Emphasis on Dignity of Labour in the Era of Cybercrime: Implications for a Religious Studies Teacher

Abstract

The contemporary Nigerian society is currently witnessing an era of young people engaging in cybercrime as a means of livelihood. This has led to an era when doing certain legitimate work is taken as disdainful by the young people and many young people wish to be rich overnight. This paper exposes the fact of cybercrime or internet crime in Nigeria. Using virtue ethics theory, the paper holds that poverty, unemployment, poor orientation, peer pressures are among the reasons for internet or cybercrime in Nigeria. The cyber criminals operate in diverse means to get victims who in turn are duped. The Bible is totally against fraudulent means of getting money and not only condemns it but equally meted punishments for such act. This work acknowledges the position of religion in human formation and makes a case for a Christian Religious Studies teacher to be proactive in formation of the conscience and minds of the students by emphasizing on the dignity of labour as promoted by the Christian Bible. The researcher holds that with intentional formation, there would be reduction in cybercrime.