Rev. Fr Victor Ofili, Coordinator, Family and Human Life Unit, has urged parents to dedicate quality time to the upbringing of their children, especially against the rising trend of lesbianism, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT).
Rev. Fr Ofili said this on Wednesday, July 26, 2023 at a seminar organised by the unit at St John’s Catholic Church, Agbor which is targeted at both parents and youths. Ofili said the Nigerian society and the world at large were faced with big challenges in terms of morality, with the trending issues of LGBT making wave all over the world.
According to him, technological advancement is seriously spreading the syndrome beyond the control of parents and the Church.
“Many people are being recruited in LGBT, through the internet and easy access to cell phones.
“Parents should be closer to their children, monitor what they subscribe to in the internet, their relationships and not be economical with words when they are educating them on sexual aspect of their bodies,” he said.
Mr Fidelis Okhugbe, presenting a paper tagged, “Raising chaste children in today’s world in the light of rising issues of LGBT,” said that Nigerian society was leaning on a keg of gun powder with the rate at which the issue of LGBT was trending.
“One of the major challenges is that all the children had access to Android phones, those who do not have patronise their friends or make use of their parents.
“Child development was made up of genetics, cognitive, physical, cultural, family, nutrition, and educational; the basic among them is the family and children’s development start from conception, birth and breastfeeding.
“Parents have major roles to play in the general development of the child,” he said.
He urged parents to be their children’s best friends and confidants, adding that they should be able to understand children’s feelings and always make sure that they learned everything about their body.
“If the family gets it right in the successful training of the children, the Church will get it right as well as the Society at large.