The chairman of Oporoza community in Gbaramatu Kingdom, Hon. Godwin Febaide, has called on parents and guardians to do more for their children as it is not only their core responsibility to raise up their wards but it is also their patriotic duty to contribute to the growth and prosperity of the nation through proper child upbringing, while also appealing to the government to support parents and guardians by putting in place the requisite infrastructures that will guarantee proper child upbringing.

The chairman of all chairmen in the riverine kingdom in the Warri South-West local government area of Delta State made the pronouncement on Monday, May 27, in a special message marking the 2024 Children's Day in Nigeria.

Hon. Febaide, popularly known as Hon. Agbadu, also offered his congratulations to children that have in recent times written their school examinations as well as those that are about to write theirs, while wishing all of them success.

Part of the message marking the 2024 Children's Day holiday reads as follows;

"On the occasion of this year's Children's Day, I congratulate all of the children in Gbaramatu Kingdom and in every other riverine kingdoms as well as in the urban centers across Delta State, Nigeria and the global world. I also use this medium to congratulate all those who have written or are writing their Primary 6, JSS 3, WAEC, JAMB examinations. I wish all of them SUCCESS.

"Indeed, the current hardship in the economy of recent times has withered down this year's Children's Day holiday celebration, however, I deem it fit to speak to those I refer to as The Tripartite Institutions which comprises of parents, guardians, and the government.

"First, parents sole duties are to birth children and cater for them. It is on that note that I charge parents to not only produce children but to do more for their children; or put in another way, parents should show more responsibility in the upbringing of their children. And when I talk about parents doing more, it is not necessarily about money, but more importantly on disciplining their children to become good citizens in the society or wherever they find themselves now or in the future.

"It is no longer news that poor parenting roles are affecting today's children in our society and posing a problem to others. When parents discipline and bring up their children it increases the chance of success in the lives of children; and in the long term that success will spill off and benefit others, thereby contributing to growth and prosperity of society.

"Likewise, guardians, who are custodians of children, should also do more in the lives of children. Guardians, be they relatives, teachers, and the likes should never allow bias or discrimination to come to play in children's upbringing. Guardians should therefore treat every child as if it's theirs biologically because the success of a child is a gain to the society.

"Lastly, I appeal to the local, state and federal governments as caretakers of society to also complement the roles of parents and guardians in child upbringing by ensuring to build and provide access to institutions that will ease children upbringing. For instance, building and equipping educational and healthcare institutions and making them affordable should be of topmost priority, to help develop the minds of children as well as secure their health as they are vital assets that will contribute to the nation's growth in the future.

"It is therefore the responsibility of everyone to build a positive future for our children. The world cannot go on if there are no children. Children are continuity that help keep our lineage intact. So why not take their upbringing serious?

"I once again congratulate children in Nigeria as well as those around the world, and commend those parents and guardians who have continued to serve as role models by playing a positive role in the lives of children worldwide."

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