As Nigeria marks the 2025 Children’s Day, the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Oyo State Directorate, has reiterated the need for quality education, moral guidance, and inclusive policies that prioritise children as central to national development.
Speaking during a special Children’s Day broadcast on the programme “Oro Ilu” on Melody 100.7 FM, Ibadan, Isiaka Kehinde, Deputy Director of Media and Communication at NOA Oyo, described education as the most powerful tool for securing a better future for Nigerian children.
“On this day, we celebrate not just our children but our collective commitment to the future development of our state and the nation at large,” he said.
Kehinde stressed that inclusive education must be made accessible to all children, regardless of social status, background, or gender. He argued that achieving a united, progressive, and peaceful Nigeria must begin with providing every child with equitable educational opportunities.
Referencing Articles 28 and 29 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, the NOA reminded citizens that access to education is a fundamental right that must be upheld and expanded.
The agency also highlighted the importance of continuous sensitisation and public enlightenment to help parents and guardians appreciate the transformative power of early and sustained learning.
In a creative approach to the celebration, NOA Oyo unveiled “Amwakoli,” a superhero character designed to inspire children to value learning, courage, and patriotism.
“Our children are watching. What we teach them today through words, actions, and institutions — even informal education- will shape the kind of leaders we produce tomorrow. Education is the seed of civilisation. Let us all be gardeners,” Kehinde added.
The agency called on policymakers, educators, traditional leaders, and civil society groups to increase investment in education, particularly in rural and underserved communities across Oyo State.
NOA Oyo reaffirmed its commitment to continued advocacy, outreach, skills development, and youth engagement programmes.
As Children’s Day is celebrated across the state, the agency reminded citizens: “A nation that educates its children secures its future.”
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