By Bianca Iboma-Emefu
Kid musician, Oziomachukwu Favour Mojekwu, aka OzzyBosco or OzzyBee has urged Nigerian kids to cultivate the culture of savings, as this would help them develop financial management skill. He gave the advice in Lagos at the initiation of OzzyBee Young Savers Scheme (OYSS).
He said when he was six-month old, his mother, Nonye, opened a savings account for him with the old Diamond Bank, now Access Bank: “This gave me a niche and I was able to develop a financial management skill at a young age. I am being prudent with spending. I have cultivated the habits to saving cash, sub consciously, since my teenage age.
“The bank designed the Early Savers Account for school children, to secure their future and support their education. This will help pupils and parents plan the next stage of their lives, especially their academic calendar.
“Every child deserves access to finance for qualitative education. Although, the needs of children vary, but with a planned future through financial management skill, a lot of mistakes can be averted.
“More so, it will aid kids to get proper education and shape them into becoming better adults, who are ready to take up certain responsibilities. Parents, expectant mothers are encouraged to save for their unborn babies to secure their future.
“Today, I can only open 30 savings accounts for these urban kids in Lagos. I am going to tour Nigeria, someday, providing kids with early savers account, with a deposit of more than N10,000.00 each.”
His elated mother said: “OzzyBosco is concerned with the welfare of children and seeing that every child, in line with the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) Convention for the Rights of Child, enjoys the rights unhindered. Nigerian kids are encouraged to pursue their dreams, ideas and beliefs in God, the sky will be just a starting point.”
Chairman, Entertainment Foundation of Nigeria (EFN), Dr Omatshola Iseli, (Tee Mac), described the initiative as a very laudable: “It has positioned recipients as kids with financial freedom. This practice is done abroad and it has secured the future of children.
“These children will be given access and a chance to participate in special events and opportunities created for them where they can have access loans for school fees and academic gains, like education savings plan.”