Youths no longer value hard work and honesty - group

The group through it's chairman, Boye Falonipe released a statement following the death of innocent worshippers who were killed by yet to be identified gunmen that attacked St Philip's Catholic Church in Ozubulu, Anambra State.

The statement which was titled Ozubulu Killings; When values die, stressed that the killings has shown the extent to which we have strayed from our values as a people who revered hard work, patience, integrity and honour.

"From the accounts in the media, the statements of the Anambra State Government and the police, the events leading up to this heinous act only reveal the extent to which we have strayed from our values as a people who revered hard work, patience, integrity and honour.

"Sadly, as our society continues to move away from the values and moral standards that ensured our human dignity and underscored our national identity and pride, we draw ever closer to total self-destruction through insatiable quest for wealth without sweat.

"Our youths no longer appreciate the need for hard work, honesty and dignity but instead lust for instant wealth beyond ability and effort, and celebrate indiscriminate flaunting of riches with no desire to rationalize its source.

"Religious and community leaders no longer ask the hard questions as to the source of the money people display with reckless abandon, donate to charity, worship centers and the community. Parents no longer question the source of assets acquired and displayed by their wards."

Continuing, the group said: "We have all abdicated our responsibility as society watchdogs to act as moral compass for our society which would in turn protect all of us from the dangerous consequences of unchecked illicit money. We have collectively failed Nigeria our country in this role as much as the public servants who betray the trust of their constituents as seen in the many cases of corruption in our public service.

"As a country, we need an urgent restructuring of our value system before it is turned into a place where life is brutish and short. We call on the various governments to quickly initiate programmes and policies that would restructure our value system, away from this endemic greed and desperation for quick riches.

"The various leadership of the different faiths as well as community leaders and parents have a big role to play in this. We also recommend that the government should immediately commence the audit of illicit wealth that may have found their ways into this country as they constitute real and apparent danger to security of lives and properties.

"We strongly appeal to the Nigeria Police to thoroughly investigate and apprehend all the culprits in this Ozubulu massacre expeditiously in order to serve as deterrence to any other person especially our vibrant youthful population who may be nursing the ambition to get rich quick through crime. No nation can survive unchecked inflow and laundering of proceeds of crime into its society.

"Our strong commitment to the Nigerian DREAM inspires us to believe that we will, someday, pull ourselves from the brink of this moral decadence and start again to cherish and celebrate high moral standards, love and the sense of responsibility to be our brother’s keeper."

In conclusion, the Nigerian DREAM posited that "Our hope is that "someday" will be soon. We have a Nigerian Dream where everyone is safe and where everyone is accepted, and valued on the strength of values of morality, love and hard work.

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"The Nigerian DREAM wishes to express its profound sadness at the unfortunate loss of innocent lives by the dastardly and wicked act of the gunmen who invaded the Catholic Church at Ozubulu community in Anambra State.

"This was a mindless and callous act of mass murder fueled by greed and desperation which are fast becoming standard value system in Nigeria.

"We sympathize and commiserate with the families and friends of those who have lost their loved ones in this unfortunate and shocking incident.

"We pray God to console them in this very traumatic period. We also sympathize with Nigerians whose sensibilities have been offended by this Ozubulu massacre among many other dastardly acts that have become a regular features in the news media."

On Sunday, August 6, 2017, unidentified gunmen stormed St Philip's Catholic Church killing 13 worshippers and leaving several many injured.