Children Hooligans Bite Harder In Ile Ife

By Sodiq Lawal

Despite the efforts of the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi to stem the tide of criminality and hooliganism in Ife Land, some young boys under 15years has turned themselves to be hooliganism in the ancient city and are fast spreading their tentacles across city.

The hangouts of the so-called young boys, who are either forced into that way of life or are born into those particular social strata, where they steal from pedestrians, or forcefully take money from people going about their daily businesses.

With little or no education, Ife City Newe findings revealed that majority of them are products of broken homes with criminal activities ranging from theft, arson, intimidation to extortion.

A trader, Mrs Olokesusi Bisola , who recides at Lagere area in the ancient city confirmed to Ife City News that the children hooligans area area growing in numbers and dexterity in major places like lagere and mayfair white their convergence point every day is located at the Olokun Round-About in Mayfair to solidarise with other gangs, adding that, the continue rise in hooliganism of these young children has been a major source of concern for residents in the community.

Bisola expressed that the rate of this menace has forced many concerned people to call on the State governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola to fashion out modalities on how to curb the teenagers engaging in hooliganism in the ancient city.

However, according to residents who craved anonymity, said the young children  have taken over the community to terrorize residents.

Investigations revealed that the young boys have been distorting the peace of the ancient city, trooping out in numbers to harras passers who refused to give them money.

"They have turned Mayfair as a settlement place to collect money from incoming cars, and harassing those who refused to give them money.

Majority of them are product of broken homes, who parents have refused to cater for them or has lost their parents at tender age, and thereby become a hooligan", Mr Seun Akeem, a transport worker lamented.

Also, speaking with Ife City News, a resident, Mr Oladejo Agboola said the young boys also burgle many houses, only for the people do return home from office or other businesses to meet their valuables stolen.

"In this period of ignorance, where people are dwelling in darkness, the only way for our children to be saved from this ungodly society is for the parents to take proper care of their children"

"Hooliganism and all other social vices are the results of lack of parental care. Failure of parents to take care of their their children at their golden age is what brought about their involvement in disruption of public peace and assault on law abiding citizens"

"When the government fails in her responsibilities; to provide the basic needs of the society, the people will not hesitate to look for a means to survive in a society that is drifting further and further away from principle of God's word,  that is why many of our people today associate themselves to different groups and through that many get lost and some involve in keeping bad company"

"Any parents that want good future for his or her children should allow them to belong to religion organisation which its primary assignment is to reform the society. Through that they will keep good company and be a better child for their parents"

"This will also keep them away
from associating themselves with bad groups that this society is breeding. More also, people are influenced with the type of environment they are being brought up. With this ungodly society, the exposure of children to variety of environmental variables places many of them at risk. That is why the parents should be watchful of where their children are being raised if they want a  better future for them"

"Counseling of parents to their offspring, to be of good importance to  their society has a great influence in their lives. The children must be trained to be a reformer to reform the  society and the Parent should be cautioned oft telling them you must be famous like this and that because no one knows the origin of their wealth. If we can do all these our society will be off of hoodlums," he said.

However, as at the press time, effort of the Nigeria Police in Ile Ife have been making a progressive way to curb the menace of these young children who have turned into a hooligan.