Stay away from gambling, masturbation cleric warns youths

A cleric, Deacon Tope Kolawole, Redeemed Christian Church of God Living Waters Parish in Abuja, on Sunday cautioned youths to away from masturbation, gambling and other forms of addiction in order to live a fulfilled life.

Kolawole spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on the sidelines of the book launch titled “Overcoming Masturbation Through My Journey, ‘’written by Miss Kate Edward in Abuja.

According to Kolawole, masturbation is the sexual stimulation of one’s genitals for sexual arousal or to derive other sexual pleasure, usually to the point of orgasm.

He said that the stimulation might involve the use of hands, fingers, everyday objects, sex toys, adding that the act was unhealthy as it negatively impacted on their relationships and everyday life activities.

The cleric noted that many youths took to masturbation, gambling, drug abuse among other addictions because of idleness due to joblessness.

“Masturbation or any form of addiction is very dangerous for youths, because it robs them of what they would become to enable them contribute positively to the development of their in the society.

“The Bible says an idle man is the devil’s workshop, so youths need to engage in activities that will take their minds away from things they are addicted to.

“For everyone God has created, there is a talent He gives him or her, so it is up to you to ask God to reveal it to you and get busy with it.

“I know there is a potential in every one of us, but it is left for us to identify what we are good at and begin to use such potentiality to touch the lives of other people,’’ he said.

According to Kolawole, when youths intensify their talent, it will go a long way to keep them busy and be productive rather than given to social vices.

The Book reviewer, Mr Israel Ade, told NAN that the book told the story of the personal experience of the author and sought to find possible solution to masturbation.

Ade said that the book also explained why people should not engage in masturbation and other addictions as well as how to help the addicts overcome their problem.

“The book is about the personal experience of the writer and her journey toward ending the act.

“The writer is a courageous lady because it is very rare in our society to see someone who will come out to tell people about what he or she has passed through in terms of social vices.

He urged youths to shun social vices and strive to become productive and learn to write their experiences for others to learn one lesson or the other and see that as a challenge to retrace their steps, if any.

The author also told NAN that she wrote about masturbation to share her experience of the damage it the social vice did to her so that others could learn from it and refrain from the act.

According to Edward, masturbation can hurt relationships and friendships because addicts “ don’t spend as much time with their loved ones as required or even pay attention to their needs among other disadvantages.“

She noted said that masturbation had destroyed large number of youths, especially in terms of health without them knowing, adding that 80 per cent of teenagers were suffering from masturbation.

“I was addicted too but God helped me to overcome it.’’

“So, I see this book as a medium to reach out to other youths to tell them the dangers in it and how to come out of it.

“This is because the act is demonic and affects one’s health negative,“ she said.

Edward urged youths into masturbation not only to eschew such behaviour but also speak with doctors or counsellors, who help them get out of the problem.