The scene from that video from that school in Benin, Edo state triggered hidden fear, & it’s the inspiration for this write up.
Parents, be warned. Be alert. Be present.
There are agents of destruction roaming freely among us, calculated, patient, & relentless in their mission.
Their target is clear: your sons & daughters.
You cannot afford absence. Not now. Not ever.
Sometimes all it takes is a fleeting distraction, a moment when you are too busy, too tired, too consumed by the endless demands of life. In that small window, something dangerous can slip in.
And before you realize what has happened, the child you once knew begins to drift into a world so alien that reaching them again becomes painfully difficult.
Young minds are malleable. Impressionable. Hungry.
They crave validation like air. They search for belonging with the desperation of a traveler looking for water in a desert.
They are constantly asking questions, sometimes aloud, sometimes silently.
They seek reassurance, direction, & affirmation.
And when they feel you are absent, the conclusion they draw is brutally simple: you do not care.
That is when the predators appear.
These so-called “helpers” often arrive wearing friendly faces & speaking soothing words. But many of them are nothing more than merchants of darkness, fiends whose only craft is manipulation, whose only trade is corruption.
Their mission is singular: to lure, recruit, & destroy.
Just as believers proclaim the Gospel, the good news meant to draw souls into the kingdom of light, these forces preach their own counterfeit gospel. Their message is intoxicating: power, wealth, belonging, protection, prestige.
It is a seductive sermon, especially to the young, the restless, & the impatient.
In a culture that glorifies instant success, instant gratification, where discipline is mocked & hard work is often treated as optional, the bait becomes irresistible. Young people are bombarded daily with the illusion that greatness must happen overnight, that fame, riches, & influence are rights rather than rewards earned through patience & effort.
And so the trap springs easily.
The recruiters rarely begin with darkness. No, they are far more sophisticated than that. They begin with companionship.
They offer brotherhoods. Sisterhoods. Communities of “like minds.” They promise loyalty, protection, advancement. The lonely feel seen. The ambitious feel chosen. The curious feel initiated into something powerful.
But companionship soon becomes commitment.
Commitment becomes loyalty tests.
And loyalty tests inevitably descend into criminality.
By the time the child realizes what they have entered, escape is often painfully complicated.
This method is not new. The blueprint has always existed. Even in the ancient account of temptation in the wilderness, the strategy was clear: dazzling promises offered in exchange for allegiance.
The glowing things of the world, power, fame, dominion, presented as bait.
Our children today stand in that same wilderness.
And make no mistake: they are vulnerable.
They are brilliant, curious, & incredibly fast, far quicker than many parents realize.
They navigate a digital universe flooded with information, both luminous & toxic. So they need constant guidance. One careless exposure can plant seeds that reshape their thinking for life.
Which is why your presence matters more than your provision.
Children do not merely need money, gadgets, or good schools. They need cover. They need guidance. They need listening ears & watchful eyes.
They want to talk, sometimes endlessly. Beneath that chatter lies something profound: a quiet plea for someone to guide them through the chaos of a complicated world.
Parenthood, therefore, is not a ceremonial title to be worn like a badge of honour. It is a demanding stewardship.
A sacred assignment.
Scripture captures it with timeless clarity: “Train (tutor/direct/teach up a child in the way he should go, & when he is old (mature) he will not depart from it.” (Proverbs 22:6).
Training requires presence.
Training requires patience.
Training requires discipline.
Yes, discipline.
For the old wisdom remains painfully true: spare the rod (discipline in all ramifications) entirely, & you risk spoiling the child.
We must not abandon our 1st duty under the convenient excuse of busy-ness. Careers can be rebuilt. Businesses can be restarted. Opportunities can return.
But a lost child… a lost child can take a lifetime to recover.
The world our children are growing into is fast, loud, & often unforgiving.
Forces competing for their minds are organized, strategic, & ruthless.
Which means parents must be even more intentional.
Stand guard.
Stay close.
Listen carefully.
Because sometimes the difference between safety & tragedy is nothing more than a parent who chose to pay attention.
And as the old wisdom wisely reminds us:
A stitch in time saves nine.
Abiola Olatunde Aloba
