A lecturer in the University of Cross River State, Prof. Hannah Etta, has urged Nigerians not to allow their interest in career advancement to erode family values.

Ms Etta gave the warning while delivering the 12th Inaugural Lecture of the university in Calabar on Friday.

In the lecture titled, “Links, Linkages and The Missing Links: From DNA Backbones to Social Cohesion,” Ms Etta said that family breakdown mirrors the breakdown of society.

According to her, career pursuits are increasingly creating dangerous gaps in Nigerian homes and affecting child upbringing.

Ms Etta, also the university’s Director of Academic Planning, said that many parents created lacunas that made them to raise children that they could not be proud of.

The scholar stated that many academics had neglected parenting while pursuing career, education and other achievements.

“This obsession for career, education and other achievements are dangerous to the family and the society at large,” she said.

She urged parents and academics to deliberately balance their careers and family lives, saying that repairing family gaps was essential to addressing wider national challenges.

She further urged Nigerians to embrace tolerance and mutual respect in order to enthrone peace, unity and development.

“To close Nigeria’s missing links, we need the government, citizens and faith leaders to work together, coexist peacefully and promote mutual respect, this is a foundation for national healing,” she said

(NAN)