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Proper understanding of life and the working therein will go a long way to help one adapt and adjust accordingly. That is why, the Holy Bible submits thus quote, ” My People perish for lack of knowledge ” unqoute. Among all the menial jobs taken by some Nigerian youths to earn a living which is sad and regrettable is Touting.
It is an undefined and crude means of livelihood. For the fact that it does not have regulation, no job ethics, rules and regulations, excerpt for possessing the required strength and intimidation to subdue and extort their victims. Most youths of nowadays take to touting rather than acquiring skill or former education. They are found everywhere, almost in every vocation or profession.
Infact, they are most noticeable in vehicle loading bays otherwise called motor parks. They are equally found at approved and unapproved Bus-Stops. Their nuisance stretches to airports, seaports, clearing and forwarding businesses as well as in noble professions like Journalism, Medicine, Law, Teaching, Politics, Clergy and the rest. The inconveniences they cause the public is better imaged than told.
In the light of the foregoing, a lot of reasons are being adduced as the brain behind toutism and the likes of hooliganism, gangsterism and youth exuberance. One of the reasons is lack of employment opportunities. Other attributed factors include the global economic recession, the lack of self-reliance skills in today’s educational programs, the get-rich-quick syndrome and the reverence given to wealth in present society without looking at the means of such acquisitions, to mention but a few. These notwithstanding, some youths that are determined to succeed inspite of the odds and challenges are doing well in various fields, careers and vocations. This is the irony of toutism in our society as there is no basis and justification for such negative way of life.
So, all hands must be on deck to stop this ugly cankerworm. Thus, the present innovations in the nation’s educational system and youth programs like the National Youth Service Corps and other related schemes to incorporate Skill Acquisition is laudable and worth sustaining.
In addition, parents and guardians should take proper training of their Children and wards seriously. The political class on it’s part should stop engaging youths as their body guards and using them for bloody deals.
The indiscriminate use of parks, collection of unapproved daily tickets and related extortions carried out by touts again must be faced out. Most importantly, there is urgent need for strong legislation and bold measures against touting.
