By Ademola Adegoke, Abuja; Sylvia Kodilichukwu, Enugu; Stephen Gbadamosi, Ibadan; Achadu Gabriel, Kaduna; Sam Tyav, Makurdi
Praises and promises rained on Nigeria’s children on the occasion of the 2025 Children’s Day, which was celebrated yesterday, President Bola Tinubu leading prominent Nigerians with words of encouragement to the nation’s future leaders.
In a statement posted on his official X, Tinubu said: “You are the pride and future of our great nation. I join you to celebrate the 2025 National Children’s Day with immense pride and profound joy.
“On this special day, let me reaffirm our commitment to nurturing and protecting you as Nigeria’s future leaders, innovators, and changemakers.”
He hailed the children as “the most precious part of our national fabric, the heartbeat of our nation’s future, and the custodians of tomorrow’s promise, innovation, and leadership.
“I, therefore, reaffirm today our constitutional, moral, and intergenerational duty and commitment to safeguard every Nigerian child, protect his rights, and nurture his dreams.”
On the year’s theme: ‘Stand Up, Speak Up: Building a Bullying-Free Generation’, President Tinubu described it as apt, agreeing that it could not have been more timely as it spoke directly to the culture the country was building.
Such culture, he explained, is one “where every child feels safe, respected, and heard, both in physical spaces and digital communities. Just to be clear, violence, bullying, and neglect have no place in the Nigeria of today.”
Smart Schools, Your Tickets To Sure Future, Mbah Celebrates Enugu Children
On his part, Governor of Enugu State, Dr. Peter Mbah, described the 260 Smart Green Schools being constructed by his administration as the children’s tickets to a sure future.
Mbah also said that the 33 per cent budgetary allocation to the education sector was a clear demonstration that they were at the very heart of the administration’s agenda.
The governor spoke during the 2025 Children’s Day celebration at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, Enugu, on Tuesday.
Mbah, who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Professor Chidiebere Onyia, stressed that the Smart Green Schools were not just school blocks, but a factory for the future workforce, innovators, and leaders.
“That is why, from the very beginning of this administration, we put you at the very heart of our agenda. We are building 260 Smart Green Schools, one in every political ward across our great state.
“These are not just schools; they are the schools of the future – powered by solar energy, equipped with digital smart boards, robotics labs, virtual reality, Artificial Intelligence, ICT centers, multimedia libraries, science labs, and smart farms.
“But even more important than the buildings is that we are moving beyond the old ways of learning. We are giving you the chance to learn by doing, by experimenting, by building, by creating, and by solving real problems. This is called Experiential Learning—and it is how the best schools in the world now teach. That future is no longer far away. It is already here in Enugu State.
“We are also providing you with free uniforms, books, nutritious meals, clean water, healthcare, and even tablets to help you learn better because we believe that education must be inclusive, free, fun, fair, and full of opportunity. We are also transforming our Technical Colleges, Senior Secondary Schools, and Universities to match the speed of the world.
“To make all this possible, we allocated 33 per cent of our entire annual budget to education in 2024 and 2025. This is the highest in Nigeria,” he said.
He urged the children and youth of the state to “be bold, curious, kind, and excellent,” reminding them that they had “the right to dream and to succeed.”
Gov’s Wife Joyful Over Education Investments
In her goodwill message, wife of the governor, Mrs. Nkechinyere Mbah, described education as the greatest gift that could be given to children.
She, therefore, commended the Enugu State Ministry of Education and teachers for their “unwavering commitment to ensuring quality education,” saying the government would continue to provide a safe, inclusive, and conducive learning environment for the children.
The event featured march pasts and presentation of prizes to various winners.
Rep Alabi Reaffirms Commitment To Quality Education, Child Welfare
Also rejoicing with children, the lawmaker representing Egbeda/Ona-Ara federal constituency of Oyo State and Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Works, Hon. Akin Alabi, reiterated his commitment to promoting the welfare and educational development of children within his constituency and beyond.
In a statement issued by his media and publicity aide, Hameed Ramadan, Rep Alabi described children as the foundation of the nation’s future and emphasised the importance of providing them with access to quality education and an enabling environment to thrive.
He noted that his passion for youth and educational development had continued to reflect in his numerous interventions, including the facilitation of schools across Egbeda and Ona-Ara Local Government Areas of Oyo State.
“One of the recent notable interventions is the donation of a Coaster bus to Bishop Phillips Academy to ease the transportation challenges faced by students and promote uninterrupted access to learning.
“Every child deserves the opportunity to learn, grow, and reach their full potential.
“As a father, leader, and legislator, I remain fully committed to supporting initiatives that will secure a brighter future for our children,” Rep Alabi stated.
He also urged parents, teachers, and community leaders to join hands in nurturing the talents and dreams of the younger generation, assuring constituents of his continued efforts to bring more educational and developmental projects to the constituency.
NNPP Chieftain, Ajadi Celebrates Children, Urges Protection
Not left out, South-West chieftain of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Ambassador Olufemi Ajadi Oguntoyinbo, felicitated the children, calling on governments to be committed to nurturing and protecting them as the country’s future leaders.
Ajadi, in a statement to celebrate the children, copies of which were made available to newsmen, described children as the custodians of tomorrow’s promise, innovation, and leadership.
He urged government to prioritise commitment to safeguard every Nigerian child, protect their rights, and nurture their dreams.
Ajadi advocated a culture where every child feels safe, respected, and heard, both in physical spaces and digital communities.
He said in tune with the theme of this year’s celebration, Nigerian children should be given voice to speak out, saying violence, bullying, and neglect of children is not in tune with modern days.
He urged governments to ensure that Nigerian children are given qualitative education to prepare them for future role in the country.
The party stalwart called on Nigeria to learn from happenings in Senegal where 45-year-old Bassirou Diomaye Faye is the current President and is providing quality governance.
“Our youths, if well prepared, can do same and more if they are given chances to participate in governance at young age. I rejoice with our children as they celebrate their days. We cherish you as the custodian of our future.
“I implore governments to show commitment to safeguarding every Nigerian child, protect their rights, and nurture their dreams.
“To parents, teachers and other guidance of children, the era of bullying is gone. Give children moral and academic education and help in preparing them for the future,” he said.
Organizations Fete Benue IDP Children
Children at the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) mega camp along Gbajimba road, Makurdi, the Benue State capital, celebrated this year’s Children’s Day in style.
Speaking during the celebration, the co-founder of K2U Puzzles, a body that feted the children, Mr. Martins Oloye, disclosed that the organization chose to celebrate with them to enable them have a sense of belonging and feel free as other children.
Oloye said that K2U in collaboration with Luxe Dental Clinic, Oando and OffShore Lab, organized the Children’s Day to put smiles on the faces of the child IDPs at the camp.
In her comment, the founder of Luxe Clinic, Dr. Mrs. Olufumulayo Adeniyi, who is also the Executive Director of Smile Foundation, admitted that they were working in collaboration with K2U Puzzles to ensure that all human beings were equal and deserve equal treatment.
Dr. Adeniyi, who also provided free dental care to the children, handed out toothpaste to them to enable the children take care of their teeth.
She appealed for public support, saying there were about 1015 families in the camp, insisting that the children there needed assistance like others outside.
Founder of Offshore Lab, Mr Emeka Obiwulu, who also spoke, noted that the desire of the organization was to provide rapid response to the children’s educational needs, adding that there was a conducive atmosphere at the IDP camp.
In his remarks, the State Commissioner for Education and Knowledge Management, Rev. (Dr.) Frederick Ikyaan, said the State Government was interested in the education of the children at the IDP camps even under informal arrangement.
The Commissioner expressed satisfaction that some of the children could perform better than those in regular schools and appealed to parents to avail their children of opportunity to acquire knowledge.
At the Children’s Day celebration, a library, said to have been donated by oil giant Oando Plc, was provided for the children by the organizers.
Society Must Help Remove Challenges Facing Children -Bako
In Kaduna State, North-West Nigeria, a non- governmental organisation, Caleb Danladi Foundation (CDF), called for concerted efforts to address challenges bedeviling the development and rights of children in the society.
Founder of the foundation, Captain Caleb Danladi Bako, who made the call in a statement in Kaduna, lamented that many children in Nigeria face significant challenges, including lack of access to quality education, poverty, and limited opportunities for personal growth.
Captain Bako, who reaffirmed the commitment of the foundation to promoting the welfare and development of children in Kaduna State, said the theme for this year’s Children’s Day resonates deeply with the mission of the foundation to provide support and opportunities for children to thrive.
He said the foundation plans to launch a campaign to raise awareness about the dangers of out-of-school children, including increased vulnerability to exploitation, child labor, and limited future opportunities.
While underscoring the importance of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education among children, Captain Bako said the STEM initiatives by the foundation are aimed at equipping children with necessary skills and knowledge needed to compete in the global economy and drive innovation.
He regarded education as key to unlocking children’s potential, hence the provision of educational support, including scholarships, mentorship, and access to learning materials by the foundation to help children have the resources they need to succeed.
While felicitating Nigerian children for marking the 2025 Children’s Day, Captain Bako urged them to pursue excellence always and shun negative tendencies that could ruin their future.
