A CHARADE CELEBRATION OF CHILDRENS’ DAY

A CHARADE CELEBRATION OF CHILDRENS’ DAY 

Chijioke Akusoronwa

Every 27th May of every year, has since been set aside for the celebration of Children’s Day in the World and especially in Nigeria. But, the celebration of this annual event is daunting in most developing countries where large numbers of these children are still faced with problems of basic essential needs like: food, shelter and clothing.

Even as the world move from these basic needs to some compulsory primary need for children such as: compulsory good basic primary and secondary education, free primary health care for all children, conducive learning environment for children, best qualified teachers for children, children protection under the law etc. But, all these basic essential needs and compulsory primary need for children are like a mirage in most parts of the developing countries and especially in Nigeria; where the reverse has been the case given the events that have been unfolding within the past few months.

 

It is imperative to look at how some of these problems have hinged the enjoyment of many children in today’s Nigeria. I would love to do this by taking a look at the strata where these problems continue to emanate in today’s Nigeria. This is because; in today’s world and also in Nigeria a child is seen to be between conception and the age of seventeen. The children strata in this article would be grouped as follows: conception to the point of birth; age of 0-3, 4-6, 7-12, 13-18.

Conception to the Point of Birth

ü  Mothers in Nigeria are still unable to receive free anti-natal health care services.

ü  Care for pregnant women in Nigeria in buses, offices and public places are gruesome.

ü  Prices of items for mother about to have new born babies are sold at luxury amounts.

ü  Prices of food items, fruits and supplement for healthy diets for pregnant mothers are alarming.

0-3 years

ü  These children are faced with mal-nutrition. How? Imagine the prices of baby food items like SMA Gold baby food from N1650 to N2300 within 3weeks, Pampers from N330 to N400 or N450, Peak milk from N600 to N700, Golden Morn, MY BOY, Johnson baby products, and baby wipes and so on are just over inflated without concern for the children. Yet, we celebrate Children’s Day.

ü  These children are unable to feel the presence of their mothers due to the level of poverty in most homes in Nigeria. They are abandoned very early so that their mothers can meet ends needs.

ü  The first language that these children tend to hear before their mother tongue is ‘UP NEPA’ while those whose parent cannot afford ‘I PASS MY NEIGHBOUR GENERATOR’ end up with bitter nights, sweating and crying all night long.

4-6 years

ü  This time at least is the time to go to school for children whose parents can’t afford kindergarten exorbitant fees. Yet, most children end up staying at home so that their parents could raise fund to register them in public schools at near cost to some private schools.

ü  Most of these public schools lack so many learning and infrastructural facilities that end up turning these children into dull heads and future educational problems of what we today have in our certificate based Nigerian society.

7 – 12 years

ü  Most children of this age bracket are supposed to be in school while some are supposed to have moved to secondary school. What do we find out always? We discover that one problem or the other such as: loss of parents, children as house helps, child hawking during school hours all in an attempt to end up making these children to abandon their schools due to government insensitivity.

ü  For some of these children who are sick or exposed to some illness due to poor nutrition and unhealthy living environment. Government always hear and open their eyes until they are dead without doing anything until a major outbreak before some little steps are taking with hands ready to take almost half of the money into private pockets.

13 – 18 years

ü  Children of these ages due to problems of broken homes, poverty, societal vices are lure into early crimes, touts, early pregnancy and robbery.

ü  The problems of bad teachers in most secondary schools which are also escalate as a result of poor teachers’ remuneration; incessant strikes, lack of training for teachers, ill-equipped laboratories, poor learning condition etc have also culminated into a receding educational system.

Yet, with all these problems government still find it necessary to celebrate Children’s Day with billions ranging from expenses from federal, state, local government, and private individuals instead of putting up these funds in changing pitiable problems arising after conception to the point of birth of a child and growing up years of children. The question is: when will we learn to stop celebrating some events and using such money in changing the lives of those concerned?

Again, we claim to be meeting MDG goals and spending money to being part of UN Security Council. The question is: when will our governments learn to adopt internal strategies in solving salient internal failures?

I would like to say that the whole children problems in Nigeria have a multi facet solutions among the parents or GUARDIANS, neighbours, teachers, politicians, traditional rulers, churches, institutions, organizations, and government (local, state and Federal) in ensuring that we all see to the needs of THESE timing population that would help the country in solving and re-branding the Nigeria we all wish to have when we are old and gone.

CHIJIOKE, holds a professional certification in Management and a first degree in Political Science and one of the best graduating student in the said discipline from Obafemi Awolowo University, Nigeria. He is passionate about providing the leading platform for bearing the burden for his clients’ zenith successes which is hinged at providing exceptional Consulting Services in the areas of paper writing, biographies, training, political advisory, public speaking, business development, product marketing and advert production all in a practical solution driven and goal oriented perspectives. As the Principal/Head Consultant, HeroesPlus Consultant based in Lagos, his interest in research and development made him a social blogger and a prolific biographer. Among his works includes: Nigeria Sixth Republic: 50 Years Of Unfinished Leadership; Challenging Your Dreams; A Conscious Africa People Of Change Long Desired: Critical Look At African Today’s Politics In The Year 2011; Our Security And Our Nigeria: The Problems And The Solutions among others. He is a member of Civil Liberty Organization, Rotaract Club to mention a few.

Send your questions and comments to heroesplusconsultant@gmail.com

To read more...Click on my Facebook page then ‘‘My Notes’’ to see some of my articles.

Thank you for reading.