Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Dr Obafemi Hamzat, has advised parents against over-pampering their children without discipline, warning that it could spell disaster for families and society.
Hamzat gave the advice at the sixth annual Ramadan lecture and prayer for the late Oba Muftau Hamzat, organised by the Ifako-Ijaiye Muslim Community in Ogba, Lagos.
He said children should be loved, supported and encouraged, but such care must be balanced with responsibility, discipline and value-based upbringing.
According to him, growing over-indulgence is contributing to behavioural challenges among young people and reflects wider concerns in today’s society.
The deputy governor stressed that parents must be intentional about raising their children properly.
“Proper moral training and character development are essential to ensure our children grow into responsible adults and do not become a burden later in life,” he said.
He reiterated that responsible parenting is critical to building stable homes and a secure future.
Hamzat noted that society’s stability and progress largely depend on the strength of the family unit.
He observed that rising social challenges are closely linked to parents’ failure to provide guidance, supervision and value-based upbringing.
He urged religious leaders to reinforce the message of responsible parenting in their teachings.
The deputy governor called on them to emphasise discipline, care and moral development in line with values preached in places of worship.
He added that restoring family values remains vital to building a stable and prosperous society.
Earlier, Abdul-Lateef Sunmonu, president of the Ifako-Ijaye Muslim community, urged Muslims to renew their consciousness of Allah and reaffirm their commitment to divine guidance.
Sunmonu emphasised unity, gratitude and unwavering trust in Allah.
He described the late monarch as a patriarch whose service continues to inspire religious, political and social development.
“Together, with sincerity, unity and dedication, we can build a prosperous and spiritually uplifting Muslim community,” he said.
Also speaking, Prof. Abdulrazaq Alaro of the University of Ilorin delivered a lecture titled “Building a Pristine Home as the Foundation of an Ideal Society”.
Alaro said an ideal society is one marked by peace, security and prosperity.
He noted that stakeholders must uphold and sustain strong family values within the community.
The professor decried parents shifting core responsibilities to schools, warning that such neglect undermines society’s foundation.
“If parents continue to abdicate their duties at home, the vision of an ideal society will remain unattainable,” he said.
He lamented that Nigeria is failing to build an ideal society due to family breakdown and parental neglect.
“A society is nothing but a collection of homes. Without pristine homes, you can never have an ideal society,” he added.
Alaro urged parents to instil God-consciousness in their children as a strategy for building a better society.
He advised parents to teach children to respect others as they would their own parents.
“Failure to nurture young people properly could result in future social challenges and threaten community stability,” he warned.
