The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has reaffirmed its commitment to grooming a new generation of Nigerians anchored on integrity, discipline and accountability.
Its chairman, Mr Ola Olukoyede, stated this at Nobel Enterprise and Technology School, Fate-Tanke, Ilorin, Kwara State where he addressed pupils during the school’s Career Day.
Represented by head, Public Affairs Department of the Ilorin Zonal Directorate, Ayodele Babatunde, the anti-graft czar whose lecture was titled: “Integrity Pays, Corruption Kills Dreams” described integrity as the most valuable asset any individual can possess and warned that corruption not only destroys national development but also ruins individual destinies.
“A young person who cheats, lies, or steals may think he or she is smart, but the truth is, such person is killing his or her own dreams,” he told the pupils.
He urged the pupils to uphold honesty in their studies and daily lives, emphasising that little cheating in exams or cutting corners is an early sign of corruption.
“Corruption doesn’t start in public office. It starts with the little compromises such as copying during exams, lying to parents, falsifying results, or refusing to do what is right. When you keep repeating these acts, they grow into bigger problems in the future,” he said.
He admonished the pupils to always choose honesty over shortcuts and resist any pressure to engage in wrongdoing, reminding them that integrity is the foundation of every great nation.
Olukoyede used the platform to urge parents and teachers to take more active roles in mentoring children, noting that young minds are shaped by what they see and hear at home and school.
“Every child is a reflection of the society that raised them. Parents must stop glorifying fraudsters or celebrating ill-gotten wealth.
Teachers must reward hard work and discipline, and collectively we must uphold values of honesty, contentment, and patriotism,” he said.
