Celebrating children in art and colour

Innocent as children are said to be, it was interesting to hear their depth of understanding of the theme before them and how it relates to them. Ten year-old Jareola Shittu of the Community Nursery and Primary School, Asokoro said that when parents leave the job of taking care of their children to the house-helps […]

Innocent as children are said to be, it was interesting to hear their depth of understanding of the theme before them and how it relates to them. Ten year-old Jareola Shittu of the Community Nursery and Primary School, Asokoro said that when parents leave the job of taking care of their children to the house-helps does that affect them? Yes it does because the house-help may think of setting them up for kidnap as we acted.”

As for parents who are too busy to take care of their children, nine year-old Vivian Raphael  says it is an unjust act against the child. “Parents should not be too busy for their children. What these parents do to their children is not good, because the protection they need from their parents is not there and so they are exposed to all sorts of dangers. Also, if you want your children to become something in life you have to be a part of their life from the beginning to teach them.

While voicing their expectations of the nation’s leaders, the children urged President Goodluck Jonathan to see that all states of the federation sign into law the Child’s Rights Act to get rid of of child abuse cases. They also urged him to reform the education sector so that every Nigerian child would have an opportunity to quality education as well as tasked him on the security of lives and property by ensuring that adequate facilities for security are put in place to curb incessant bombing incidents and kidnap.

In his welcome remark, Mr. Abdullahi Muku, DG of the NGA stated that, “the theme was carefully chosen as the parastatal’s contribution to the fight against child abuse and kidnapping. The occasion of Children’s Day celebration is vital because it aims at focusing attention on the needs and concerns of the children across the globe.”  The NGA according to Muku, has consistently joined other organisations to mark the day since 1995, this year’s edition was particularly unique as it came only two days to the inauguration of the newly elected government.

He reiterated the fact that celebration is duplicated in all NGA outstations across the country as part of their efforts to encourage young ones to develop careers in the arts and assured the children that prizes would be enhanced so that the competition would be taken more seriously in future.

Muku explained that, “Works by children from NGA Saturday Art Club formed part of works exhibited at the event. The Art Club has enabled the children to develop their talents as they meet fortnightly in an atmosphere devoid of school influence. He said that to further inspire the children, art materials and light refreshment are provided at every meeting.”

He used the occasion to solicit collaborations and partnership with organisations and multinationals to boost the celebration in subsequent years.

Alhaji Abubakar Sadiq Mohammed, Minister of Tourism, Culture and National Orientation who led the exhibition tour expressed belief that through such exhibitions and other cultural displays that centered round the year’s theme, children would be able to demonstrate their fair knowledge and disgust for the trend of kidnapping, which was alien to the country.

At the end of the inspection, winning works were awarded various prizes as certificates were presented to participating schools.