Big blow to Yahoo Yahoo

•Catholic group, BBI exposes dangers of Internet fraud to students in Nsukka

From Felix Ikem, Nsukka

Cybercrime is a raging crime among Nigerian youth. Internet fraud otherwise known as Yahoo Yahoo is so prevalent these days such that some persons have taken it a step further to what they call Yahoo Plus. This dangerous dimension allegedly involves all manner of rituals including human sacrifice.

Rev Sister Aduloju presents prize Omeje

Disturbed by this ugly development, a Catholic group, Building Bridge Initiative (BBI), Nigeria, has taken it upon itself to preach and dissuade young people from indulging in Internet fraud and other societal vices. It staged an enlightenment programme on the dangers of Yahoo Yahoo, during this year’s St. Valentine’s Day.

Over 300 students drawn from secondary schools in Igbo-Eze South Local Government, Enugu State, participated in the programme. They were prepared to shun Internet fraud, no matter how mouth-watering the offers might be.

National Coordinator, BBI, Rev. Sister. Titilayo Aduloju, said the group was using this year’s Valentine’s Day celebration to discourage young ones especially students in secondary schools from engaging in internet fraud. This will also encourage them to engage in activities that will help them shape their future, pursue and actualise their dreams:

“BBI is an organisation under the Pan-African Catholic Theology and Pastoral Network (PACTPAN), a community of African scholars and pastoral agents in the Catholic tradition and their ecumenical and inter-religious partners.”

Aduloju, who is Sister of St. Michael Archangel and lecturer, Department of Pastoral/Communication Studies, Catholic Institute of West Africa, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, said: “This is the reason participating secondary schools here today are not only Christian secondary schools but also Islam secondary schools.

“We are using this event to remind young people of many dangers associated with money and wealth obtained from the Internet and Yahoo

fraud. We are telling students to depend on God-given talents to earn their living which is free from any harassment by any security agencies and enable them to sleep at night with two eyes closed.

“At the end, we will fish out talents and help them actualise their dreams by giving scholarships and other incentives to unlock their potential. As we gather here today, we are reminded that education is not just about the classrooms, it is also about developing the human person holistically vis-a-vis physically, mentally, spiritually, emotionally, culturally, etc.”

BBI was founded in November 2022, by Pope Francis to build bridges across faiths: “The event is also being used to educate youths on the real meaning of the Feast of St Valentine’s Day, celebrated globally every February 14.”

The event was sponsored by the Mark Obetta Foundation. Obetta represents Nsukka/Igboeze South Federal Constituency in the National Assembly. He said: “Internet fraud as a plague has infected the youth and turned them away from the values of hard work, integrity and principle. “The menace has focused them on quick wealth and easy success.

“We were once a society that valued knowledge, creativity and innovation. We were people who took pride in our talents, skills and achievements.  But today, we have become a society that celebrates wealth above all else. We have become a people who idolise those who have made it big regardless of how they got there.

“The Yahoo menace has corrupted every fabric of our society. It has corrupted our morals, our values, and our principles. It has turned us into a society of people who are willing to do whatever it takes to get ahead, regardless of the cost.

“I urge you all to set genuine goals for yourself, set goals that are built on principle, integrity, and hard work. Don’t be tempted by the false promise of yahoo menace. Don’t be tempted by the quick fixes, the easy solutions, and the gate-rich-quick scheme. Instead, choose the path of principle, integrity, and hard work.”

Represented by Dr Obiora Ekwueme, senior lecturer, Department of Theatre and Film Studies, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Obetta said the “foundation will continue to support BBI activities in the area to ensure that they cover all the schools under the constituency.”

National Head, Core Group, BBI and Assistant Parish Priest St. Mary’s Catholic Parish Ibagwa-Aka, Rev. Fr. James Obigbo, said: “We target to get our youths early enough, especially those in secondary schools. We organised Valentine’s feast for them to educate them on the dangers of engaging in Internet fraud and to engage them with activities and competitions that will help us discover talents among them so that we can encourage them and push them up for a better life.”

The event featured talent shows, quiz, lectures, dancing, spelling and singing competitions. Levi Omeje, from St. Andrew Secondary School, Ibagwa-Aka, emerged victorious in the spelling competition.