By Gabriel Dike, Bianca Iboma-Emefu (Lagos), Lateef Dada (Osogbo), Bere Gyan (Jos), Chijioke Agwu (Abakaliki) and Chinedu Jude (Enugu)
Nigerian children today join their colleagues around the world to celebrate Children’s Day. The theme of this year’s event is “Investing in our future means investing in our children.”
In 1959, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Declaration of the Rights of the Child. In Nigeria, federal, state and local governments, as well as schools and non-governmental organizations will certainly roll out drums to celebrate the children.
The big question is, since the declaration of the rights of children in 1959 by the UN, how have Nigerian children fared, compared to their counterparts in other countries? Another major question is, has government addressed issues affecting the Nigerian child?
In 2003, the Federal Government enacted the Child’s Rights Act. The law, which guarantees the rights of all children in Nigeria, states that the best interest of a child should be of paramount consideration in all actions. The Act also provides for a child to be given protection and care necessary for his or her wellbeing.
The Act was supposed to be domesticated by states and implemented. Nineteen years after, many states have not domesticated the Act.
The Act states specific rights for children, including the right to survival, a name, family life, private life, dignity, recreation, cultural activities, health services and education.
The Act specifically stated that Nigerian government must protect, care and ensure children’s rights to quality education as well as the voice to express themselves.
As government rolls out the drums to celebrate children, Daily Sun sought the views of some schoolchildren about their expectations of Nigerian leaders and their demands.
Nine-year-old Henrietta Henry, a pupil of Top Horizon Nursery and Primary School, Ejigbo, Lagos, expects more from Nigerian leaders. According to her, government is not doing enough to make the people happy.
Henrietta said: “The roads are very bad, especially when it rains. There is no electricity most of the time, so there is generator noise everywhere, everytime. Many people are not going to work because they don’t have work.
“The cost of things are going up every day. I hear my mummy complaining about the high cost of foodstuff anytime she comes back from market. The loaf of bread we were buying N350 before is now N550.
“The government should give us electricity all the time. Our leaders should build more schools and hospitals, and pay teachers so that they will stop going on strike. The government should stop people from fighting. We want good leaders who will take care of everyone.”
Thirteen-year-old Bose Oyediran of Greater Academy, Agege, Lagos, wishes for good leaders that would pay attention to the needs of children, address security challenges, provide meals for schoolchildren and provide health facilities.
She said Nigerian leaders have not done well in the area of children’s welfare and all they are interested in is politics and how to make more money.
The JSS 3 student wants Nigerian leaders to give top priority to education, better welfare for teachers, build more classrooms, construct modern hospitals and make healthcare free for children. She also urged leaders to provide security in schools to protect children from being kidnapped and tackle the menace of street urchins, otherwise known as area boys.
Patrick Alekwem, a 15-year-old SS2 student of Topmost Secondary School, Ikorodu, Lagos, does not think the Nigerian government is doing enough for the youths, who are the leaders of tomorrow, because of the failure on the part of most leaders to prepare them for the task ahead.
He said: “They are not interested in the youths. The leaders have not done well and are the same old names still in politics.”
He charged Nigerian leaders to address the issue of out-of-school children, especially in the North, provide security in all schools and ICT, build hospitals and provide free meals for many children who do not eat before coming to school.”
According to him, Nigerian children have not been treated well in the past and even now. “Our leaders should accord top priority to education, health, ICT and security. I hope we will have leaders that will care for the citizens,” he said.
Blessing Esabu, SS1 student of Rising Sun High School, Egbe, Lagos, said: “We want honest leaders to inspire our younger generation. We want leaders who can come down to our level to know our basic needs, have empathy and be transparent. We need leaders with vision for the country, who, when they get into power, will satisfy the needs of the people and hearken to our cries.”
Like other kids, provision of quality education, improved security, reduction of poverty and proper funding of the health sector are some of Daramola’s key demands. He is also not pleased with the performance of Nigerian leaders.
Mercy Markus, SS2 pupil of Government Secondary School, Nyango-Gyel, Jos, Plateau State, said: “I want Nigeria to have leaders, who can change the challenges the country is facing, particularly the issue of insecurity, which is affecting almost every part of the nation. We require leaders who have the interest of the country and the citizens at heart, leaders who are patriotic and are ready to make sacrifice for the nation.
“Nigeria needs security, functional health facilities, good educational policies that will end incessant strikes and create economic policies that will make citizens economically self-reliant. I am not satisfied with the performance of our current leaders; we need leaders that will perform better than them, and nothing has improved in the country.”
In his contributions, Emmanuel Bere, JSS1 student of The Lord’s Glory International School, Jos, said: “I want good and responsible leaders that will care for Nigerian citizens as President, state governors, and members of the National Assembly to give the country good laws. Our leaders should provide social infrastructure such as good roads, hospitals, potable water and create jobs for the citizens.
“I am not happy with our current leaders because they are not helping Nigerians and they are not doing what they ought to do to develop the country. There is insecurity everywhere, people are being killed and so many places are being burnt. Our leaders should stop it.”
Jeremiah Gyang, a Basic 5 pupil of The Lord’s Glory International School, Jos, declared: “I am looking forward to better leaders who have the interest of Nigeria at heart, leaders who will promote peace and unity among the citizens at the state and national level. Nigeria also needs leaders who have the fear of God. Our leaders should give adequate attention to the development of education, potable water, equipped hospitals to provide health services, create employment for youths and, most importantly, provide security.”
Miracle Oghenemairo, a Basic 5 pupil of Military Primary School, Ojo Barracks, Lagos, said: “The type of leaders I expect to see in Nigeria are those that have good attributes such as integrity, commitment to duty, courage, character, knowledge and problem-solving, among others.
“The welfare of the people should be paramount. Leaders who will make education, hospitals and health centres to be well-equipped and people should have access to these facilities.
‘‘We need security of life and property. Every day, we hear about missing persons, bombings and Fulani herdsmen killing and kidnapping people. An uncle in my church that plays keyboard has been missing since last year. We always pray for him to come back. My mummy always says the food she bought is costly and we have to manage. My lunch box only has water today, and snacks, instead of drink.”
Richard Eterigho, a nine-year-old Basic 6 pupil of St. John Primary School, Uzere, Delta State, said: “As we are about to have new leadership to pilot the affairs of the country, we require those with genuine commitment to serve and address the challenges facing the country.
‘’The type of leadership I desire is transformational leadership. A leader that can tackle the security crisis, poverty, unemployment and inflation and, of course, tackle the rot in the education sector.’’
Eterigho further stressed that Nigeria needs leaders with good hearts and skills, stating: “We can draw inspiration from the Bible. For instance, you know King David, he had specific attributes. In addition to loving God, he loved the people, he was responsible for leading the people. He fought various battles to secure his territory.
“Nigerians need a benevolent leader who is fair and firm. We need leaders who are selfless, detribalized and whose vision aligns with the peoples’ aspiration of sustainable prosperity and resource enjoyment.”
Eleven-year-old Deborah Akinmade, Basic 5 pupil of Rising Sun Children School, Egbe, said she expects political leaders who are God- fearing, have a listening ear, love the people, have the skills to tackle the numerous problems confronting the country as well as provide the basic needs of citizens.
Akinmade appealed to Nigerian leaders to improve on the standard of education, tackle insecurity, provide quality healthcare and find answers to the harsh economic situation. She expressed disappointment with the performance of Nigerian leaders.
Nabeth Samuel, 12-year-old Basic 6 pupil of Nigeria Navy Primary School, Ojo Navy Town Barracks, Lagos, said: “I expect Nigeria to have a credible leader that we can trust. The hallmark of leadership is trust and it is earned. There are so many challenges in Nigeria, if you want to do business, you must think properly because of the erratic power supply.
“If you are contesting for elective position, you must fix the challenges of quality education and healthcare service. The power problem must be solved. A new crop of leaders that understands that sustainable growth and security are impossible where tiers of government are handicapped and dependent on the Federal Government for monthly allocations.”
In Ebonyi State, SS2 student and senior prefect of Abakaliki High School (Presco), Chukwuebuka Daniel, said: “We want a leader who will pay more attention to the education sector, provide free and quality education. We also want a leader who can provide security and fight cultism.
“What the current leaders have done in education is not enough. We want people who have past records in the education sector to come into leadership in 2023.”
A Basic 6 pupil of Rising Sun Children School, Egbe, Lagos, Ibraheem Daramola, said Nigeria has numerous problems such as insecurity, unemployment, lack of health facilities, rot in the education sector and poverty ravaging the masses.
Daramola added: “On behalf of kids in the country, we are saying that we are satisfied with the performance of our leaders because most of them are self-centred. They don’t remember the people who voted them into power.”
Also, Onyinye Gabriel, an SS1 student of the school, called for the election of leaders with the fear of God: “We want leaders with the fear of God; those who will consider God in everything they are doing. We are not too happy with what the present leaders have done in education. As we speak, staff in tertiary institutions are on strike and no solution is in sight. A leader who loves education will not allow that to happen.”
Daniel Chukwuma, an SS2 student, called for a younger, more intelligent and broad-minded leader who will see the whole nation as one united entity.
Adding her voice, a student of Baptist Girls Government School, Osogbo, Babayemi Marvellous, lamented the high cost of food. She appealed to government to address the unaffordable price of food and provide educational facilities to schools.
Babayemi said: “If the government cannot give us free education, they should help us equip our laboratories and pay our teachers their salary regularly.
Similarly, a Basic 6 pupil of Union Baptist Government School, Osogbo, Ogundare Mistura, tasked Nigerian leaders to make education free and make life comfortable for the people.
She said: “We want a government that will provide social amenities like food, clothes and water. We want a government that will make education free.”
Adegoke Rukayat, JSS student of More Government High School, Ile-Ife, Osun State, said she was not satisfied with the performance of leaders because her two elder brothers and sister have been at home due to the ASUU strike.
“My brother and sister have been at home due to the ongoing strike because the government failed to meet the demands of the lecturers. Those of us in secondary school are not enjoying the government. The electricity is not stable, there is no water and food is costly.”
Sandra Ozoanikwe, a JSS 111 pupil of Rising Sun High School, Egbe, Lagos, said she expect visionary leaders who see beyond today’s challenges with high values and ethics, and ability to tackle corruption as well as be transparent in dealings with the people.
On her expectations, she said it includes provision of free and qualitative education, adequate security and equipped health hospitals and alleviate the level of poverty in the country.
“Children are not satisfied with the performance of our leaders. I think that the leaders can make a difference by listening directly to kids. This would help our leaders to know the areas the children are not satisfied and make amendment,” she explained.
Success Agbo-Anike, a JSS 1 student of Julia Gee Cornerstone Secondary School, Enugu, said that he is not satisfied with the current leaders in Nigeria. Agbo-Anike said it is disheartening that the sit-at-home has been allowed to continue by the leaders.
“I am not satisfied with the current leaders. I don’t like the way they have handled the sit-at-home and insecurity in the country. It is really affecting our academics and it’s making our learning ability low. It is also making everything to be rushed.”
Chidimma Udeh, another JSS 1 student of Annunciation Secondary School, Nkwo Nike, Enugu decried the level of insecurity witnessed in the South East, blaming it on poor leadership.
Udeh wants good leaders who will provide free education, free health care and secure the length and breath of the nation.
Emmanuel Orji, an SS2 student of Stuff Links Secondary School, Enugu, expects a total change in the leadership of Nigeria. He wants leaders who are free from corruption and who will feel the pulse of the masses.
“I am not satisfied with the leadership of the country. I want a change in the country. The leaders we have now are very corrupt and that has done us more harm than good.”
On her part, a primary 6 pupil of UBE Model Primary School Iji Nike, Chioma Udeh, said she wants to see leaders who will make food affordable for her parents. She also wants to go to school everyday so she can realize her dreams of becoming a medical doctor.