The Nation Newspaper

Tag: parents

  • Parents seek help in finding missing son

    Parents seek help in finding missing son

    Parents of  Enoch Adedotun Olugbogi, are appealing to Nigerians to help the boy.

    Three-year-old Olugbogi, whose parents live at I, Ido-Ogbwe Compound Oto-Ijanikin in Oto-Awori Local Council Development Area of Lagos State has not been seen since  Saturday.

    Speaking with The Nation, his father, Adegboyega Olugbogi, said he was shocked when he learnt of his son’s disappearance.

    He said: “I was at work when they called me that my son was missing,” Olugbogi told our reporter on phone amid sobs.

    “He (Enoch) usually loves to stay with us, go to our church or my mother whose house is at 1, Ijake Street, about 10 buildings away from ours.

    “That very day, we slept together and as soon as he woke up, he went straight to my mother who bath him and then left him to play with other children outside, and that was the last time we set our eyes on him.

    “At a point, we even felt he had gone to church only to get there and discover that he was not there. Later that day, a female neighbour said she saw him being dragged along by a fair lady who looked mentally deranged. She said she asked my son some questions but he remained silent which was very unusual of him because he is very jovial and talks with everybody.”

    Olugbogi said the matter was reported at the Ijanikin Police Station.

    The Nation learnt that police and vigilante members are combing the neighbourhood for the boy.

    “Enoch is my only son and the youngest of two children; our first child is a girl. We have two search teams combing everywhere since the incident occurred. On Sunday, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Ijanikin Police Station was also here to do a feasibility study of this area. On Wednesday, we were also at the police station for an update, but they said they have not yet stumbled on any clue,” Olugbodi said.

  • Parents advised to engage kids in sports

    Principal and Director of Cardinal Nursery and Primary School, Igando, Lagos, Chief Chidi Ohakawa, has advised parents to engage their children in sports.

    Ohakawa said involving kids in sport activities developed them physically and mentally.

    She made this statement during the school’s third biennial inter-house sport, which held at the Lagos State University Sports Centre.

    “I advise parents to always make their kids available for this kind of competition because it helps to prepare them mentally and physically. They shouldn’t shy away from allowing their kids to participate in competitions like this,” he said.

    Ohakawa also spoke of the rationale behind the sport meet. ”The reason for this inter-house sport is that in education it’s not all about classrooms. We develop children in all aspects of their lives and sport is one of them. That’s exactly what we are doing today, for them to be all-rounder,”he said.

    Green House came first with 10 gold, eight silver and five bronze medals. Blue House emerged the first runner-up with six gold, six silver and nine bronze medals. Yellow House trailed behind with five gold, five silver and four bronze medals.

  • JAMB to parents: stay away from exam centres

    JAMB to parents: stay away from exam centres

    •211,000 write mock UTME

    The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (jamb) has advised parents to stay away from its examination centres during the conduct of this year’s Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

    It was also learnt yesterday that timeliness, network connectivity and equipment failure are among the things that JAMB needs to improve upon to make the 2018 UTME scheduled for next month a success.

    Some candidates, who took the mock examination organised by JAMB in Lagos yesterday, said the sessions did not start on time and some others experienced network and equipment failure.

    However, they largely scored the examination high.

    JAMB had arranged for the examination to take place in three sessions – 7am, 9am and 1.30pm in the 602 Computer Based Test (CBT) centres nationwide.

    However, in some of the centres, the sessions started hours behind schedule, resulting in some candidates still taking the two-hour examination as late 6pm.

    Its registrar, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, explained that some parents might connive with examination officials to cheat during the UTME.

    He spoke after monitoring the conduct of the board’s mock examination at its CBT centre in Kogo and Veritas University yesterday in Abuja.

    The registrar said about 211,000 candidates wrote the mock in some select computer based test centres.

    Oloyede said: “We urge the parents to keep away. You can see around here there are parents and I ask myself don’t they have some other things to do? We are not in a kindergarten school; you are preparing people for university education. And the parents come too much around, they want their children and wards to pass at all cost.

    “It is not helpful, because these candidates, will you follow them to the classroom? Lecturers and others will start taking undue advantage of them because they are not matured and are not prepared for the task. I think parents should stay clear and allow the children to grow.”

    The registrar advised candidates against cheating during the examination.

    According to him, the board would monitor the system of every candidate to make sure they do not cheat.

    He added that all electronic devices like phones, wristwatches, calculators and special eye glasses, biros and others remained banned from the examination hall.

    The registrar said the board monitored all computers used for the examination to check against malpractice and illegal logouts.

  • Yobe school attack: We’re yet to locate 105 girls — Parents

    Yobe school attack: We’re yet to locate 105 girls — Parents

    No fewer than 105 students may be missing in the aftermath of Monday’s invasion of the Government Girls’ Science Technical College, Dapchi, Yobe State, by suspected Boko Haram terrorists,The Nation gathered yesterday.

    The names were personally submitted to the school’s authorities by the  parents of the  affected students, according to the Chairman, Forum of Parents of the missing Dapchi Girls, Mallam Bashir Manzo.

    Governor Ibrahim Gaidam of Yobe State said 84 students remain missing .

    The list obtained by The Nation contains the name of each missing student,her local government area and telephone numbers of her parents.

    A mix of tension and mourning pervaded the community for the fifth day running yesterday when The Nation visited the area.

    Residents  said it was clear from the behaviour of  invaders  on Monday that their mission was solely to abduct the students.

    Manzo said when the gunmen  demanded that they be shown the way to the school, some residents tried to play a fast one on them and sent them in a wrong direction.

    However the  gunmen soon found out their destination  when they heard the students shouting.

    Manzo, recalling the sequence of events on the fateful day, said:  “On Monday, Boko Haram entered our town and started shouting. We just came out from Magrib prayers when the shooting started.

    “The shooting by Boko Haram sparked  confusion at the school with everyone running helter-skelter.

    “When they came, they didn’t even know where the school was located. They came and asked some people to show them the girls’ school.

    “The first person they asked  to show them the school took them to Central Primary School.

    “They eventually found out the girls’ school when the students were screaming and trying to jump over the fence in a bid to escape.

    “They rounded up as many girls as they could lay their hands on and packed them into their vehicles.

    “They then escaped.

    “The following day, the school authorities  took a roll call of children in the school, but they did not  give us the figure.

    “The list we have here is from the parents that came themselves and reported that they had not seen their children up till this moment (yesterday).

    “When a parent comes, he gives us his name himself, the name of his child, his town, local government area and his phone number. We are not collating these names by any phone call or text message. You have to come yourself and give your name and the name of your daughter that is missing, otherwise  we will not accept anything short of that.

    “The list we have got now is one hundred and five students that have not been found up till today (yesterday).

    “We had a report that these children were found at Gaidam and people celebrated. We even gathered that the children would be handed over to the governor here in Dapchi.

    “When the governor came, we were gathered at the house of the District Head and the governor told us that none of the girls had been rescued. The governor said he was not sure whether our children are in Boko Haram’s captivity, but we are sure that Boko Haram took our children. We have evidence.

    “When they took them (children), they were crying and screaming for help. They came through the Gumsa Road and went back on the same road.

    “Residents of  villages along that road heard the children crying and screaming in the vehicles.

    “In one of the villages, residents overheard the insurgents saying they needed  to  tie the children well  so that they won’t  escape.

    “We are calling on those  that would help us get back our children to help us. We are sure Boko Haram took our children. This one is an undisputable fact. That is the truth. We gave our children to the school authorities and so they should bring back our children. We will go as far as meeting President Buhari .

    “They only came to get the girls and not to do anything in this town.

    “We took the photographs  of the store of the school and everything is intact. No single food item was removed.

    “We are not happy with the delegation of the Federal Government. They did not look for the principal or the parents of the missing girls or enter  any office of the principal or a classroom in the school when they visited Dapchi.”

    Governor Gaidam, however, said yesterday that from the figures available to him, 84 students remain missing.

    He put the students’ population at 906 out of which 822 were marked present after the attack.

    Gaidam spoke yesterday when his Kano State counterpart, Abdullahi Ganduje paid  him a visit in Damaturu.

    The Yobe governor expressed surprise that security men  were  unexpectedly withdrawn from the town a few hours before the attack.

    He said the attack is a major setback in  the war against  Boko Haram.

  • Parents, stop selling your girls!!!

    Dear Aunty Temilolu,

    I recently got admission into a higher institution and the deadline for the payment of my fees is next week. My parents don’t have money but someone is willing to help but on the condition that I’ll get pregnant for him and marry him (he resides abroad). I don’t like this guy at all. He smokes and doesn’t have a single quality I desire in a man and I’m just 21. My parents think he’s good for me. I’ve become sick as a result of crying. I looked for this admission for 5 years. What should I do please?

    L.

    My Sweet,

    Awww…Aren’t you such a damn good girl? At a time when the average girl would have sex with countless guys to have hair that’s not hers, latest gadgets and designer bags her parents’ one year salary can’t buy! To think there’s still a sane girl out there who doesn’t want to trade her life for a tertiary education she’s spent the last 5 years laboring for! A time when most girls would rather exchange their bodies, soul, spirituality and entire existence for inanities! Yuk! You are even wiser than those who brought you into the world! What an angel! Your story breaks my heart but I salute you and respect you and I’m so convinced God is going to spring a wonderful surprise on you! Of course, you know I won’t let you go into such a liaison and I know you wrote to me so I can encourage you and lift you spiritually. I insist God will send help to you in a way you don’t even expect. In fact, He has made arrangements already! He was only waiting to see if you’d choose Him or the devil. Expect a life-transforming knock on your door soon my uncommon, precious lady! Congratulations!

    Dear parents like L’s,

    May God forgive you for turning your daughters to merchandise!  If only you knew what goldmines you have under your roof, you’d do all you can to give them a comfortable life and help them harness their potentials than push them to men who would eventually turn them to slaves and remind them for life how they wouldn’t have been educated without them, how they own them and how they made you landlords!

    My darling, precious, glorious, dignified, world-famous and heavenly celebrated Nigerian sisters,

    You see why I keep screaming into your ears to prioritise your life and do all you can to pursue qualitative education! Let’s be factual, can a cleaner or domestic staff really afford to pay for his or her children’s tertiary education? Only in very few cases. I don’t know L’s parents’ professional qualifications nor if they even have any! But I tell you, bringing children into the world isn’t just about fulfilling God’s plan for us to multiply. It is highly irresponsible to get into a marriage and bring children into the world when you don’t have the financial means to give them a good living. We often hear of roasted plantain/fish sellers who have graduates as children but you don’t know what those kids have to go through and the type of menial jobs they have to do to support what they get from their parents. Sadly, you girls have been so badly brain-washed by the social media such that you’re no longer interested in hard-work as it appears not to make you a star so soon but would rather have guys drool over you, sleep with you and supply all your needs! I’m very sorry for you! You think they’re santas? If you knew what most of them have acquired by sleeping with some of you, emptying you of the virtues God has graciously given you to make you fulfilled and shine in life but which you’ve sadly sold for some small change; you’d wish you were never born! A lot of parents don’t even help matters, they are so hungry for the good things of life and they’d rather have you go with one rich man even if he’s going to pummel you to death! I imagine what you girls will do to your daughters in future- if care isn’t taken, you’ll probably sell them right from their childhood. May God deliver this sick society!

    Girls…girls…girls, the earlier you face your potential, make the most of it and map out a comfortable future for you and your unborn children the better. Stop having your head in the clouds, believing you will certainly end up with a rich man in future because you’re beautiful. There are too many beautiful women in the world today who have been turned to cesspits because they are dependent on men for survival! God has given you virtues that could fetch you what the resources of your entire generation can never have. Leave those boys alone for now please! Concentrate on God, your potential, education etc. and come and see if you won’t have more than you can possibly exhaust in a life time. May God bless you and make you Very Great in Jesus name!

    I invite you to follow me on Facebook –Temilolu Okeowo (not Temilolu okeowo girls club or Temilolu Okeowo Girls Club group). Instagram @ Okeowo Temilolu.

    Scam Alert: Temilolu okeowo girls club page and group as well as Temilolu cares for you are fake facebook accounts.

  • Educationist advises parents to assist children in developing spelling skill

    An Educationist Mrs Oluwakemi Waniko, has advised parents to assist their children in developing proficiency in spelling.

    Waniko gave the advice at the 5th Scholars Quiz Primary Spelling Competition in Ota, Ogun State, an event the educationist said was born to reduce the rate of failure in English Language in Nigeria.

    She said the motive is to save children from the negative effect of technological advancement, which oftentimes has created addiction for abbreviation among children of nowadays.

    “It is pertinent that we take seriously the effect of incorrect spellings and wrong usage in order to reduce the mass failure in our education system today,” she said.

    According to her, two pupils each represented 25 participating primary schools in the competition.

    Waniko said that there was the need for more competitions that could help children boost their academic performance.

    “We want to see how we can help our children at this tender age to develop their spelling skills so as to improve the standard of education in the country,” she said.

    She recalled that the first edition of the Scholars Quiz Spelling competition was held in Kwara State, adding that subsequent editions would be extended to the nursery category by next month.

    Waniko noted that an ‘educated nation is a developed nation,’ arguing that if the country invested more, Nigeria would develop technologically.

    She equally urged the Federal Government to increase the annual budgetary allocation for education, adding that it is about time the nation began a journey into joining a league of fast developing nations.

    Waniko equally implored corporate organisations across the country to support laudable programmes like the quiz competition that could boost national development.

    At the event, Kingdom Way School, Ota took the trophy while Little Saint Private Schools, Ota, and The Bells Nursery and Primary Schools emerged first and second runners up respectively.

    For their feat, Kingdom Way Schools received a trophy, plaque and N10, 000 cash, while the first runner and second runners up got a plague and N5, 000 cash respectively.

    Speaking with The Nation, Miss Afusat Balogun, of the Kingdom Way Schools, heaped praises on the organizser, urging them to continue with the initiative.

    Another participant Miss Idowu Fopeoluwa, said that the competition was highly educative and she has gained a lot from it.

  • ‘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.

  • ‘Give kids better upbringing’

    The Lagos State Commissioner for Youth and Social Development, Mrs Uzamat Akinbile-Yusuff has urged parents to give their children better upbringing through exemplary attitude.

    Akinbile-Yusuff gave the advice yesterday during a one-day town hall meeting on better parenting held at the Adeyemi Bero Hall, Alausa, Ikeja.

    She said the programme was designed to inculcate the right attitude in parents with a view to empowering parents with the right skills to manage their children.

    She said: ‘’ This Town Hall Meeting is intended to bring about a behavioural change in the way we handle these precious jewels (children) bestowed in our care by God. As parents, teachers, caregivers, everyone coming in contact with children and having parental responsibility over them, it becomes very necessary that we develop the proper understanding attitudes and skills to manage children over various developmental stages.  We also encourage you (parents) to share your new knowledge and experience with as many people as possible in your communities.

    ‘’It is important to note that it takes more than love to raise a child well. Most parents  and guardians see parenting as a natural occurrence and just live by the day bring children up to the best of their knowledge, ability and mentality  of ‘’that’s the way I was raised’, most times abusing them seriously, causing permanent emotional and physical damage.

    The commissioner urged parents to establish stronger bond with their children in order to give them right tutelage for adult life.

     

     

  • Bonnke urges parents to live by example

    Bonnke urges parents to live by example

    Renowned preacher, Evangelist Reinhard Bonnke, has urged parents to live by example.

    The cleric said whatever they do in life would either lead their children to heaven or hell.

    The preacher spoke yesterday at the just-concluded “Farewell crusade” opposite OPIC Plaza on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.

    According to him, the world is full of prodigal parents who do nothing but lead their children astray.

    Citing the example of a man in Lesotho, who he described as a drunkard, Bonnke said the man’s little boy also took to drinking at a joint.

    He said when the man saw his son at the joint, he wondered how he got there.

    Bonnke said: “The father asked the boy how he got there and the boy said he followed the footsteps of his father.”

    The preacher said there would be peace in the family if parents allowed Jesus to come into their lives, adding that their children would follow suit.

    He added that the border to eternity is never ahead of man.

    Bonnke said: “The old must die as well as the young. That is why the scripture says ‘now is the day of salvation’. Now is the acceptable time. Today is the day of salvation.”

    The preacher said Nigeria would be saved, adding that God would break the yoke of suffering in the land.

  • Lagos, experts, parents unite for children with disabilities

    The Lagos State Government, parents and medical experts yesterday joined forces to protect children living with disabilities.

    They reached the consensus at the first ‘Stakeholders Summit on Disability’ organised by the office of the Special Adviser to the Lagos State Government on Social Development.

    The Summit, whose theme was ‘Ability in disability: a stitch in time saves nine’, was held at the Civic Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos.

    Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, represented by Deputy Governor, Dr. Idiat Adebule, said his administration had decided that all stakeholders must henceforth join hands to make life more meaningful for children living in disabilities.

    The governor said early intervention of disability in the affected children would help in giving hope of a meaningful life to those children.

    Thus, according to him, the concept of early intervention was targeted at parents and guardians of the children.

    “Early detection and intervention of disabilities in children will afford you the opportunity to do what is needful medically. Since nothing can be done to change the circumstances of those children, you must show them the ability to support them in harnessing their potential,” he said.

    Special Adviser to the Governor on Social Development, Mrs. Joyce Onafowokan, said the summit was inspired by Governor Ambode’s inaugural speech in which he promise that issues of disability will receive greater attention this year.