NEWS
Buhari Hosts Children at State House, Unveils Comic Book
In celebration of Children’s Day, President Muhammadu Buhari Saturday, hosted some select pupils and students from schools in the Federal Capital Territory, using the event to present his comic book, which contains seven key messages on the role of children in nation building.
Addressing the children, the President admonished them to build a great Nigeria through honesty, patriotism and unity.
He expressed fulfilment in having this interaction with them at the Council Chamber, State House on the cusp of his exit from office after eight years of service to the nation, stressing that children are the leaders of tomorrow.
The President encouraged the children to be good citizens before becoming leaders, highlighting the importance of self-reliance and responsibility to build and develop Nigeria.
He shared his own life journey, recounting how he went from being a child to becoming the leader of the country both as a military officer and a civilian.
His words:
”God spared my life to grow up from child to an adult. As students, we were told that we were the leaders of tomorrow. I never knew that I would one day lead my country, much less lead it twice as a military officer and as a civilian.
”Therefore, I would like to say that among you, there are future councillors, lawmakers, governors and presidents. But you must first be good citizens before you become leaders.
”You may become engineers, doctors, accountants, journalists, IT experts, judges and lawyers, to name just a few. The country is going to be in your hands one day. We are not going to import foreigners to come and run our country. We must do that ourselves.
”When we say the future of the country is in your hands, we are not doing you any favour. It is a fact of life. That is why I find it satisfying that I am having this interaction with you.
”I am privileged to be standing in front of a new generation of future citizens and leaders to whom we hope to bequeath a country they can be proud of and a country they will take higher in the comity of nations when it is their turn to serve their fatherland.
”I am 80 years old. I have seen Nigeria at its best and at its worst. I have seen Nigeria fight for Independence from the colonial powers. I have also seen Nigeria fight a war to remain one. I did not only see the war, I fought in it and I could have lost my life in the course of that conflict.
”I have seen the country enjoy an oil boom and prosperity. I have also seen the country nearly go bankrupt. I have seen the best of public officers and I have also seen the worst. I have seen honest Nigerians and I have also seen dishonest ones.”
Asking the children what kind of Nigeria they want, the President underscored the importance of honesty, patriotism and unity in building a peaceful and prosperous nation.
”My Dear Children, what kind of Nigeria do you want? Do you want a country of honest people who will do everything to make Nigeria great? Do you want a country of dishonest people? Do you want a country of patriots whose motivation is building a peaceful and prosperous nation that everyone will be proud of? Do you want a country where it is hatemongers that will be calling the shots?
”I will tell you one thing: the choice is yours. When I talk about a country full of honest people and patriotic citizens, I am not talking about some aliens. I am talking about you.
”The future starts with you. If you are going to be honest, it starts today, not when you get into public office or become a Managing Director. If you are going to be patriotic, it starts today, not when you have finished school.
”You must be prepared to be leaders and also followers. Not all can be leaders. You must follow your leaders.
”You are the future and the future has started already. Whatever you are going to be, you are already preparing for it. If you do not prepare today, there will be no good future.”
President Buhari also shared his experiences as a follower and leader, stressing the need to rebuild the country from its foundation and combating corruption.
”My experiences in life as a follower and as a leader have shown me that to rebuild a country, you have to rebuild from the foundation.
”When the building is faulty, you can only struggle to keep it standing. My war against corruption in the last years has shown me that it will take a new generation for the message to be part of your way of thinking.
”That is why I am happy to be having this discussion with you on your role in making Nigeria great. We need a new orientation. We need new Nigerians to own this message and make it their way of life.”
In the comic book titled, ‘‘HOW TO MAKE NIGERIA GREAT’’, the President outlined seven lessons from the publication that will help shape the future of a great country, Nigeria.
These lessons include believing in God and loving Nigeria, understanding and respecting our differences, living by the rules, thinking for the community, embracing good values, seeing government money as our money, and being good children at home and in school.
President Buhari expressed gratitude to the children for spending time with him and concluded his speech by reiterating a statement he made 39 years ago:
”I said something in 1984 and I will end this speech by repeating it: ‘We have no other country but Nigeria. We will stay here and salvage it together.’ ”
By David Torough, Abuja
In a ceremony that underscored his dedication to humanity and his community, Medical Director of Lydia Memorial Hospital, Ugbokolo, Benue State, Dr. Mark Ogbodo was honored with a Lifetime Patron award by the Igede Media Network (IMN).
The prestigious award recognizes Dr.
Ogbodo’s unwavering commitment to community health and development, standing as a beacon of service in both his professional and personal pursuits.In his address, Chairman of the Igede Media Network, John Okpong celebrated Ogbodo’s profound impact on regional peace and development.
“Dr. Ogbodo’s selfless service has touched countless lives, bringing unity and promoting well-being across our community.
“As our Patron, he embodies the ideals of leadership and resilience, standing firmly against harmful practices and championing the values we hold dear,” he stated
Representing a coalition of media platforms, including The Prime News, The Congress Voice, The Magnet Newspaper, The Factpoint Magazine, and Lead Watch Magazine, the IMN has long been committed to uplifting and empowering the Igede community.
Through this recognition, IMN hopes to inspire others to follow Dr. Ogbodo’s example, as the Chairman added, “His leadership and expertise will guide us in advocating for progress and promoting unity among our people.”
According to him, Ogbodo’s appointment as Life Patron not only commemorated his contributions but also marks a new chapter for the Igede Media Network, inspiring others to emulate his commitment to service and his willingness to work for the betterment of others.
“This patronage, serves as a catalyst for future endeavors, encouraging community members to embody the principles of academic excellence, service, and leadership”, Okpong noted.
Samuel Ugbaji in his remarks highlighted the purpose and mission of the Igede Media Network as an organization focused on community welfare and advocacy.
“We come together to serve as a voice for the marginalized, amplifying their needs and reaching out to a broader audience.
“Today, we honor one of our own, a young man who chose to stay with his community rather than seek the comforts of city life. Dr. Ogbodo’s commitment to his people is extraordinary, providing free medical care and scholarships to those in need,” Ugbaji explained.
Acknowledging the personal sacrifices that Dr. Ogbodo has made, Ugbaji continuued, “Unlike many professionals who opt for urban comforts, Dr. Ogbodo has remained in Ugbokolo, bringing care and hope to our rural communities. He has dedicated himself to a mission of healing and has organized annual outreach programs, offering free medical services in Oju, Obi, and beyond.”
In a heartfelt response, Dr. Mark Ogbodo expressed his deep appreciation for the honor and said, “I am truly grateful to the Igede Media Network for this recognition.
“Little did I know that my acts of kindness to humanity were being noticed, much less that they would be honored in this way. It is deeply humbling,” he said.
Reflecting on his journey, Dr. Ogbodo shared, “Often, I perform these acts of service without expecting anything in return, just driven by a desire to help. But as they say, a golden fish has no hiding place. I am thankful to be recognized, even from the rural community where I work, and I pray that God continues to bless our people and humanity.”
The FCT Customary Court, Dutse, Abuja has appealed to the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) to facilitate the renovation of its court complex which fell victim to vandalism and arson during the 2020 EndSARS protests.The President of the Court, Aderinto Adesoji, made the appeal during a resumed hearing in a divorce case between a petitioner, Chiwendu Nwadi and her husband, Emeka Nwadi in Ushafa, Abuja.
The Customary Court, Dutse has been sharing the court complex of a sister court in Ushafa for its sittings following the destruction. of its facilities, four years back.NAN reports that while Customary Court, Ushafa, the real owner of the facility, has its sittings on Monday, Wednesday and Friday in a week, the Dutse court has its sittings on Tuesday and Thursday. Report says that Dutse and Ushafa are communities in Bwari Area Council of the FCT and they are about 17 kilometres apart.Addressing lawyers to the parties in the divorce case, when they were finding it difficult to agree on a date for next hearing in the matter, the President of the court said it is a recurrent challenge in matters before the courtAccording to him, the constraint of the panel, sitting only twice in a week has grossly affected quick dispensation of justice.He said most cases before the cout involve families, in particular, custody of children which require urgent adjudication, and should not be encumbered.Adesoji said, considering the fact that lawyers and their clients are affected by the constraints, the NBA should take steps to ensure that the appropriate authorities renovate the Dutse court complex.He said promises have been made by the association to that effect in the past, but they were yet to be actualised.Responding to the President’s appeal, Mr Moses Ibe, the lawyer to the petitioner promised the court that he would convey the message to the NBA, Bwari branch for necessary action.Ibe said this in an interview after the court session, that the distance of the court to its jurisdiction and the restrictive days of sittings have affected quick dispensation of justice.He said the essence of building the Dutse court was to bring justice closer to the people, but it has been defeated by the failure of appropriate authorities to renovate it for useThe Counsel promised to officially write to the NBA, Bwari branch to convey the Judge’s message and request for interventionAccording to Ibe, the Dutse court complex, used to serve as the Secretariat of the NBA Bwari branch, before it was vandalised and set ablaze by the EndSARS protesters.Meanwhile, the court has adjourned further hearing in the divorce petition until Oct. 21 to enable the respondent file his reply.Adesoji and other members of the panel, Nana Atipkoru, Aisha Hamza adjourned the case following the position of the respondent’s lawyer, Cornelius Simon, that his client was not served with the “particular of claims” in the petition.The panel directed that all necessary processes should be filed and served before the adjourned date so that the case would be fixed for definite hearing.The panel also ordered that the parties should maintain the status quo, particularly, as regards the custody of the children – the last child is with the petitioner, while the other two are in the custody of the respondent.In the case, the petitioner is seeking, among others, the dissolution of her 13 years marriage with her husband on the ground that “the union has broken down irretrievably”.She alleged that the husband, “is a man of unimaginable violence and cruelty, fetish, a serial wife beater and adulterer’The petitioner alleged that her husband deliberately poisoned her drink which led to losing her pregnancy.According to the petitioner, the union, consummated in 2011, under the native law and custom, as well as exchange of marital vows in a Church, has produced three children, ages, 12 years, 11 years and 2 years.She urged the court to dissolve the marriage, grant custody of the three children to her and restrain the husband from using thugs or any security agents to harass her. (NAN)
The Northern Youths Assembly has cautioned the National Assembly against passing the Tax Reforms Bill from the executive before the legislature.This is contained in an open letter to the lawmakers signed by the group’s President, Dr Ali Mohammed, and Secretary-General, Dr Garba Abduljafiz and made available to newsmen in Kano on Thursday.
The group said the bill, if passed into law, would not be in the interest of the people, particularly youths, urging for broader consultation on matters of that nature. The youths urged the National Assembly to concentrate on youth-friendly laws to safeguard the country’s future instead.“The youth are Nigeria’s future, “and our prosperity hinges on investments in education, skills development, and job creation.“As the largest political demography in the nation, youth must have a say in laws and policies that directly impact the country’s future.“We call for the creation of a special place at the centre, to allow the youths to contribute to solutions that may promote sustainable development, job creation, and economic empowerment,” the group said.The group urged the lawmakers to focus more on making laws that would improve investment climate and job creation.“We urge the National Assembly members to direct their resources and energy towards creating laws that would prioritise and encourage foreign investment.“The laws should encourage skills development and jobs creation for the teeming population of the youths, to improve measures that risk stifling the Nigerian economic opportunity.“We also urge them to stop complying with the dictates and advisory of the agents of destruction, IMF and World.“We must stay away from the trap of the IMF and World Bank, as they are all out to destroy our country through their ill-formulated policies and misleading advisory’’, the group said. (NAN)
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