*Atiku bemoans scourge of out-of-school children
Deji Elumoye and Chuks Okocha in Abuja
President Muhammadu Buhari has called on Nigerian parents and children to hold onto the ancient truths of integrity, honesty, knowledge, and hard work despite the changing times, saying these landmarks remain the pillars of destiny.
This is just as former Vice President and presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 presidential election, Atiku Abubakar bemoaned the rising number of out-of-school children in Nigeria.
The president, according to a statement issued yesterday by his Media Adviser, Femi Adesina, to mark this year’s Children’s Day, said “On this special day, we are immensely grateful to God for another opportunity to celebrate our children, on May 27, 2023. Every Children’s Day reminds us of the future, and the necessary sacrifices and building blocks by parents, guardians, teachers, leaders, and government to secure our greatest assets on earth, the younger ones.
“As a father and grandfather, I share in the joy that children bring into our lives and the fulfillment of seeing them grow. And I also feel the pain of loss, anxiety, and frustration that comes with uncertain times, like the disruptions to families due to insecurity, which we have worked hard to contain in the last eight years.
“We must not lose hope, and our faith should be rekindled in the ability of the Government to safeguard the future of our lives and children. In eight years, we have focused on children, negotiating and fighting for the release of many that were taken captive, and painstakingly building intelligence on the whereabouts of others. Some have been released; more will come, by God’s grace, as the next administration continues on the same noble path,’’ he assures.
President Buhari admonished parents to treat their children with dignity while staying focused on discipline.
He said: “Every child is special and should be specially treated with dignity.
“At the twilight of this administration, we are thankful for all the support we have received from parents, government officials, development partners, professionals, and religious leaders in realizing some of our targets, like the school feeding programme, resuscitation of the primary health care system, and protecting our schools by the security agencies.
“As we are aware, raising healthy and promising children is a collective responsibility. In Nigeria, like in most of Africa, the community has a stake in the upbringing of the child. Truly, it takes a village to raise a child. And as the world continues to become smaller with new technology, and the borders on culture and cultural values are steadily getting blurred, we must retain our identity and values. Our core values of integrity, honesty, hard work, and love for learning should not be negotiated. Our children should know, and stay with the ancient landmarks of what is true, and right at home, and abroad,’’ he added.
The President noted that efforts should be geared towards putting building blocks that will sustain unity, peace, and prosperity for the sake of the children.
According to him: “At over 80 years of age, and served the country all my working life, I still believe our children hold the keys to a brighter future for Nigeria, with these three undeniable and unchangeable truths; fear of God is supreme, love for knowledge is elevating and hard work will always pay off.
“Happy Children’s Day and God bless our children,’’ he says, felicitating with parents, children, and guardians.
Atiku Bemoans Scourge of Out-of-school Children
Meanwhile, Atiku has congratulated children across the globe and in Nigeria, especially over the celebration of Children’s Day this year.
The former vice president said in a statement issued yesterday by his media office that “the celebration of Children today is to allow today’s leaders to build a brighter future for the society.”
Atiku remarked that while May 27 every year has been earmarked for the celebration of children, “our world is still troubled with existential threats mitigating the possibility of a promising future for our children.”
He said further, “In Nigeria, for instance, we continue to grapple with the problem of out-of-school children and children being forced into child labour or, even, crime.
“Sadly, not much has gone into establishing a system of protection for children against these dangerous tendencies.
“Either at the governmental or civil society levels, our failures to build the wall that will shield our children from negative influences that can affect their future remains inexcusable,” the former Vice President noted.
