Nigerian Children yesterday, Sunday 27th May 2012, marked the Children’s Day with funfare, parade and policy statements from government that never keeps promises. In Ogun State, men of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, arrested five secondary schools students at the M.K.O. Abiola Stadium, the venue of the Children’s Day Celebration, for being in possession of charms and intoxicated drinks. Unfortunately, the anti-social activities that some of their fathers engaged in when they were younger and now graduated into corrupt politicians in their adulthood are the vices that these teenagers are involved in. What a shame. The talk on being upright in all their undertakings is just a waste of time as far as these ones are concerned. While the State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun was addressing the students, admonished them to begin the writing of their own history, so that their tomorrow could be assured, some were busy planning evil. What were thes students doing with intoxicated drink? Was it for them to get drunk on or to drug their female students who will be lured to come to an after party immediately after the parade at the stadium. Hear what the Governor said at the Parade,

“As leaders of tomorrow, you must strive to be upright in all your undertakings. You should cultivate the virtues of discipline, decency, seriousness of purpose, focus, and respect for constituted authority and appreciation of dignity of labour.”

Well said but as a parent is the Governor insisting on these values at home and inculcating them in his own children or those of his cabinet members? Because most of the children that are wayward most times come from homes of the rich and powerful in the Society. Where I was working before, we had two teenage boys who were smokers. The parents lived in the duplex opposite our office and were powerful people in the society. The father, – CEO of a multinational Corporation and the mother, an Executive Director in one of the leading banks. Unfortunately, the children were so streetwise that they were smoking at age 11 and hiding it from their parents. They both attended one of the Elitist secondary schools in the Country. The driver brings them home from school and they would stay by the fence to the servants quarters to smoke a whole packet of cigarette. Unfortunately, the security man who was in their house was always given a tip by the boys so he too kept a sealed mouth. These boys will graduate from smoking cigarettes to smoking weeds and then sniffing cocaine. The lame excuse the ones caught by security with charms at the parade was that they just wanted to scare their mates. Some said they did not want the police harrassment so they used the charms as protection. Whatever was their reasons, they were too young to start dabbling into occults for help or protection. The Bible says train up a child in the way of the LORD and he would not depart. Apparently, these ones are being trained in the way of darkness and that is why they have followed that way. My fear is that if the foundation of these children are faulty or corrupt, then the enthronement of peace and order in the Country will be really difficult. Even the realisation or actualisation of their potentials will be a mirage.

One of the Governor, Gov. Mimiko said, “children of Ondo State are being exposed to a culture of peace, security, healthy, modern and clean environment as opposed to the ambience of insecurity, intolerance and violence of the era gone by.”

The children may be exposed to the above in the state, what about their homes? What is going on in their homes? May God help the children. Well, Congratulations Nigerian children for passing through all these hardships in this 21st century and you are still standing!!!!. Nigerian Children, you have done pretty well in the face of difficulties and challenges facing you and your parents such as lack of electricity, unemployment, poverty and mal-nutrition. Lack of suitable classrooms, Lack of good, dedicated and dependable teachers (not those who have not been paid for upwards of six months and so have resorted to petty trading in the classrooms) have unfortunately lowered the quality and standard of education in the Country. These Children have been subjected to poor educational system such that we celebrate a normal pass in schools now since mass failure is the order of the day. Congratulations Nigerian children for exceling despite all the obstacles to greatness that our Politicians have placed on your way to greatness. Please do not emulate the current Politicians we have now who make promises only to abandon them after winning elections. Congratulation Nigerian children for despite poor performance by the government since 1985 when General Buhari and Idiagbor were booted out of office,have been making us proud with academic laurels at home and in far away countries. May only God guide ,protect and direct our children to do that which is right for this Country and humanity.