In bringing to fruition year 2024′ theme of Lagos Collaborate+ which was dubbed ‘Equipping Our Children For Greater Future’ Civil society organisations and stakeholders at the event said all hands must be on deck towards giving children and the vulnerable categories of children a greater and brighter future.
Newsconnect reports that this appeal was made at the 2-day event organised by Christian Alliance for Orphans (CAFO) in collaboration with Lagos Chapter of Association of Orphanage homes in Nigeria (ASOHON).
The CEO of Children and Community Protection Network Awofeso Rasheed who was one of the panelists at the first day panel session in an interview with Newsconnect said every critical stakeholders in developing a child/children should wake up from their slumber and stop abdicating their responsibilities of making a child great through excuses.
In his words, he said;
“We want to see the role of every critical stakeholders in the lives of vulnerable children in the society. The standard practice as it should be done by community members, teachers, educators, caregivers, parents.
“Wherever we can find ourselves. The rate of vulnerability of children in our society is on a high side due to the downturn in the economy. Most parents, most guardian can’t meet up with their daily need, it is opening this children to vulnerability.
“So that the children can function well in any given society, participants should go back and ensure they use the resources in their purview to reduce vulnerability among children in their community”.
The keynote speaker Chief Magistrate Adejumoke Bolakale Olagbegi Adelabu opined in an interview at the event after her paper presentation that If we are truly parent to our children, we should do the job of a parent. The teachers should teach, guardians should guard.
“It is a tough job, someone has to do it. And since we have said we want to do that job, we should do it.
“We have the child rights acts of Lagos state 2015, as a parent you have to get it . Ignorance of the law is not an excuse, CSO should acquaint all parents to get a copy.
“We also have the family court procedure rules, that tells you all we do, what the court is involved in. The best interest of the child is the main principles for us there, we are not considering the parents, your feelings or your emotions, we are thinking what his best for the child.
“People think their children are theirs until there is an issue in court. ‘Your child can be made a ward of the state’. In court we sit down and listen, it is at the end that we give our judgement. How the government does is totally different from how the court does”. She said.
The consultant for CAFO Oyedokun, Oyeniran Abimbola, in a separate interview at the event said there is a level of progress they have made since inception in 2021, urged ASOHON to be more organised so as to attract government intervention.
“I started with Reverend Ebun Oluwatoyin Idowu as far back as 2021. When we started, the awareness was not that much in the areas of rescuing the children with the orphanage homes.
“The involvement of Government was not strong. When we started the wife of the governor was truly involved. She sent a representative to attend our programs. You can see policies being formulated, to ensure people are being deterred from all this child abuse issues, ensuring children are being put back to be with their family either through fostering, adoption, guardianship.
“The awareness is so loud. Culprits of immorality are being put in jail. Before you know it, it frizzles out. I would say we have really achieved quite a lot.
“The goal of this program is to see how to strengthen the arms of operators to enable them form partnership with government bodies.
“I want ASOHON to up their games, we have been doing this but I think there is a lot of lagging in their actions. I appeal to them them to be more organised, being able to do what is expected to be done at the right time.
“CAFO has supported them to form a pressure group, it is now left for ASOHON to take it up from there and partner with the government, see how you can come to their level and ensure the children at the orphanage homes are well taken care of”. Oyeniran said.
Prince Ganiyu Olayiwola Dosunmu the President of Lagos State Chapter of ASOHON said the bulk lof their challenges stem on parental care. He said if their can be availability of funds for orphanage homes and training for parents, it will surely help to prepare vulnerable children ahead of the future challenges.
Representative from the Ministry of Youth and Social Development Wellington Alfa said;
“Participants must be aware of the fact that they have a responsibility that children must have a better place. We must reorientate our people, individually even in our various environment that it is not going to be business as usual, we must play our part to ensure these categories of children are assisted, and supported for them to be better and useful member of the society”. He said.
Reverend David Kolawole Idowu, Pioneer Convener of the initiative who runs Divine Heritage Children Center Orphanage Homes in Ikorodu said the event has been a tremendous blessing to him and his family .
In an interview with journalists at the event, he talked about the actions caregivers in orphanage homes should take to equip vulnerable children for a brighter future. He said it includes Care, love, access to quality education and plan for their future. Skill acquisition.
In his words, he said;
“Identify their potentials and intimate them so they can develop and deploy such potentials. Ogun State, gives monthly stipends on monthly basis to the orphanages likewise Oyo state and others. Because of the economic situation those who are trying to sponsor either education, or whatsoever don’t have the wherewithal like before.
“We have many of our children in private schools and you know how exorbitant the school fees is. We rely on God and those who generously give to support. He is the one that calls us. We call on Government to support financially just as our neighboring states had been doing”. He said