Affiong Ibanga Applauds Values Restoration Campaign

 

. . . Urges Gen Z Parents to Uphold Morals

The Executive Director of the Niger Delta Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Trade, Mines and Agriculture (NDCCITMA) and Akwa Ibom State Representative, Mrs. Affiong Israel Ibanga, popularly known as Affi Ibanga, has commended the Values Restoration Campaign of the Akwa Ibom State Government, describing it as a vital step toward curbing crime and building a morally upright society.

Mrs. Ibanga made this remark during an interactive session with journalists in Uyo, where she reflected on the increasing challenges confronting parents of the Gen Z generation.

The Immediate Past President of the Uyo Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (UYOCCIMA), who also serves as President of the Women Entrepreneurs and Professionals Development Network (WEPDN) and the Happy Hour Connect Initiative (HHCI), lauded Governor Umo Eno’s moral reawakening drive, describing it as both timely and visionary.

According to her, “Society must take charge of this failed kingdom of darkness that has broken loose, seeking to devour our young minds.”

Mrs. Ibanga emphasized that ethical values begin in the home, urging parents to be firm, consistent, and uncompromising in instilling discipline and moral principles in their children.

 “Parents must never stop talking or correcting their children when they go astray. We must not allow the excesses of digital technology to take control of them,” she cautioned.

She further called on the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Ethical Orientation, Rev. Dr. Osondu Ahirika, to collaborate with school administrators, Parent-Teacher Associations (PTAs), traditional institutions, and religious leaders in promoting the biblical principle of “training up a child in the way he should go,” to ensure that young people grow with strong moral foundations.

Mrs. Ibanga also advised social media influencers to use their platforms responsibly and avoid creating content that promotes crime, vanity, or moral decay.

 “Let influencers use their platforms to promote decency, godliness, and values that uplift our society,” she added.

In his remarks, Rev. Dr. Osondu Ahirika, Senior Special Assistant to Governor Umo Eno on Ethical Orientation, noted that the Governor is deeply concerned about the growing exposure of tech-savvy youths to social media and the internet without adequate moral guidance.

He warned that platforms such as TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, and X (formerly Twitter) have become powerful forces shaping the worldview and behavior of young people, often with negative consequences.

Dr. Ahirika explained that this concern has led Governor Eno to institutionalize a robust values reorientation and ethical standards framework across Akwa Ibom State.

He praised Mrs. Ibanga for her passion for promoting integrity, honesty, and prudence in entrepreneurship and community leadership.

“We must use every available platform — schools, pulpits, and social media — to take back our children from deceptive lifestyles and restore them to the path of truth and righteousness,” he concluded.