Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has cautioned against misleading messages in movies, social media, and religious teachings that encourage a get-rich-quick mentality, which she believes is fueling human trafficking in the country.
She issued this warning on Friday, February 7, during a visit by the Director-General of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Binta Bello, and top agency officials at the State House in Abuja.
During the meeting, the First Lady emphasized the need for a shift in societal values, stressing that many youths fall victim to traffickers due to desperation for quick wealth.
She pointed out that religious institutions, Nollywood, and social media play a significant role in shaping people’s mindsets, sometimes promoting unrealistic expectations of success.
“The get-rich-quick syndrome is not helping matters. Even our religious institutions are doing prosperity preaching, and even the Bible talks about work. Social media is also not helping. Nollywood as well,” she stated.
Furthermore, she praised NAPTIP for its continuous efforts in combating human trafficking, referencing the recent rescue of 19 pregnant young girls from a baby factory in Abuja.
She stressed that more awareness and education are needed to prevent young people from becoming easy targets for traffickers.
“Youths must stop making themselves easy targets for traffickers and other criminally minded people by embracing the virtues of patience and hard work,” she urged.
Meanwhile, Mrs. Tinubu reaffirmed her support for NAPTIP’s fight against human trafficking and called for a collective effort to reshape societal values.
According to her, without a cultural reorientation that promotes hard work and patience, the country’s human trafficking crisis will persist.
Therefore, she emphasized the importance of instilling proper values in young people through positive media representation, responsible religious teachings, and increased public awareness.
