SUNDAY SERMON: THE ORPHANS OF THE INTERNET

By Ewere Okonta, PhD

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eobnewsmedia@gmail.com

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We are living in the most technologically connected era in human history, yet paradoxically, we are witnessing one of the greatest crises of emotional disconnection. Never before has communication been so instant, information so accessible, and digital interaction so effortless. Yet, beneath this remarkable technological advancement lies a disturbing reality: families are gradually losing the ability to connect with one another in meaningful and lasting ways.

Across our homes, conversations are becoming increasingly rare. Parents and children often occupy the same living room while remaining emotionally separated by the glowing screens in their hands. Husbands and wives exchange countless messages throughout the day, yet struggle to engage in sincere face-to-face conversations when they eventually meet at home. Children can effortlessly identify the latest social media influencers, musicians, and online celebrities, but many cannot recall the last meaningful conversation they had with their parents or the last time the family gathered to pray together.

This growing contradiction raises an uncomfortable but necessary question: how did a generation blessed with unprecedented communication technology become so impoverished in genuine human relationships?

Contrary to popular opinion, the greatest challenge confronting modern society is not merely economic hardship, political instability, unemployment, or even insecurity. While these issues undoubtedly deserve serious attention, a far more dangerous crisis is unfolding quietly within our homes. It is the steady erosion of family bonds, the disappearance of intentional parenting, and the gradual replacement of genuine relationships with digital engagement.

Many families now live under the same roof without truly sharing life together. Home, which was once the centre of love, mentorship, discipline, and shared experiences, is increasingly becoming nothing more than a place where individuals eat, recharge their electronic devices, sleep, and leave again the following morning. Although everyone appears connected to the digital world, very few remain genuinely connected to one another.

Technology itself is not the enemy. Indeed, it has transformed education, healthcare, entrepreneurship, governance, business, and virtually every aspect of modern civilization. The challenge, however, arises when technology ceases to be a tool for improving relationships and gradually becomes a substitute for them. The smartphone that was designed to connect families across geographical distances now frequently disconnects those seated around the same dining table.

Perhaps the most disturbing consequence of this digital revolution is that many parents have unknowingly outsourced their responsibilities to the internet. In their sincere desire to provide quality education, comfortable homes, and the latest technological devices, they often overlook a more fundamental responsibility: being physically, emotionally, and spiritually available to their children.

The reality is both simple and sobering. Whenever parents neglect their responsibility to mentor their children, the digital world readily assumes that role. Social media platforms, online influencers, entertainment content, gaming communities, and increasingly artificial intelligence have become the new teachers, counsellors, and role models for millions of young people. The pressing question, therefore, is not whether our children are being influenced, but rather who is influencing them and what values they are absorbing.

And no society survives for long when its homes become strangers under the same roof. Perhaps it is time to put the phone down, look into the eyes of the people you love and have the conversation you have postponed. Restore the relationship you have neglected, for in the end, people will not remember how fast your internet was; they will remember whether your heart was available when they needed it most.

This is the Sunday sermon from my holy pulpit!

Dr Ewere Okonta is the CEO of EOB Media. He is a family values advocate. He writes from the Department of Business Administration, University of Delta, Agbor.