By DADA AYOKHAI
Edo state Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki said he is passionate about the future of Edo youths and is willing to partner with interested individuals and groups, including corporate organizations in ensuring a guaranteed future for them.
Hon. Dr. Uyi Oduwa Malaka, the Edo State Commissioner of Arts and Culture made the disclosure in Benin, the Edo State capital, at the opening ceremony of a workshop on digital parenting.
The workshop was organized by Teajay Chunu, a renowned family wellness coach, teen mentor and IT buff.
Hon. Malaika also gave kudos to Coach Teajay Chunu for daring to take on such a topical issue at the heart and soul of the future of our children adding that with social media meddling in the day-to-day affairs of many people, almost in every facet of human life, there are growing concerns about its disruptive and harmful effects on children via unregulated exposures .
Many of today’s parents and guardians are not tech-savvy to either monitor or protect their wards from indecent exposure to the array of available social media options.
According to Coach Teajay, he decided to organize the workshop to update parents on some of the contemporary fads in the digital space world and to also train them on how to maximize digital opportunities using technology as a tool to parent better.
Expressing dismay at the rate parents have “farmed out the task of raising their children to others”, Coach Teajay said the workshop would address some of the observed gaps, expose parents to the digital realities, and also teach them how to maximize the flattering sides of social media instead of blaming everyone for their woes.
Several prominent Edo citizens attended the workshop which also had in attendance teachers, parents, and other life coaches and mentors.
Among those in attendance was Bishop Feb Idahosa, President of Benson Idahosa University, Benin, and Hon. Christabel Omoh Ekwu, the Edo State Commissioner of Social Development and Gender Issues who represented the Edo First Lady, Betsy Obaseki at the event. Coach Wendy, Africa’s biggest parenting coach was the guest speaker at the workshop.
Some of the parents who attended the workshop said what they gained from the lectures given by some of the invited resource persons would stand them in better stead.
For example, they claim having been taught the various slang and codes kids use to keep parents away from perusing and accessing their phones while actively engaging in porn, fraud, and other cybercrime activities on the Internet.
The workshop, which will run monthly will give parents across Edo State, Nigeria and Africa at large the learning opportunity to become more digitally engaged while building a healthy family.
