Her father, Prof. Tony Afejuku, is an accomplished literary scholar and poet with three poetry volumes. Though Dr. Anire Chima-Oduko, his daughter, has followed a different career part as a medical doctor, there is a something that makes them birds of the same feather: writing.
Recently, Dr. Chima-Oduko presented her book, Healthy Kids Are Happy Kids, published by Kraft Book, Ibadan, at the Terra Kulture, Victoria Island. Among those present was her inspirational father, Prof. Afejuku, who wreathed with smiles seeing an offspring on his scribal trail.
In her review of the book, Mrs. April Attah, lauded the author for her effort in venturing into an area beneficial to both parents and children. She was also full of praises for the unique style of the book.
She said, “Healthy Kids Are Happy Kids is not written in the regular style with the author as an instructor. She wrote it as an onlooker, an observer, using children to champion the cause of health awareness in the book. Educators will find the book useful. She uses the voices of children so parents and adults hear what they need to say. It’s not just a book for children; parents and adults also need it to know what to do regarding their children’s health.”
Mr. Victor Eburajolo, a technocrat and a business czar, who was the book launcher, encouraged parents to make children their friend. More so, “The children we have today are more intelligent than their parents. We are only wiser. Take a cue from the way they fiddle with phones.
“Sometimes, when kids correct us we don’t take it, because we feel we are older. When they tell you something strange, don’t react immediately. Talk to them later; don’t shout at them or overreact. If you don’t constantly talk with your children, you will lose them. So, what sort of child will you leave behind for your community?”
Perhaps Dr. Anire’s background as a practicing public health physician influenced her desire to see parents and teachers take the wellbeing and health of their children seriously in order to secure their future.
Speaking at the presentation of Healthy Kids Are Happy Kids, she informed that the six-chapter book enriched with questions at the end of each chapter, is both a story and an instructional material in a fun way. She was concerned that many Nigerians lacked knowledge of the health and nutritional needs of their children.
Little wonder she was convinced that her book would help in filling the gap. It was better to teach children than to repair them from an early stage, she remarked. She enjoined parents and teachers to take their children or pupils through the contents of book teeming with health lessons and interesting characters, while teaching them health principles in a subtle way.
She said, “With charming stories, picture games, puzzles and fun activities, this book will lay the foundation for a life of healthy living in children, both physically and mentally. It covers topics like healthy eating, exercise, healthy habits, building mental resilience and child-appropriate sex education. Give your kids a head start on success and wellbeing with this wonderful and interesting book.”
Aside using the book as an instrument to create awareness on health related issue, the physician declared that she was committed creating a health programme in schools where she would teach health education and nutrition to children and teachers.
It is her ambition to identify and intervene in health situations as part of her charity work towards communities so they could benefit from her reservoir of knowledge and experience in health practice. This will soon come to pass sooner than later.