The Good Old days of Children’s Day Celebration in Nigeria
Two decades ago, May 27th of every year used to be a day every school-going child looked up to
Children’s Day Celebration
Wamuldu Dadwa – Jos
I remember our days then in the primary school, a month or so to May 27th, we would pester our parents for new school uniforms, behave well at home to win a precious trophy of new sandals-why? We wanted to be selected as part of the school children’s parade team. We used to envy our seniors in the upper grades because they were usually preferred since they were taller and usually bigger and had better endurance abilities during the preparatory field training for the matching parades.
I recall this special children’s day as a vibrant day supported by our parents, teachers, and government, from the Presidency to the local government chairmen or district heads because on this day, all attention was focused on children who would gather in the town squares or fields designated for national, state or local events hosted mostly by the government to commemorate Children’s Day. I remember the special attention children received as we matched with pride in our different colors and unique saluting styles to win prizes, not just as individuals but as a school. Every school worked hard to outdo the other in different cultural activities crowned by the final match parade in-front of what we used to know as the “the most important government person in our localities” and for those in the state capitals, they had the rare chance to salute the governor of the state and shake hands with him in front of the national television. It was WOW!! the Glowing moment every child in our generation looked forward to.
One significant element of the children’s day two decades ago was the relevance of children and their place in national and local matters. The government and stakeholders took them seriously and every government official made it a point to show up in support of programs organized nationally and also televised across the nation to honor, respect, and highlight the value of children. We felt important and attached so much joy and excitement to the fact that it was indeed our day and we were the focal point of attention of everybody. Although we never truly understood what Children’s Day meant or why the celebration in the first place, we were truly excited to feel a part of society.
As a fully grown man, Children’s Day has in my observation, lost its glory, and not so much emphasis or priority is given to this special day for children. At best, families just take their kids out on some kind of family outing and a rushed parade mostly within the capitals of states celebrated on a very low key.
Perhaps Children’s Day should be giving more priority now than ever because the place of children in our society today has been severely relegated to the background and so many atrocities committed against them abound especially children of the poor: today with security challenges, pedophilia, busy working parents, orphans around the world, school dropouts and many more, Children’s Day original meaning should come to bear.
Children’s Day is celebrated by most countries on different days and dates but as stipulated by the United Nations (UN). World Children’s Day was first pronounced in 1954 as Universal Children’s Day and is celebrated on 20th November each year to promote international togetherness, awareness among children worldwide, and improving children’s welfare.
November 20th is an important date as it is the date in 1959 when the UN General Assembly adopted the Declaration of the Rights of the Child. It is also the date in 1989 when the UN General Assembly adopted the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Since 1990, World Children’s Day also marks the anniversary of the date that the UN General Assembly adopted both the Declaration and the Convention on children’s rights.
Parents, teachers, doctors, nurses and government leaders and civil society activists, religious and community elders, corporate moguls and media professionals, as well as young people and children, themselves, can play an important part in making World Children’s Day relevant for their societies, communities, and nations if properly channeled with the purposeful intention of promoting children.
World Children’s Day offers each of us an inspirational entry-point to advocate, promote, and celebrate children’s rights, translating into dialogues and actions that will build a better world for children.
Arowobusoye Samuel, (2016, NTA), said that May 27th is traditionally the Children’s Holiday in Nigeria. First established by the United Nations in 1964, the day remains important in the lives of many Nigerian kids. On this day every year, children are granted a holiday while several social activities are centered on them. Excused from school, most kids converge at stadiums and centers to commemorate the event. It has also become the habit of some government officials and media organizations to honor some children with leadership opportunities. Certain radio and TV stations do this by featuring child broadcasters on-air and letting them anchor their programs for the early part of the day.
Today, Nigeria is particularly marred by a mirage of problems relating to children such as unwanted children born out of wedlock and thrown in trash cans and bins rescued by persons, orphans left behind due to the insurgency in the North East, cultism, kidnappings, and extra-judicial killings, cultural child marriage mostly in northern, living such children traumatized, child trafficking and forced labor and many issues relating to children.
I advocate for a program that will develop children as originally instituted and the very reason we have Children’s day, to begin with. I call on governments and well-meaning stakeholders to think of more proactive ways to integrate children meaningfully in our society as noted by the UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres “Around the world, children are showing us their strength and leadership advocating for a more sustainable world for all. Let’s build on advances and re-commit to putting children first. For every child, every right.” No better time to do something special for children than now!
Wow George, great to read yours here!