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By Samuel A. Ogungbemi
This year’s Children’s Day celebration is a milestone that fills our hearts with gratitude, joy, excitement, and honour. Children’s Day has stood high as the pride torchbearer of not only the nation but the entire world. It is gratifying to witness and celebrate this year’s Children’s Day anniversary globally. Children’s Day should be seen far beyond the funfair; rather, it should be seen as a memorable event reminding us that children are not just the leaders of tomorrow but reliable citizens of today and tomorrow, whose contribution will shape and transform our nation either positively or negatively. Right from the cradle, God, the creator of the universe, including the children we are celebrating today, did not take the issue of children lightly. Children’s Day is a special joyful day set aside to celebrate the smiles, importance, relevance, strength, existence, recognition, ingenuity, creativity, and dreams of children.
We thank God for blessing our nation with a vast number of agile, smart, intelligent, and responsible children and youth. If we are able to invest in them spiritually, academically, and culturally, they will transform our nation positively. It is normal not to cherish what you do not invest in; values are a product of intentionality and the efforts an individual puts into or believes in. Hence, the government, private investors, community, religious leaders, and parents in particular should begin to place more value and interest in children’s development and growth—mentally, emotionally, psychologically, socially, and spiritually. There is no creature of God which He does not value; how much more the children.
This article intends to awaken parents and the government to their need to invest properly in our children in order to transform our nation now and in the future. For children to be celebrated and for their future to be preserved, they need to be trained. Though the whole responsibility of training a child to become responsible in society now and tomorrow lies solely on the parents, that is why scripture enjoins parents to train their children in the way they should go, and when they are old, they will not depart from it. Training a child calls for total and proper training that will bring out a complete child who fears God and becomes an instrument of change and development in society.
For a child’s future to be preserved, secured, and prepared to be celebrated, he/she needs proper care and attention. Unfortunately, the statistics from the 2025 Humanitarian Action for Children by UNICEF are not encouraging. It is estimated that out of 8.8 million people affected by violence in the North East, North West, and North Central regions of Nigeria, 4.9 million are children deprived of access to security, health, nutrition, education, potable water, hygiene, and sanitation. This does not include children in other parts of Nigeria facing one challenge or another. This is a clarion call to government officials and policymakers to prioritise children’s needs across all sectors. If children are victims of social unrest, a crippling economy, and maladministration, how can they be prepared for the future?
For a child to be celebrated, the spirit of laziness and slothfulness, which hinders productivity, must be entirely gotten rid of. We must bear in mind that a child’s brain or mind is a refinery where any idea or imagination can become a reality. Therefore, children must be put in a conducive environment that fosters critical and imaginative thinking, creativity, and emotional stability. Once a child develops all these, obedience, honesty, and good morals should also be included in his/her formative growth. Children and youths aiming to be celebrated and preserved for the future must desist from the spirit of lust, sexual perversion, greed, the craze for wealth acquisition, inordinate ambition/affection, and pride. They must also shift attention from crimes, drug addiction, prostitution, and other unethical acts.
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Parenting should no longer be carried out by proxy, as biological fathers and mothers leave their children to caregivers while pursuing careers and earning a living. Unfortunately, these children spend a greater part of their valuable time largely on social media or watching movies on television without adequate supervision. The role of government in making children worthy of celebration and preserving them for the future cannot be overemphasised. The government has to make life bearable for the children and create a conducive environment for them to live and learn comfortably.
Political leaders should prioritise children in their manifestos, and the government/policymakers should see to formulating and implementing policies that are child-friendly and have positive effects on their parents and the nation’s economy. As a Yoruba adage puts it, irorun okun ni irorun eye—“The ease of the rope is the ease of the bird that lies on the rope.” A country is evaluated by how it values the lives of the children, including the vulnerable; how it invests in children’s education, health, safety, freedom, and feeding/nutrition. The children being celebrated today must be given a reason and hope to smile tomorrow.
In commemorating Children’s Day, this article calls the attention of the government not only to celebrate and recognise excellent students who graduated with a First Class Honours Award or a distinction at their respective tertiary institutions but also to ensure they are not carted away like goods to foreign countries. Students of the Social Sciences and Humanities especially should be prioritised, as a lot of focus seems to be given to Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). It is not encouraging to have First Class graduates remain jobless. They should be prioritised and properly mentored.
For every child out there, you should come to understand early enough the importance of living a disciplined, organised, and morally upright life. Bear in mind consistently that honesty is the best policy. Work hard and smart, be diligent, and believe in service and industry. Seek professional and appropriate counsel before you choose a career path. Pursue professional certifications targeted towards organisational and societal development. You are not too young to make a difference in your environment. Say no to sinful and illegal acts and live an exemplary life anywhere you are. Be a change agent and advocate. Your future is not just something you wait for; it’s something you practice daily in order to achieve great success. There is the common saying that “Practice makes perfect.”
Conclusion: Dear children, do not be scared to dream big.
