The Centre for Family Rescue, Law and Development (CENFARLD) has expressed concern over the growing influence of digital devices and social media on children, urging parents, communities, and government to take deliberate steps to protect young people from the dangers associated with excessive screen exposure.
Speaking at the Children’s Book Fair for children aged three to sixteen years in Lokoja, themed “Online Safety for Kids: The Way Forward,” former Chairperson of the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), Kogi State chapter, and Interim Coordinator of the Child Protection Network in the state, Mrs. Ajuma Lilian Okolo, warned that children are increasingly being shaped by screens in the absence of adequate guidance and educational alternatives.
According to her, the issue of online safety demands urgent attention, describing it as one of the most critical conversations communities must have to safeguard the future of children.
“A child that is not taught will teach the community a painful lesson,” she said, noting that many children are now learning from digital devices rather than from books, teachers, and family interactions.
Mrs. Okolo pointed out that leading figures in the technology industry, including Steve Jobs and Bill Gates, imposed strict limits on the use of technology by their own children despite creating products that transformed the digital world.
She explained that excessive exposure to screens affects children’s developing brains, triggering dopamine responses similar to those associated with addiction, and could lead to withdrawal symptoms, poor concentration, reduced academic performance, sleep disruption, and declining social interaction.
She noted that increasing cases of attention disorders and shrinking attention spans among children have been linked to excessive screen time, adding that opportunities for face-to-face interaction among children have diminished significantly over the years.
The child rights advocate lamented the lack of functional libraries and recreational alternatives for children in Kogi State, stressing that the absence of such facilities leaves young people with few options beyond digital devices.
“When we say put down the phone, we must honestly ask ourselves what we are offering them instead,” she stated.
Mrs. Okolo emphasized that banning technology entirely was not the solution, saying children must instead be equipped with the knowledge and discipline needed to navigate the digital world responsibly.
She advocated the development of what she described as “technology-smart” children who are able to control technology rather than be controlled by it.
The former FIDA chairperson also called on government to revive public libraries, improve educational facilities, and provide children with safe spaces for learning, reading, recreation, and social interaction.
She urged parents to engage in open conversations with their children about online content and how social media platforms are designed to keep users constantly engaged.
Addressing the children present at the event, Mrs. Okolo encouraged them to value their imagination and creativity above social media popularity, assuring them that they are capable of making wise choices in the digital age.
She reaffirmed CENFARLD’s commitment to promoting child protection and creating opportunities that would enable children to grow in a safe and healthy environment.
The Children’s Book Fair brought together parents, teachers, community leaders and other stakeholders to discuss strategies for enhancing online safety, launching of books written by the children and promoting a reading culture among young children in Kogi State.