The Future of Nigeria Child…

The was my view on the Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Ms. Adebisi Sosan's post to the Punch Newspaper. It was an addendum and I hope Punch got it.

The deputy governor of Lagos State government Ms. Adebisi Sosan made me proud. And and she convinced me that she is a working leader when I read her column on Viewpoint of Punch, Monday June 8, 2008 on page 96.

She spoke like a true leader she is and she was able to nail the problem that we have in raising focused, patriotic and diligent children that will take over the mantle of power in the future. God knows we need to resuscitate the voluntary organisations like girls guide, red cross and boys scout. We need to start all over again in the area of instilling the right positive values in the heart of the Nigerians children.

We need as a matter of urgency to let the parents know that it’s not acceptable for them to neglect their children while making ends meets. It’s all inclusive; the struggle for wealth as well as raising the kids in the right path. The only solution or only remedy that is tolerated will be “not to have them if you can be there for them”. This goes for father’s and mothers.

I wonder though if these will be enough in the long wrong if we don’t stop to tackle the real issue first. The real problem, that led to the lost of our values, the lost of our selfless service and the lost of our patriotism, the lost of believing in Nigeria as a nation.

It’s occurred to me over a period of a decade that we have declined in so many things as a nation. We all need reorientation at one point or the other because it’s so sad that the role models to look up to and emulate are fast going into extinction. Majority of our people clearly have corrupt mindsets born of years of corrupt leadership. It is still a system that people believe in enriching themselves and forgetting the purpose of true – transformational leadership.

The followers in so many instances are not fairing better in the sense that we all have our own corrupt practices that will make it difficult for a Nigerian child to grow up with deep positive values if we continue the way we are doing. It will be difficult for a Nigeria child in the long run to appreciate the fact that the parents are there for her while she was growing up if they fail to set good example for her.

I believe that the context of positive values include selfless service, respect for law and order, respect for human rights, accountability, diligent in labour and commitment to improving our country. There are lot of parents, teachers, guardians that have since thrown their values into the wind a long time ago. They are the ones that will lie while telling the children that it’s not good to do so, they will be the first to litter the street, and they will lead in smoking like chimney and drinking like fish in front of these children. So, what value are they growing up with? Do we forget how fast it is for children to emulate?

Changing of mindsets is a very important task in Nigeria. I remember talking to some people about the fact that Governor Fashola’s administration has succeeded in changing my mind about the fact that there is no hope for Nigeria and I was shocked to be informed that they will embezzle money nonetheless. I was enraged by this as I don’t understand why we have to delude our minds so much. That it’s so hard to appreciate good work without remembering that they are doing it to embezzle money. There had being leaders that achieved nothing and siphoned all our money. Here is a working governor that we need to support and wait till the end of his tenure to see if he will be chased by the EFCC or not.

What I am saying in essence is, we need to be focused, we need to start having the right mentality, we need to start changing our mindset and help raise the Nigerian children in a way that they will uphold positive values and have the right mentality about building Nigeria and not destroying it.

Reviving the “Schools” voluntary organizations by the state government will go a long way to help in shaping the future of the Nigeria children when the right people are given the power to coordinate those organizations. Lagos state government has the task to see to that.