Parenting in Ephesians 6:4: A Viable Option to Reducing Social Vices and Promoting Socio-Economic Development in the Niger Delta

The Niger Delta region is blessed with human and natural resources and serves as the abode of multinational oil companies. The presence of human and natural resources with multinational oil companies within the Niger Delta region ought to benefit the people and their land to a great extend through the provision of basic social amenities and infrastructural developments. However, the reverse is the case as the Niger Delta region suffers so much from environmental degradation and other debilitating challenges and these in turn have resonated increase in youth restiveness and other social vices such as illegal oil extraction also known as kpo fire, vandalism of oil pipe lines, sea pirates, cult clashes, kidnapping for ransom, armed robbery among others. In the face of these social vices many promising youths lose their lives, properties worth millions of dollars are destroyed and socio-economic activities and infrastructural development are stalled in the region. Who should be held responsible for the negative actions of some aggrieved youths in the area? The government, parents, youth or society? What proactive steps can be employed to reduce social vices in the Niger Delta region for socio-economic development of the area? It is against this backdrop that this paper examines parenting in Ephesians 6:4 as a viable option to reducing social vices and promoting socio-economic development in the Niger Delta. The paper employs the socio-historical and descriptive methods, and argues that upbringing of the children to forestall social vices lies solely on proper parenting as charged in Ephesians 6:4. The paper maintains that the upbringing of children to abate societal vices lies primarily on parents. The paper recommends that rather than abandoning the upbringing of children in the hands of house helps and other attendees, parents should properly train their children and also be good examples to them in all ramifications.