TheCable

President Muhammadu Buhari says Nigerian children must prepare to be good future leaders and followers as no foreigner will rule the country for them.

Buhari spoke on Saturday while presenting a comic on “How to Make Nigeria Great” in commemoration of Children’s Day at the State House in Abuja.

Children’s Day is celebrated annually in Nigeria on May 27.

He asked the children to love Nigeria and make decisions in favour of the country when they become leaders or followers.

“My dear children, citizens and leaders of tomorrow, This is a very special occasion for me as I prepare to leave office after eight years of contributing my modest quota to the development of our country. I find it very fulfilling that I am concluding my national assignment by having this interaction with you. Without any doubt, you are the leaders of tomorrow,” he said.

“You may become engineers, doctors, accountants, journalists, IT experts, judges and lawyers, to name just a few. The country is going to be in your hands one day. We are not going to import foreigners to come and run our country. We must do that ourselves.

“I am privileged to be standing in front of a new generation of future citizens and leaders to whom we hope to bequeath a country they can be proud of and a country they will take higher in the comity of nations when it is their turn to serve their fatherland.

“My dear children, what kind of Nigeria do you want? Do you want a country of honest people who will do everything to make Nigeria great? Do you want a country of dishonest people? Do you want a country of patriots whose motivation is building a peaceful and prosperous nation that everyone will be proud of? Do you want a country where it is hate-mongers that will be calling the shots?

“I will tell you one thing: the choice is yours. When I talk about a country full of honest people and patriotic citizens, I am not talking about some aliens. I am talking about you.

“The future starts with you. If you are going to be honest, it starts today, not when you get into public office or become a managing director. If you are going to be patriotic, it starts today, not when you have finished school. You must be prepared to be leaders and also followers. Not all can be leaders. You must follow your leaders.

“You are the future and the future has started already. Whatever you are going to be, you are already preparing for it. If you do not prepare today, there will be no good future.”

BUHARI’S COMIC TO NIGERIAN CHILDREN

Buhari, in his comic to the children, urged them to indulge in good morals and treat one another equally regardless of ethnicity or religion.

“There are seven messages on your role in making Nigeria great which I have passed across as seven lessons in the comic,” he added.

“One, believe in God and love Nigeria. Although people tend to deride the role of religion in the development of nations, most of the countries we call developed nations today started with a fear of God. Their founders had a moral compass and principles that were built on religion. With a love for God and country, they put in their best as leaders.

“Two, we have to understand and respect our differences. We have different religions, different ethnic groups and different languages. Nobody should hate another person because of these differences. It is God Himself that created us to be different. God does not make a mistake.

“Three, obey the rules. We would have a lawless society if we keep doing things the way we like. No society can develop where rules are ignored by the citizens. Stop at traffic lights. Queue at shops and public places. Be punctual. Respect elders.

“Four, think for the community. Don’t think for yourself alone. Don’t do things without thinking about the impact on others and the whole community. If we all think about how what we do and say can help the community, we will build a better nation.

“Five, have good values. Values are those things that guide our conduct. They make us do the things we do. If we have good values, we will shun corruption and immoral conduct. If we don’t have values, we will do anything and everything without a care in the world.

“Six, we must see government money as our money and not nobody’s money. Aside from the problem of corruption, there is also too much waste in the system. If Nigerians spend every kobo of government money the same way they would spend the money they have earned through their sweat, there will be less waste and more resources for development purposes.

“Seven, be good at home and in school. It is not enough to behave like good children at home. What you do when you are not at home is as important as what you do at home. Do the right things everywhere you go.”

Cross section of children as president hosts the children in the State House, Abuja. PHOTO: SUNDAY AGHAEZE

‘WE’VE FOCUSED ON CHILDREN IN EIGHT YEARS’

Also in another statement by Femi Adesina, the presidential spokesperson, Buhari said his administration had concentrated on children and fought for the freedom of kids held hostage by insurgents.

“As a father and grandfather, I share in the joy that children bring into our lives and the fulfilment of seeing them grow. And I also feel the pain of loss, anxiety, and frustration that comes with uncertain times, like the disruptions to families due to insecurity, which we have worked hard to contain in the last eight years,” the statement reads.

“We must not lose hope, and our faith should be rekindled in the ability of the government to safeguard the future of our lives and children. In eight years, we have focused on children, negotiating and fighting for the release of many that were taken captive, and painstakingly building intelligence on the whereabouts of others. Some have been released; more will come, by God’s grace, as the next administration continues on the same noble path.

“At the twilight of this administration, we are thankful for all the support we have received from parents, government officials, development partners, professionals, and religious leaders in realizing some of our targets, like the school feeding programme, resuscitation of the primary health care system, and protecting our schools by the security agencies.

“As we are aware, raising healthy and promising children is a collective responsibility. In Nigeria, like in most of Africa, the community has a stake in the upbringing of the child. Truly, it takes a village to raise a child.

“And as the world continues to become smaller with new technology, and the borders on culture and cultural values are steadily getting blurred, we must retain our identity and values.

“Our core values of integrity, honesty, hard work, and love for learning should not be negotiated. Our children should know, and stay with the ancient landmarks of what is true, and right at home, and abroad.”