Opening Charge

‘I believe that when a child is armed with knowledge of his rights and responsibilities he does not only wait to be called upon to participate, he agitates to participate. This is because Knowledge is potential power, information is strength, and ignorance is destructive and costly.

Hello friends, permit me to conclude the piece I began yesterday. Let me begin by saying that I fear greatly that the Nigerian Child will miss out on the benefits of Child Participation Campaign except he is purge of ignorance. The reason is that a Child cannot participate in matters that affect him if he lacks knowledge of the issues involved. Except a child is equipped with knowledge; it becomes impossible for him to make any meaningful contribution, even when called to participate.

I believe that when a child is armed with knowledge of his rights and responsibilities he does not only wait to be called upon to participate, he agitates to participate. This is because Knowledge is potential power, information is strength, and ignorance is destructive and costly.  Nothing is more desirable at this stage of our development than a proper, vigorous and consistent education of the children and adolescent on their rights. It is my firm belief that the child will continue to suffer countless social, economic and political disadvantages if he/she is not properly educated on his/her rights and obligations in the society. When a child is empowered with knowledge, he/she knows how to take preventive measures against abuses and how to seek early intervention. When the foregoing is achieved, the child becomes an informed and responsible voice and an effective force in the fight for the protection of his/her rights.

The former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, in his opening statement to the General Assembly, addressed the children of the world. “We, the grown-ups, have failed you deplorably… One in three of you has suffered from malnutrition before you turned five years old. One in four of you has not been immunized against any disease. Almost one in five of you is not attending school…. We, the grown-ups, must reverse this list of failures.”  Carol Bellamy, the former UNICEF Executive Director, gave a clue to how “this list of failures” can be reversed as follows: “If we want to overcome poverty and the instability it breeds, we must start by investing in our young people…” I am of the firm opinion that there is no better investment in young people than the investment of knowledge, only through which the Nigerian Child can partake of the benefits of Child Participation.

I’m Taiwo Akinlami & I Lead the TeacherFIRE™ Revolution

POINT 2 PONDER:

‘When a child is empowered with knowledge, he/she knows how to take preventive measures against abuses and how to seek early intervention. When the foregoing is achieved, the child becomes an informed and responsible voice and an effective force in the fight for the protection of his/her rights.’

 

NOTE THESE:

 

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