in their children. But when children fail to represent their parents' values, it brings sorrow.”
He highlighted the influence of social media on young Nigerians, warning that its impact on values and character is significant and often negative.
Fr. Ehusani urged parents to reassume their primary role in guiding and shaping their children’s character, noting that without a renewed approach to parenting, society risks losing its core values.
“The traditional agents of socialization, the family, the church, and the school, have lost much of their authority,” he said, adding, “Today, peer groups, television, home videos, and internet platforms like Facebook, YouTube, X (formerly Twitter), TikTok, and Netflix have overshadowed parents, priests, catechists, and teachers in shaping the next generation’s values.”
He continued, “The same youth, a 15-year-old for instance, might receive an average of 20 minutes of religious instruction each week, while they’re spending up to 10 hours daily consuming whatever the internet has to offer, from the educational to the destructive, including explicit and harmful content.”
With the prevalence of mobile phones, television, and billboards, Fr. Ehusani pointed out that celebrities and influencers, often with questionable morals, now exert more influence on children’s values than traditional authority figures.
He explained that many of these influencers come from broken homes, struggle with addiction, or display concerning behavior, yet they amass millions of young followers.
“Many of these celebrities are school dropouts, come from dysfunctional families, or deal with substance abuse issues. They are called social influencers because they shape young minds, but often for corporate profits rather than the wholesome development of their audience,” he said.
The 67-year-old Catholic Priest also observed that Nigeria’s economic challenges contribute to the difficulty of parenting.
