The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, has urged Nigerian youths to resist the pressure of online fraud and embrace integrity as a core value for sustainable success.
Olukoyede gave the charge on Wednesday while delivering the 17th convocation lecture of Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun State. The lecture was themed “Beyond Degrees: Cultivating Purpose, Resilience, and Service in a Complex World.”
He cautioned graduates and young Nigerians never to yield to the lure of quick wealth, stressing that riches earned through crooked means never last.
> “On no account must you yield to pressure to get rich quickly. Never allow peer pressure and desperation to belong to lead you to crime. If you do, you might earn temporary riches, which ultimately will land you in infamy,” Olukoyede warned.
The EFCC chairman highlighted the contrasting examples of young Nigerians who have exploited the digital economy differently. He praised innovators like Flutterwave founders Gbenga Agboola and Oyin Aboyeji for creating legitimate platforms that generate foreign exchange, while also citing fraudsters such as Awerusuo Otorudo and Chukwuebuka Ehirim, who allegedly duped investors of billions through a fake crypto exchange, CBEX.
“The difference between those we celebrate and those in the hall of infamy,” he said, “is the mindset. While some chose to play by the rules, others resorted to cutting corners out of desperation.”
Olukoyede disclosed that the EFCC is establishing a cybercrime research centre to combat the rising misuse of youth energy and digital skills for criminal activities. He urged the graduating students to make personal integrity their lifelong compass.
Earlier, Redeemer’s University Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Shadrach Akindele, commended the EFCC boss for his message, describing it as a timely reminder that education should equip graduates to build a nation grounded in service and accountability.
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