Nollywood actress Yvonne Jegede has told secondary school students to be careful about the choices they make today. She said bad company, social media pressure and short-lived fun can derail a promising future.
She spoke on Wednesday in Lagos at the Campus Flaws Awareness programme for SSS3 students. The Etiquette Poise and Protocol Resource Academy (EPRA), led by Keji Oladimeji, organised the event at Trinity University, Yaba.
Preparing Students for Campus Life
The programme aimed to show students what awaits them in tertiary institutions. Organisers wanted them to recognise the distractions, traps and social vices they may meet on campus.
Jegede said decisions made at this stage shape what comes later. She urged the students to keep their long-term goals ahead of momentary pleasure. In her words, they should keep asking, “Who am I becoming?”
Know Your Distractions
Jegede said having fun is fine. However, she asked the students to notice when enjoyment turns into a distraction. She also warned them against copying peers just to fit in.
On friendships, she was direct. Some people hide their real intentions behind a warm smile, she said, and students must choose their circle carefully.
Watch What You Post
Social media also featured in her advice. According to her, the content students consume and share slowly shapes their behaviour and public image. What they post, she added, reveals how they think.
She also reminded them that online life is not always real. For that reason, she said, no one should rush into decisions because another person appears to be ahead.
“You don’t have to compromise yourself to belong,” she said.
Seek Guidance Early
Jegede encouraged the students to take their education seriously. She also advised them to seek mentorship before big decisions. Age, she said, is no barrier to making responsible choices.
She closed with a question for them to ask themselves: will today’s choices make them proud of who they become?
Character Over Talent
Actor Tobi Makinde backed her message. He said choices can build or break a person. Talent and skill may take young people far, he noted, but good manners take them farther and open doors.
University Highlights Its Programmes
Earlier, Trinity University’s Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Clement Kolawole, spoke about the school’s growth. He said it now runs 22 fully accredited programmes. These include three new ones in Community Health, Public Health and Environmental Health.
He added that the university has launched a Skills Acquisition Academy. Through partnerships with leading institutions, students can pick up entrepreneurial and marketable skills alongside their degrees.
The Registrar, David Oyejide, also spoke about the school’s academic and character-building offerings. He encouraged the students to consider Trinity for their university education.
Stage Play Drives the Message Home
Oladimeji said the event was designed to prepare students for a successful academic journey. It also sought to steer them away from social vices that could damage their education.
The programme featured a stage play titled Campus Flaws. It showed the dangers of wrong choices and vices on campus.
