By Adegbenro Barakat Opeyemi(SIWES Student, Moshood Abiola Polytechnic)
A recent viral video on social media depicted an elderly man engaging with internet fraudsters, commonly known as Yahoo Boys.
In the nearly two-minute footage shared by renowned blogger Tunde Ednut on his Instagram page, the call for the government to provide adequate job opportunities for youth involved in internet fraud was emphasized.
In defense of Yahoo Boys’ fraudulent activities, the severity of internet fraud was downplayed, comparing it to crimes like armed robbery and kidnapping.
The argument was made that it’s preferable for unemployed Nigerian youth to resort to internet fraud rather than turning to more violent crimes to earn a living.
In contrast, a 20-year-old boy, Daniel Bamidele, stabbed his parents over his mother’s refusal to reveal her real name, deemed necessary for certain black ritual soap promising wealth.
The detrimental impacts of fraudsters’ activities include suicides, murders, and the willingness of many young people to resort to any means to acquire expensive cars and build lavish mansions.
Parents are urged to instill righteousness and integrity in their children, rather than nurturing corruption. As the proverb goes, Charity begins at home.
If this darkness isn’t addressed promptly, it won’t be long before the entire structure collapses upon us all.
