1. AN ADDRESS BY EKITI STATE GOVERNOR, DR. KAYODE FAYEMI
AT THE 2012 CHILDREN’S DAY CELEBRATION HELD IN ADO EKITI
ON SUNDAY, 27TH MAY 2012
Protocol
I am very happy to welcome you all, particularly my friends, the children,
to this year’s celebration. I am quite delighted by the opportunity provided
for us to interact on this joyous occasion which is my second celebration
with you since I assumed office as governor of our State.
I am not apologetic about my consistent belief that the Nigerian child is
getting less than what s/he deserves. As spelt out by the United Nations
Convention on the Rights of the Child, the Nigerian Child, like his
colleagues all over the world, has inalienable right “to survival, to develop
to the fullest, to protection from harmful influences, abuse and
exploitation, and to participate fully in family cultural and social life.” The
Ekiti State Child’s Right Act has domesticated these principles and they are
being diligently implemented.
It is against this backdrop that I consider the theme for this year’s
celebration – Let’s Build A Culture of Peace and Security for the
Nigerian Child - as coming at no other better time than now to re-
orientate our children and help to make them what they are destined to
be. In the process, all Nigerians, irrespective of background, would co-
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2. habit peacefully with a goal of making the country a place worth living in
with an environment that makes the realization of full potentials not only
possible but attainable.
This, no doubt is a clarion call to us all to support the child in the best way
possible. A society that neglects the child has not only traded off its future
but more importantly its values and glory. Such a society would, in just a
matter of time, lose its identity. A support for the child in the real sense is
for mutual benefit and corporate survival of all.
No one is in doubt that since its independence over half a century ago
Nigeria has demonstrated the capacity to compete favourably with the
advanced nations of the world. A time there was when the national
economy was robust and had the potentials of being great. Even now, we
have the men. We have the brain. We have the resources. Along the line
the nation derailed due to deficient planning and myopia of the leaders.
Today the problem has become compounded by the sustained onslaught of
twin monsters of corruption and insecurity and our children are threatened
by the vagaries of these monsters. It is important to rescue our country
and the future of our children from these detrimental but avoidable threats.
From the benefits of history, no nation has become great in an atmosphere
of insecurity in the mould of the one currently besetting our country. In
this circumstance, the Ekiti child has a lot to give to the nation from Ekiti’s
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3. rich cultural heritage to fight our current security challenges as a nation.
You have a history of forefathers who were known for their gallantry,
honesty, hard work and selflessness. In Ekiti, we are not known to raise
hands against the innocent. We are a people with limitless pool of blood
with human kindness, love, standing up for the truth, hospitality and
respect for human life flowing through our veins. This must not be allowed
to dwindle at your time.
Indeed the sustenance of our rich cultural heritage is of primary
importance to this administration. This government places high premium
on human capital development with our children as a major focus. This is
why this administration is leaving no stone unturned in investing huge
resources in child education. It is our desire to build a people with full
awareness and consciousness of not only their obligations to government
but also their expectations from government.
Let me assure you that the State Government will continue to be proactive
in making you, our children, the real asset for the growth of our Land. By
now it should have become clearer to the skeptics that all promises made
concerning your development through qualitative education are not mere
political gimmicks but a policy option well articulated for enduring impact.
The evidence of this abound. For instance, the first batch of 11,000 laptop
computers, out of a total package of 118,000 units had been distributed to
teachers and students of public secondary Schools. A total of 33,000 units
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4. would actually be distributed in year 2012 alone. As encapsulated in our 8
Point Agenda, there would be a computer on the table of each public
secondary school student by 2014. As you would notice, many of you
particularly those in public schools now carry new school bags provided by
the State Government as another way of bringing decency to schooling in
Ekiti. Outside the school, the government has also instituted social welfare
policy that protects the child from abuse, abandonment and social
enslavement. I want you to recall the message contained in my letter to
you when you got your school bags. In the message, I appealed to “you to
be passionate in serving the common good; you must be courageous by
showing commitment for equity and justice; be industrious and
hardworking, honest, knowledgeable and patriotic. Above all, you all must
be honourable. The path to greatness is not a tea party. To get to the top,
you must be focused, determined, dedicated and diligent.”
Let me therefore assure you that this administration will leave no stone
unturned in the quest to ensure that the State returns to its leading role in
the country as far as education is concerned. Our vision is to create a
conducive environment for learning, provide all necessary incentives and
encouragement that will see our children become the best in their chosen
fields. For us, no sacrifice is too much to make in the bid to get the best
from our children. For us, no sacrifice is too much to make in the bid to get
the best from our children. It is about the future of these children, it is
about the future of the State.
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5. We cannot talk about the future of the children without those saddled with
the task of moulding them – the teachers. That is why this administration
has placed much emphasis on their welfare, condition of service and
professional development. We have invested in their training and retraining
and provided additional incentives where possible.
The Teachers Development Needs Assessment (TDNA) introduced by the
administration is also designed to enhance the capacity of the teachers and
ensure improved teaching quality. At the end of the day, our children will
be better for it. It is pertinent to say, however, that while many have
misconstrued government’s intention in the TDNA, we are convinced that it
will better the lots of both the teachers and those being taught.
In addressing some of the agitations surrounding the TDNA, we have
decided to shift the date of the assessment by a week. It is our belief that
the various misgivings about the TDNA would have given way for a better
understanding and appreciation of the assessment.
I appeal to all people of good will to support the government as we bring
our enviable past to bear on the challenging situations on our hands. We
must, as a matter of deliberate personal assignment, inculcate in these
children the values that distinguish us unique people as they grow up. By
so doing our future would be insulated from the ravaging incursion of
negative values fatally corroding the foundation of our common heritage.
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6. I charge you, children to flee all actions that promote violence that can
compromise our security as a people and as a nation.
Once again, I congratulate you on this year’s celebration. To me, the
celebration would, of course, not be seen to have achieved its purpose,
until you go out from here and preach the gospel of peace, truth and
security to anyone you come in contact with. We do not have any other
country than Nigeria. We must not allow some misguided individuals and
groups to make the labours of our past heroes who built the foundation of
the country with their sweat and blood to be in vain. Nigeria must survive.
Ekiti must excel.
Thank you and God bless.
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