By Okeoghene Oghenekaro
Abuja – A clergy man, Ven. Titus Adebayo, has attributed the societal ills in the country to the breakdown of family values.
Adebayo, a retired Anglican Priest, made this known in a statement he signed and made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Wednesday.
He identified many enemies of family values as pornographers on the Internet, modern fashion that tended towards nudity and the tendency to glorify wealthy people, irrespective of their source of wealth.
According to him, debasing of morality in society is also an enemy of family values.
He stressed that family values should be inculcated in children within the context of family altar.
He added that these values would guide members of a family in their relationships and interactions with other people.
“Family values can be defined as the belief system that guides the members of a family in their relationships and interactions with other people.
“These values are best built and developed in the context of a family altar. The family altar is where the husband, wife, and children gather every morning or evening to start or end their day in worship.’’
He stressed that Christian values should also be imparted in children within the context of family altar, which usually featured Bible reading, hymn or choruses, a short exhortation and prayer.
Adeboye identified Christian values that should be inculcated in children to include Faith in God through Jesus Christ, reverential fear of God, obedience, patience and perseverance.
Others are chastity, mutual love, hard work, humility and respect for constituted authority.
“Children imbibe these values best when parents live what they teach and preach; and they are quick to notice hypocrisy in their parents.
“Where parents are hypocrites, the children never imbibe the values; when family values are well upheld, the family is well equipped for the challenges of life .
“When neglected, it shows in the lives of children when they grow up.’’
He stressed that the church must uphold these family values and that the family must lay the foundation.