Nigerian children have been enjoined to imbibe high moral standards while emphasising the acquisition of knowledge and skills that will reposition them for global impact, economic and political relevance.

The Chancellor of Gregory University Uturu,Prof Gregory Ibe,who conveyed these sentiments in his solidarity message to Nigerian children as they commemorate the year 2020 edition of the annual Children’s Day celebration on 27th May, encouraged them to shun peer pressure and all youthful exuberant behaviour that are inimical to both personal growth and societal development.

Situating the current commemoration of the annual event against the backdrop of global trends,Prof Ibe averred that “Since the year 2020 celebration of the Children’s Day celebration falls within the period of the COVID-19 pandemic,let us as parents use the stay-at-home period to increase interaction with our dear children and thereby achieve more bonding in the process, while at the same time recommitting ourselves to the task of inculcating spiritual values in the young people,inspired by the biblical injunction that says train up a child in the way he should go,when he grows up, he will not depart from it”.

Prof Ibe particularly advised Abia children to key into the online education programme of the state, being championed by the Governor, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu, who, in his own words, “being an erudite scholar has brought his rich background in the the knowledge transfer industry to bear on the exercise by devoting time out of his busy schedule to personally coach and mentor our beloved children”. He subsequently pledged sustained collaboration with the state government in the task of enhancing the well-being of Abia children through the deployment of more youth oriented Public Private Partnership projects in the state.

It will be recalled that the United Nations General Assembly had in 1954 passed a resolution compelling member nations to annually set out a day to uphold and celebrate the rights and privileges of children.