The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Children

  • Orphans, IDP camps children stole show at Dogara’s high profile birthday bash

    Orphans, IDP camps children stole show at Dogara’s high profile birthday bash

    Orphans and children in the Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps are in for a good time this year. All thanks to the N250m realized at the 50th birthday bash of House of Representatives Speaker Yakubu Dogara.

    The week-long event began with novelty football matches between his friends in the public and private sectors. In the match between the Senators and members of the House of Representatives, which ended in a goal apiece, Senate President Bukola Saraki equalised through a mysterious penalty kick to cancel out the earlier goal scored by the Speaker. There was also another match between the Speaker’s side and the private sector captained by industrialist Aliko Dangote.

    The final leg of the Abuja event included a church service, witnessed by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo. It also included visits to 19 orphanage homes, where food items, toiletries, beddings as well as beverages and dried fish were distributed to the children.  At Treasure Orphanage Foundation and Abuja Children’s Home in Karu, a suburb of Abuja, Dogara told the children not to despair or dwell too much on the circumstances that placed them where they found themselves today.

    Dogara assured the children that the proceeds of the birthday programme, including the launch of his autobiography authored by Dele Momodu would be donated to the less privileged. He urged the authorities and the well-to-do in the country to give back to the society.

    He said: “We are here in response to the higher call of duty to support the less fortunate and less privilege in society. For the young people who are in this Home, I want to encourage you that there is no one who can stop you from rising to the top, only you can stop yourselves. All you need is discipline, the gift, the talent; time and opportunity are equally given to all of us by God. The circumstances of your birth or the situation in which you find yourself do not change the fact that God Has deposited talent in us. There are people who were in similar positions before now and have gone to accomplish so much. With God, discipline and focus, you don’t need anyone because as you are destined by God, He will provide for you.”

    At the reception held at the prestigious International Conference Center (ICC), Abuja on Boxing Day, where ‘A reed made Flint’ was also launched, not less than N250m was realised. The exquisitely decorated hall witnessed the assemblage of movers and shakers of the Nigerian society and there was no dull moment throughout the evening with star gospel artistes Panam Percy Paul and Tope Alabi providing inspirational songs. The duo of Sam and Song blew everyone away with their brand of comedy at the event chaired by Saraki.

    President Muhammadu Buhari, who wrote the Forward of the autobiography that was reviewed by Reuben Abati, in his goodwill message, said Dogara was a dependable ally, while revealing that when he assumed office, one of his greatest desires was to be blessed with men of impeccable characters to steer the country right.

    “Dogara is a fulfillment of that desire,” Buhari said.  He was represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha.

    The guest list boasted of former First Lady Mariyam Abacha, Governors Aminu Tambuwa (Sokoto), Muhammed Abubakar (Bauchi), Nasarawa State Deputy Governor Silas Agara and Edo State Deputy Governor Philip Shaibu. The event was also attended by former Speakers Dimeji Bankole and Patricia Etteh.

    Dogara revealed that Dangote Foundation Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation have promised to partner him in his pet project of catering for the less privileged.

  • ‘Let parents invest in their children’s morals’

    The President of Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), Eric Omare, has urged parents to invest in the moral foundation of their children.

    He said this would in future make it easy for them to build and sustain peaceful coexistence and development in the Niger delta region and other parts of Nigeria.

    The IYC president spoke at the weekend at the wedding of Mr Bassey James Akpan and his wife, Mrs Ebimo Bebenimibo-Akpan at Effurun in Delta State.

    Omare noted that serious work on home training for children would reduce, to a very considerable extent, the restiveness in the region.

    He said parents are those saddled with the primary responsibility of building a peaceful society because the family, which they lead, is the smallest unit of the society.

    According to him, it is the quality that the family pushes out that would eventually determine what the overall conduct in the society looks like.

    Omare said: “My message to both of you is to ensure that your contribution to society is quality. When God starts blessing you with children, it is your primary duty, as parents, to bring up responsible citizens. This is what all parents owe the society.

    “If all parents in all families observe and stay true to this divine assignment, we will have less of restive youths and, in effect, have a peaceful and progressive Niger Delta.

    “This is the same message to all parents in the Niger Delta region as well as across Nigeria: fulfil your God-ordained duty of raising responsible children so that society can be peaceful and progressive.”

    At the wedding, which held at the Word of Salvation Bible Life Ministry, off Jakpa Road at Effurun, dignitaries from the Ijaw were on hand to honour the couple.

    The guests were the Chairman of Tarakiri Cluster, Prince Jude Ebibokefie; the Commissioner representing the Ijaw ethnic nationality on the board of Delta State Oil Producing Area Development Commission (DESOPADEC), Chief Favour Izoukumor, among others.

  • Who cares for physically challenged children?

    SIR: I feel sad and ashamed when I consider the appalling attitude and disdain of most people in privileged positions for physically challenged children in our society. They are the major victims of harsh climate and weather.  Some are victims of armed conflicts; others are as a result of parental laxities and circumstances of birth, as well as diseases. In the rain, under the sun, you find many of them in the nooks and crannies of our country. They are subjected to the most horrible acts of inhuman treatment and indignity. Many in tattered clothes, others crawling even as adults because of disability, just as others are sexually abused by individuals who have lost their souls and consciences. A lot of physically challenged children have also lost their lives not necessarily to the vagaries of nature but due to irresponsibility of public officials who should statutorily address the welfare of such categories of citizens. They turned blind eyes to the predicament of the physically challenged children as they are being subjected to further mental and psychological disorientation and unnecessary rigours.

    The primary responsibility of any government is the security of its citizens. This is clearly stated in the constitution, which is the grundnorm of any organised society. The government is mandated to seek the comfort of the people by making sure equal access to the basic things of life.  But, what do we have in our society today? The physically challenged children are at the receiving end of the stick: little or no consideration and attention are given and paid to their welfare when government provides infrastructure amenities. That is why the few physically challenged children who by a stroke of fate finding their ways to have formal education, shone like stars, and of course, due to their resilience, zeal and determination to prove that there is ability in disability, as they say.

    I am waiting for a day when every child, regardless of his background, will have equal opportunity and sense of belonging in our dear country. I am waiting anxiously for when every child will not in any way or form be discriminated against because of physical challenges. I am watching and praying for that era when we will all rise and say, ‘NO’ to all forms of discrimination against such  child because of the curious circumstances of his birth and parentage. I am waiting with equanimity for when majority of the citizens will realise that, the physically challenged child is in the image of the Almighty Creator and so should  be accorded all privileges and honour all other citizens deserve and enjoy.

    Let us all prevail on the legislators to do the needful through appropriate legislation on crucial issues and matters that have to do with the welfare of these class of children and other physically challenged compatriots.

     

    • Dr. Amb. Hajiya Asabe Shehu Yar’Adua,

    Asabe Shehu Yar’Adua Foundation, Abuja.

  • Let us stop our children perishing in Sahara and Mediterranean

    Let us stop our children perishing in Sahara and Mediterranean

    It has now become a regular occurrence for young Nigerians to be deported back home from different parts of Africa, Europe and the Americas. Some of them are part of the multitude being quartered on an island in Papua-New Guinea following refusal by Australia to allow their boats to land in their country. This uncontrolled migration of our people to near and distant countries has become an embarrassment for Nigeria and the African continent. Several Nigerians are in jail in China and many are facing capital penalties in some countries in South-east Asia and in South Asia where drug trafficking is punishable by death. I was surprised to read that Nigerians were also being deported from Iceland. What the hell is any Nigerian doing in frigid Iceland? Of course we know why this is happening. It is probably due to economic hardship at home and the breakdown of the extended family system which in the past provided a cushion against economic hardship. On top of this is the fact that our job opportunities are not expanding in tandem with the thousands if not millions streaming out of our secondary and tertiary institutions. Our educational institutions are not training people for self-employment but rather for the elusive white collar jobs in government bureaucracy and offices of commercial and financial institutions.

    Agriculture which would have provided a safety valve still employs antediluvian tools and implements our grandparents used to till the ground and expect young people to embrace the sector. These back breaking agricultural practices are no longer attractive to young people. Mechanization of agriculture seems to be one of the ways governments can help solve the problem of unemployment driving our young people to the perilous journeys across the Sahara desert and the Mediterranean Sea to Europe. While it is true that lack of opportunities at home is largely responsible for this dangerous migration and human wastage because it is well known that close to 50 percent of those who leave Nigeria reach their target countries safely, many die in the desert as a result of their unpreparedness for the harsh conditions in the desert. Others are killed by the various militant gangs roaming the open spaces not dominated by government presence. Many who reach the shores of the Mediterranean are thrown into the sea during the journey to Europe.

    What are the ages of these young people? We are told they are between 14 and 35. Some can neither read nor write. Some only have primary education while some are secondary school graduates who find it difficult to progress due to poor financial situation of their parents while others are graduates of our tertiary institutions like Advanced Teachers Colleges, polytechnics and universities. Quite a large proportion are underage teenage girls who are being trafficked into brothels in continental European countries. I personally saw young Nigerian girls lining the sides of intercity roads in one of my visits to Italy. In Paris and Rome, one is ashamed to see grown up men usually from francophone West Africa, southern Sudan and East Africa making nuisances of themselves hawking all kinds of stuff to tourists. This kind of sight is very degrading because it demeans the stature of the black man everywhere. One also finds this kind of people on the streets of New York selling all sorts of things that may be stolen goods. Nigerians have not gone this far. But I am told our people are already involved in the drug trade in places like Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam. I do not know if any of our people have been killed in the President Rodrigo Duterte-led war against drug traffickers in the Philippines.

    Recently, the bodies of 25 young girls were discovered in the Mediterranean. Their ages range between 14 and 18. They were said to have come from Nigeria and Niger republic. But I suspect they were all Nigerians. The governor of Edo State also recently welcomed home about 100 deportees from Libya. Most of them were girls who I must say are lucky to be alive. In some cases, their parents sold their houses to give to these children for their transportation to Europe for work as domestics. This is what their recruiters told them. Some of these girls after having been duped were taken to shrines to take oaths of allegiances to their Nigerian patrons. If they succeed in smuggling them to Europe, they were beholden to work for them for years before they could become free to work for themselves. If caught they were forbidden to say a word to implicate their traffickers. This is some kind of modern slavery. What I find galling is that some parents either out of ignorance or poverty collude with those taking their children into slavery. Some of the girls also go into it with their eyes wide open knowing they are being recruited into European brothels. We knew this through the wonderful work Mrs Eki Igbinedion, the wife Lucky Igbinedion erstwhile governor of Edo State did when her husband was at the helm of affairs in the state. It is a shame that she was not encouraged to continue her work of enlightenment about this problem in the state as soon as her husband left power.

    The problem of teenage girls being recruited was and is still concentrated in a few states like Edo, Delta and Anambra states. No one is sure about why. But I suspect previous participants in this odious trade return home with money without telling the truth about what they went through to get the money and others then followed them. But why these states and other states in the south-east? My guess is that some kind of western education is much deeper here than other parts of Nigeria and because of the capitalist disposition of the people there, the desire for rapid upward mobility which only money can provide drive the people to want to have money by all means.

    Migration is a feature of human society. The so called push-pull factor drives people from one place to another. The problem nowadays unlike in the past is the rising tide of racism in the western world where people of different skin colour are not welcome. Even on the continent of Africa, we treat ourselves with hostility.  Ghana and Nigeria in the late seventies and eighties expelled nationals of each other back home as economic undesirables. Xenophobia against other Africans and particularly against Nigerians is the regular phenomenon in South Africa. With advancing technology and particularly robotics, there is a growing dearth of routine jobs for nationals of countries in the western world with the result of hostility to outsiders who come to compete with locals with the few jobs available. In short, there are no jobs except highly skilled jobs in technology, engineering, the biological and physical sciences and medicine and nursing. Service industries like banking, computer sciences and accounting still offer possibility of employment for highly qualified and knowledgeable Africans. The point I want to make is that long term prognosis of the horrible unemployment situation for our youth is not very good. This is not only sad but dangerous bearing in mind that perhaps 70 percent of our population is below 30 years of age.

    We have to make our environment investment friendly and embark on industrially adding value to our agricultural produce. We must also embark on mechanized agriculture to ensure food security and surplus for export. To avoid impending explosion, we as a people must prevail on our governments to face squarely this problem by investing our national resources properly not only to take care of the present population but those coming after us. The growing criminality in our countries is a pointer to what is to come if we don’t take care of our people and prepare for an uncertain future. The rampant cases of kidnapping, armed brigandage, armed robbery and violence everywhere as if we are already a failed state are manifestation of deep seated malaise in our country. The case of Nigeria is particularly concerning in the overdependence on hydrocarbons export which the advancing technology and the concern for the environment would soon make unprofitable. We must act quickly now that there is still some room to manoeuvre to declare a national emergency on youth unemployment and attendant violence. If we tarry, it may be too late a few years from now.

  • Woman, children killed as Badoo returns

    Woman, children killed as Badoo returns

    A woman and her two children were yesterday murdered by suspected members of a ritualist gang, Badoo, at Agbowa in Ikorodu on the outskirts of Lagos.

    The incident occurred around 2am, at 1, Alhaji Olatunda Street, Temu, a border village with Epe.

    The victims identified as Iyabo, David Alaba, 4, and Rachel Alaba, 10, were said to have been murdered in their sleep, less than 24 hours after they returned to the community.

    The family, it was gathered, were out of the community for over two weeks and only got back on Monday.

    The Nation learnt that the assailants scaled the fence of the building before smashing their heads, spilling their blood all over the bed.

    It was gathered that one of the woman’s children, who was found unconscious, was rushed to the General Hospital, Ikorodu.

    The victims were said to be sleeping inside the Celestial Church of Christ (CCC), which is also in the premises.

    According to a source, the woman’s husband was not around when the assailants struck.

    The man identified simply as Alaba was alleged to have been a repented member of the murderous cult group.

    A security source said that the attack was a revenge mission against him from the Badoo gang.

    He said: “From our investigation, the man used to be a member of Badoo group. He fled Ikorodu town and took his family to that farm settlement when they were being hunted down.

    “When he relocated, he left the group but they were looking for him because they believed he was the one giving out information about them. That was how they located his family and wiped them off.

    “Three people died on the spot and the only one that did not die is lying unconscious in the hospital. The man was not around when the killers came.”

    According to a neighbour, Adesina Idowu, the family returned to the community on Monday after about two weeks away.

    He said: “They just moved into this community six months ago. For about two weeks, they were not around. They returned on Monday and were found dead on Tuesday morning.

    “They were killed inside the church, Celestial Church of Christ. They stay in the compound and also have a church there.

    “We were surprised when somebody came to call me that Iya David is dead. When I got to the scene, the assailants had killed the woman and her two children who were with her.

    “I do not know how they got into the community because we have guards patrolling the community. How they entered into the victims’ compound without the guard knowing is a mystery to us.”

    Another resident who simply gave his name as Tajudeen said: “We informed Agbowa Police Station immediately we learnt of the incident. Initially we thought it was armed robbery case. But when entered their apartment and saw the stone used by the assailants that was when we knew it was Badoo attack.

    Police spokesman, Olarinde Famous-Cole, an Assistant Superintendent (ASP) said only two people died, insisting that there was nothing to show the attack was done by the murderous gang.

    He said the landlady of the building and a commercial motorcyclist have been arrested as suspects in the murder, adding that they would be transferred to the Homicide Section of the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID).

    Famous-Cole said: “A case of murder was reported at Agbowa Police Station. The landlady of the compound and a motorcyclist who lives there have been arrested as suspects. They would be transferred to Homicide for investigation. “The killing has no ritual conotation. Their heads were not smashed. No stone was found at the scene. Only two people died.”

     

  • 60 per cent children in Nigeria at risk of poor development, says UNICEF

    The United Nations Children’s Fund has said 60 per cent of under five children in Nigeria are at risk of poor childhood development.

    UNICEF’s Education Specialist, Swadchet Sankey, said this at an early childhood development (ECD) media dialogue in Kano recently.

    Sankey disclosed that 250 million children globally under five are unlikely to reach their potentials because their development had been stunted by poor nutrition.

    According to her, Nigeria is among the top 10 countries contributing to 250 million children under five who are at risk of not reaching their potentials.

    She noted that most children do not reach their potentials because their development had been stunted by stress, lack of early stimulation and poor nutrition.

    Early Childhood Development, according to the organization, refers to the physical, congnitive, language and social and emotional development of a child from the parental age up to age eight.

    At the dialogue which was organized by UNICEF in collaboration with Federal Ministry of Information, Abuja, Sankey said, lack of ECD in children also affected a country’s growth.

    “Nigeria does not have the fundamentals in place for a comprehensive approach to ECD, with an integrated multi-sectoral ECD policy, the key indicators of child development outcomes in the country remain low,” she said.

    Sankey noted that the current policy on ECD was outdated and needed to be reviewed to contain current thinking and an improved approach to delivering ECD across various platforms in Nigeria.

    She however urged Nigerians to collaborate to ensure the attainment of ECD in children.

    Sankey said there is need to address regulation issues which would serve as a guide to developing children’s potentials.

    “There are regulation issues and it is the responsibility of the government to impose these regulations; today you see some schools using the Montessori model while others use the American model. There is no regulation.

    “Again, child development is not about biology and genes, it is about environment, nutrition and care.

    “ECD is the foundation for attaining sustainable development and we are working with training institutions, Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) to ensure play-based learning in classrooms,” Sankey noted.

    Also, a UNICEF Nutrition Specialist, Bamidele Omotola, urged mothers to stimulate their children for proper development.

    Mr. Omotola, in his presentation, noted that parental stimulation was a major factor in preparing children for the future.

    Also, Acting Director, Universal Basic Education, Mayowa Aleshi, called for adequate planning and utilization of resources to expand early childhood development in the country.

    He disclosed that there are about 62,406 primary schools as at 2014, adding that only 28,026 of them had Early Childhood Care and Development Education centres.

    According to him, the centres have 56,588 teachers and caregivers with 74% of these population qualified.

    He also disclosed that the Nigerian government has set aside “2% of consolidated revenue fund for implementation of UBEC Programme Funding; segregated to a matching grant of 50%, instructional materials at 15%, teachers’ development at 10% and 5% each of the three components on pre-primary schools.

  • PZ uplifts LUTH Children Emergency ward

    PZ uplifts LUTH Children Emergency ward

    The Professor Olikoye RansomeKuti Children Emergency ward of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) has been renovated by PZ Plc and branded with two of its brands – Cusson and Premier.

    The company also donated bone marrow transplant equipment for the treatment of sickle cell anaemia.

    The Chief medical Director (CMD), Prof Chris Bode said the donation, which adds 200 new bed spaces to the hospital would help address the overstretched facilities.

    Prof Bode described PZ Cussons Plc as a wonderful answer to the hospital’s endless prayers over the parlous state of facilities at its children emergency ward.

    The CMD said though the Emergency centre is temporary, it will nonetheless assist in catering to the needs of children in need of extreme care that are often referred to the hospital from all over the country. He added that a 500-bed space facility which is under construction when completed will help in reducing the plight of doctors, most of who are stretched thin, and often get infected with the same illness they are trying to cure in their patients.

    He said: “We see thousands of children-patients everyday and as a teaching hospital, we cannot refer anyone brought here anywhere. So you can see our plight. That is why we are extremely happy that a company like PZ can think of this kind of intervention as the best thing that could happen to child care in Nigeria. Your intervention to provide a comfortable, convenient and a friendly ambience at the facility, has gone a long way to show that the company is interested in the growth and wellbeing of children who are being referred here in their hundreds on a daily basis. This is an investment into the future of this great health institution and it will greatly assist us in increasing our capacity to respond to the needs of our children.”

    Prof Bode said the building; complete with painting and mural is more child-friendly and now more comfortable for parents, doctors and other workers of the hospital.

    The Head of the Emergency Centre and Consultant Paeditrician Dr Yemi Osinaike thanked Illumia Health Organisation for the partnership that made it possible for PZ Cusson to step in.

    He said the Centre receives no less than 20 referrals every day, of children between the age of Zero to 15 years, adding that the newly renovated facility and the additional equipments supplied by the firm will assist in bringing relief to many homes as it would reduce the mortality rate of Sickle Cell anaemia.

    The Coordinator of Illuvia Health Organisation who mooted the idea to PZ, Mrs Amaeze Eguavoen said her organisation is happy to have contributed to creating a total healing environment for children at the hospital.

    The Regional Director PZ Cussons, Mr Jimi Taiwo said his company is happy for the opportunity to bring better care to the children.

    He said: “This project is sowing into the future of the nation. We are happy that this facility will create friendlier environment and make you happy you are coming to the hospital, the paintings are warm and welcoming and makes children and mothers feel better, coming to the hospital. PZ will be ready to partner with the hospital anytime it is called upon because it is one of the institutions that have greatly contributed to the wellbeing of children who are the future of the nation.”

  • NGOs empower women, children

    NGOs empower women, children

    Two Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), Help Initiative and Sammy and Kola Foundation (SAAF), have put smiles on the faces of women, vulnerable children and orphans at this year’s “Shop for free”.

    The yearly charity and empowerment event, which brought together vulnerable children and orphans from more than five homes in Ibadan, also afforded an opportunity for health, business and social educationists to select women from various parts of the state.

    Orphanages at the event were Abundance Ministries, Heritage Homes, Total Parentage Home, Jesus Children Home, Kent Home and Tabitha Homes.

    Women were allowed to shop for items, including clothes, shoes, bags, home accessories, domestic items, food and children items, among others for free.

    Welcoming the participants, the Director, Help Initiative, Mrs Febisola Okonkwo, said her organisation was synergising with SAAF because they share the same vision to touch the lives of orphans, vulnerable children and women.

    She noted that all the items provided for beneficiaries were generated by the organisation’s sponsors and donors.

    She described charity and empowerment as collecting and giving back to society.

    She said: “To ensure sustainablility and enhance development in line with the United Nations Development Goals which SAAF and Help Initiatives supports, we have come together in synergy to support the following goals: poverty alleviation, zero hunger, good health and well-being, reduced inequalities, quality education, decent work and economic growth.

    “We are doing this because we believe in nation building through empowerment and knowledge sharing. Because we know that if you empower a woman and a child, you have empowered the family and the entire nation. Because we believe in team working and synergy. Because we believe if you cannot feed a thousand, feed one and a little drop of water makes a mighty ocean. We are here because we don’t only want to feed with fish, but teach our beneficiaries how to fish as well.

    “The donations and gifts we have here are contributions from family, friends corporate bodies in collaboration with Help Initiative and SAA Foundation which says it all. Together, everyone achieves more.”

    Highlights of the event include health and business talks for the beneficiaries as well as presentations by the beneficiary homes’ children.

  • Lawmaker, NGO donate books to schools

    Lawmaker, NGO donate books to schools

    Worried about the declining reading culture among Nigerians, especially students, the member representing Ojo Local Government Area in the Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. Victor Akande in conjunction with the Children, Youths and Women Empowerment (CHIYOWO), a non-governmental organisation (NGO), has donated books for students’ use at the Isashi Grammar School, Iba and Awori Senior College, Ojo libraries.

    Speaking at the event, Hon. Akande said: “I was once a teacher and I will ever remain a teacher.

    Mrs Ifaturoti came to discuss the empowerment programme with me and I told her that one of the visions I have for the local government tallies with the part of her empowerment programme.”

    He said he decided to begin the empowerment programme from his domain as he picked two schools, Awori Senior College, Ojo Local Government Area and Isashi Grammar School in Iba Local Government Area.

    “Reading is very good, when you cultivate that attitude; the sky is your limit. We are in computer era. Googling cannot help in making someone good in reading. Google is good but reading is different. Sometimes google gives you junks.

    “To improve on one’s English language usage, spelling and be proficient in research, one must cultivate good reading habit,” he said.

    Also speaking on the theme of the programme, “Bring Back the Reading Culture”, the founder of the NGO, Mrs Tokunbo Ifatutoti said reading enables one to understand and share knowledge.

    Ifaturoti said the empowerment programme would be undertaken in all the states of the federation; from Lagos to Ogun, Delta, Edo, Bornu and Abuja.

    She said the schools were selected from Lagos State to begin what might be called pilot scheme because the group wanted to support schools in providing library for reading on different subjects.

    “The schools were selected because their pupils are excelling and the schools need more libraries and more books to allow students to imbibe the reading culture. This is done because many children do not have access to library in their schools. Those who have library do not have enough books in them.

    “The world is fast becoming a global village and children need to read so as to be abreast of what is going on in the world.

    Most of the books donated were donated by friends and families from the United Kingdom and other non-governmental organisations,” she said.

    The NGO needs to train children, youth and women not to become liability to the society.

     

  • Vice President’s wife decries rate of abandoned children, others

    Vice President’s wife decries rate of abandoned children, others

    Vice President’s wife Mrs. Dolapo Osinbajo has decried the rate of abandoned children, violence and pregnancy among teenagers.

    She spoke at the first annual conference of Heritage Adoption Support and Advocacy Group (HASAAG) at Federal Palace Hotel, Lagos over the weekend.

    Mrs. Osinbajo said it was heartbreaking that 17.5 million children are abandoned, 60 per cent of teenagers under the age of 18 suffer violence in the East, 24 per cent of girls under the age of 18 get pregnant in Lagos and 40 per cent suffer from increased male infertility.

    HASAAG is an offshoot of The Heritage Homes orphanage founded in 2006 by Pastor Ituah Ighodalo.

    The vice president’s wife urged Nigerians to do something about the situation.

    “So many areas have potential to change for the better. We must choose to fight the negativity that is around adoption and raise our voice to speak out against the stigma, uncertainty and fear attached to adoption.

    “Bearing and adopting children are both ways to parenthood. The power of adoption is the power of love. We all should love even those who we did not give birth to.

    “People are vulnerable and poor, at risk, in abusive circumstance, hungry, feeling unsafe and we have so many abandoned children. It should not be difficult to see someone in pain and help them. Encourage infertile couple, support and help them financially. There is nobody that cannot make a difference.”

    She called for advocacy for the ease of adopting and review of the adoption processes, adding that adopters should love those who they have adopted.