Daily Independent (Lagos)
Aramide Oikelome
3 July 2009
Lagos — It was J.F. Kennedy, the 35th President of the United States of America that said, "Children are the most valuable resource and the best hope for the future." Little wonder that this century, which started with no right for the African child is winding up on the note of recognition and appreciation of children rights and concerted efforts to see such rights not only respected but also protected.
Little wonder too that the theme of this year's celebration of the Day of the African Child focused on exposing violence and sexual exploitation of children, as well as upholding the rights of the child.
These and other related matters were the issues that came to the burners as Lagos State recently marked the Day of the Africa, a day set aside by the African Union in memory of the school children that were massacred in their quest for better education during the Apartheid Regime in Soweto, South Africa in 1976.
Speaking at the occasion, the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Mrs. Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire reiterated the Lagos State government's commitment at 'improving the quality of life of every child, irrespective of their background, origin and tribe as well as children with disabilities:, adding that "the government's position is zero-tolerance to child abuse."
To actualise this, Lagos State government did not only join other twenty-five states in Nigeria to sign into law the Child Right Act (and simplify the law in order to make it available to all children), which is geared towards improving the quality of life of children; but the government has "also put in place intensive and vigorous campaign and awareness programmes against child abuse throughout the state."
The Commissioner warned that, "all children are expected to be in school from 8.00am to 2. 00pm, and the ones found wandering would be apprehended and their parents prosecuted." This she said "is in consonance with goal number two of the millennium development goals, which is to achieve universal primary education."
She therefore appealed to parents and guardians to always encourage the education of their wards and say "no" to any form of child abuse, neglect, exploitation and labour.
Also present at the occasion was Mrs. Roseline Akinroye, a representative of UNICEF who stressed that although the rights of children should be promoted, they should also imbibe the values of responsibility and hard work.
In her address to the children, Akinroye stated that, "having rights without a sense of responsibility is useless. We expect you to use your ability. Do not play around. Face up to the challenges of life and be daring because 'Right without responsibility is not complete."
She also urged members of the children's parliament to extend their training and enlightenment programs to those children in vocational training centers, remand homes etc. in order to also affect them positively.
"Embark on projects that will reach children in remote places- who do not have rights to health, education, children who are unprotected and exposed to sexual abuse, physical abuse, poverty etc."
Another speaker at the event was Princess Olufemi kayode of Media Concern Initiative On Child Abuse (MEDIACON). While speaking on the subject of child abuse, she reiterated that "every child is at risk of being sexually abused.
"Sexual abuse is the worst form of abuse. It involves tricking, luring, pressuring a child into sex.. Mrs. Kayode added that "there are two types of abuse-oral, breast, genital, use of objects, and exploitation for pornographic purposes etc. Rape is often a one-time abuse but sexual abuse is a continuous process. Hence, it is a crime and must be treated as such."
The event also marked the end of two year tenure of the Lagos State Children's Parliament, (being the second parliament), and the swearing in of a forty-member team to constitute the third children's parliament. In her farewell speech, the outgoing speaker of the second parliament, Miss Deborah Adebanjo, who spoke on behalf of children in the state appealed that children should be given fair hearing, even as they are given opportunities to participate in governance.
"As children, need to be heard. We need to be involved in governance, in the fight against child abuse. It is a collective responsibility" said Adebanjo.
To her fellow children, she charged, "You don't need to be significant to be involved, use what you have. Now is the time to design the future you desire; not the one the society gives to you. We belong to a thinking and functional generation. We must not let opportunities available slip by. We must be productive."
In the same vein, the immediate past Speaker of the National parliamentarian, Mr. Dayo Israel charged Nigerian children to make positive impact wherever they find themselves.
"Make an impact everywhere you go. You are never too young to make a change. Nothing is a barrier. Your attitude determines your altitude and how far you will go in life. What lies around us and beneath us is not comparable to what lies within you. Fear less, hope more. We can, we must, and we will win."
The new set of Lagos State parliamentarians were sworn in by the Clerk of the Lagos State House of Assembly, ably represented by Mr. Ademola Bisiriyu.
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