President of Living Faith Church (LFC) International (Winners Chapel), Bishop David Oyedepo, has warned youths against impatience and the appetite for getting rich quick.
He urged them to shun a lifestyle of hurrying after the world’s glitters, saying impatience could lead to a life of horror.
Bishop Oyedepo spoke at the weekend at the convocation ceremony of Landmark University at Omu-Aran in Kwara State.
Forty-five students of the faith-based institution graduated with first-class degree honours, while the total number of the graduates was 468.
Bishop Oyedepo, who is also the Chancellor of the university, warned that “hurrying is the breeding ground for horror”.
He added: “It is common knowledge that most victims of accidents are men and women in a hurry, insensitive to road signs, and those who engage in speeding, ending their lives before they know.
“The word ‘patience’ is no longer in the vocabulary of our youths. They don’t believe in the dignity of labour, leading to many losing their lives. Some other youths are into illicit drug business. A number of these may have been shot dead in the course of their businesses and many may be languishing in various prisons around the world.
“Some youths must have joined armed robbery gangs because they could not wait. The process is too slow for them. A number of youths today engage in computer scam (internet fraud) and many are grieving in prison, while others continue to suffer irreversible curses from their victims.
“Furthermore, today, a particular syndrome is the craving to travel out of the country without a defined mission. You ask some of these youths: ‘You must travel, but to where?’ You may be surprised to hear their answer: ‘Anywhere’. Or: ‘You are travelling to do what?’ Their response is: ‘Anywhere.’
“There is nothing wrong in going out to study, but there is everything wrong in living one’s life to chance. Life without a mission is adventure in frustration. Travelling out of the country is not an achievement.”
The eminent cleric counseled the youth to guard their lives jealously, saying: “Remember, you have only one life to live and you don’t have a spare.”
The university’s Vice Chancellor, Prof. Charity Aremu, enjoined the graduands to “engage their royalty to preserve and uphold the blessedness of upon this university’s ground”.
He added: “Build hopes, your tenacity; build international network and resilience. Tenaciously embrace Landmark University’s core values as your strength. Make contributions anywhere you find yourselves. Place character before you as your exchange for values and worth.”