As Nigerian children join their counterparts across the world to mark the 2017 Children’s Day, the National Orientation Agency (NOA) has asserted that no Nigerian is too young to contribute to national development, urging the youth to believe in Nigeria and work towards its development.
Director General of NOA, Garba Abari made this assertion in a Children’s Day goodwill message saying that the posterity of Nigeria is as great as the efforts put into developing the nation today by citizens of all ages. He therefore urged Nigerian children and youths to effectively deploy their energies towards developing and elevating the nation to take its pride of place in the comity of nations, adding that a critical step in that direction was for them to imbibe the national core values.
Abari cited the spirited efforts in securing the release of the kidnapped Chibok schoolgirls as eloquent testimony of government’s commitment to ensuring a qualitative future for Nigerian youths. He however admonished the youth to remain focused in the pursuit of education and self-development despite the current challenges facing the nation, which he said are temporary.
The NOA boss described Nigerian youths as creative, innovative and second to none in the world, urging them to shun social vices and behaviours capable of endangering the purposeful pursuit of their dreams. While wishing Nigerian children a successful 2017 Children’s Day celebration, Abari urged Nigerian parents to use the Day to reflect on their contribution towards the overall development of the Nigerian child with a view to upscaling their efforts.