Chief Yemi Elebuibon is a foremost traditionalist. In this interview with ADEOLU ADEYEMO, he spoke on how internet fraud has affected the nation negatively while recommending that efficient law enforcement can help nip it in the bud.
HOW will you describe internet fraudsters (Yahoo boys)?
Yahoo boys are thieves. They take money by lying. Some of the men who engage in such act pretend to be women and promise what they can’t do. So, Yahoo Yahoo is a means of stealing.
What about those helping them with charms to swindle unsuspecting people?
Those making charms for internet fraudsters are also being dubious. There is no crime in doing something to boost whatever business one is doing, but it must be a legitimate business. So, both the Yahoo boys and those making charms for them are the same. They are thieves. Our forefathers used to warn those who depend on divinity to boost their businesses or trade that they should not use it to steal. However, one thing is that some of these Yahoo boys sometimes won’t tell the truth to the diviners who want to help them. They will lie about their business and go on to use whatever the person gives them to do evil. There is no country where there are no internet fraudsters, but they are more prominent in some countries than others.
What do you think is responsible for the rise in internet fraud by youths?
I think our security and judicial system need to do more. There should be full enforcement of the law so as to serve as a lesson to others. People should fear that once they do bad things and they are caught, they will be fully punished for it. Sometimes, the security agencies will announce they arrest people and, at the end of the day, you won’t hear about them again. That is the difference between Nigeria and other countries. We need to fully enforce our laws. We should stop the notion that once there is money, we can do anything and go away with it. Our society has changed. Things deteriorated gradually till we find ourselves in this situation. Our youths also are not ready to work. Some of them will sit and drink away their lives, and the government also is not helping the situation.
What should the government do to tackle this bad act?
Every year, the government earmarks money for all sectors, but you can’t really pinpoint what they are doing. The residents are also not doing the right thing. They believe that government should do everything for them but they failed to understand that government can’t do it alone. To me, what makes our society this bad is that people are not ready to do any hard work. They want free things. I think the government needs to sensitise our people, especially the youth, more. Nigeria is not the only country faced with inflation. But other countries are managing it well. Once people see something to eat, the rest is easy. But we can’t seem to get the food now due to the high cost because we’ve jettisoned farming. No matter the minimum wage the government is paying, if we fail to go back to farming, things will remain the same. Also, some of the people in charge of doing these things are after their own selfish interests. The government will provide the fund but it will be diverted. It is until we hold our leaders accountable and stop collecting money and pushing our bills to them that we can see the change we desire. Imagine a politician who dug a borehole and invited people to commission it. Our people will even wear matching clothes to the event and sing the politician’s praise. You can see we are deceiving ourselves.
