Children Day: Wife of Anambra State Governor Solicits Support for Orphans

 

The wife of Anambra State Governor, Mrs Nonye Soludo, has called on Nigerians to always support the orphans, especially children in various orphanage homes in the country.

Anambra’s first lady made the call when she visited and cooked for the children in the Model Community Children Home in Awka, the state capital as part of this year’s activities to mark the Children’s Day celebration.

She emphasised that children across the country, especially those in various orphanage homes, need and expect love, care, compassion and pampering during this period. On arrival at the orphanage, Mrs Soludo put on her apron and started cooking, with the assistance of her team, food was served to the excited children minutes later.

Speaking to journalists after the chef session, Mrs Soludo said,

“I am here to celebrate the children’s day with the children and cook for them and feed them. They need motherly love, warmth and care.

 “As children all over the country are celebrating, I thought it would be wise and proper to also give these reasons to smile and that is why I am here.

 “We celebrate children every day. For me as a mother, I celebrate my children every day. Last year, I went around all the orphanages in Anambra during Christmas.

  “The Children’s Day, for me, is a significant period in the lives of children, it is a period to give them a sense of belonging and assure them that the future is bright for them. They are the future of the nation and need to be groomed with utmost care and protection, irrespective of family background.

 “For this reason, we have come here today to celebrate their day with them and let them know that they are loved. The visit here is to keep with the significance, which is a period to touch them and assist them in making life more enjoyable and meaningful for them. I cooked the meals for them and served them to demonstrate motherly love to them.

 “By so doing, they are assured that the society has not neglected them and the future is bright for them. Beyond the celebration, it is also a period to raise awareness for issues that affect the children and help society to appreciate that they are the future of our nation. So we should always express our love and care towards their welfare.”

“But today, we are reminded and encouraged to leave everything and celebrate the children because they deserve to be celebrated. 

 “While growing up, my mum played a wonderful role in my life. Because of the way my mum celebrated me, there were things I wouldn’t do as a student in the boarding house because I knew she’d be disappointed to hear of any misbehavior from me. 

 “That is why parents must be positive with their children. They need more of assurance and blessings than curses because whatever you tell them will always come to pass. They can’t deviate, even under peer pressure influence.”

 “I use this opportunity to call on all and sundry to show the children love by creating safe and conducive spaces where they can learn the truth, imbibe the fear of God and manifest in it always.

While advising all children, Mrs Soludo said, “For the children, times are very hard, especially with the era of social media influence. I urge them to remain focused and listen to their parents because they’re the people who will guide them and tell them the truth. 

 “Whatever you see out there in the social media can be deceptive and misleading. But that of the parents will lead them to the right path and the sky will be their limit.”

 The governor’s wife also added that the present administration is doing a lot to reduce the incidence of child abuse, labour and trafficking in the state.

According to her, one of the major strategies for addressing the anomalies which the present administration had adopted is education.

“Deprivation is a major challenge that the state government will not tolerate and that is why it is ensuring that education at the lower level is made free so that our children can afford it irrespective of their social class.

 “We find it rather absurd that a parent will send their wards of lower than 7 years away to live with others as maids or servants, to be taking care of adults, when they should be under the tutelage of their parents.This is unacceptable,” Mrs Soludo said.

She further emphasised that governments at all levels have intensified efforts, aimed at providing safety measures for children through numerous humanitarian programmes.

In her brief appreciation, the Coordinator of Model Community Children’s Home Awka, Reverend Sister Philomena Akuchukwu, while describing Mrs Soludo as a caring, humble, beautiful, lovely and God-fearing mother, said the orphanage home will continue to pray for a better Anambra and the successful return of the state governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo for a second term in office.

During the visit, the governor’s wife cooked for the children at home and personally distributed the food to the children and ensured they were well-fed. She also donated some relief items, including cash to them.

Dancing, playing various games and puzzles by the children, and cutting the children’s day celebration cake climaxed the occasion.

 

Dominica Nwabufo