It is just the following week of the Children’s Day Celebration. I am aware that we will not roll out the drums this year. I am aware that the general opinion is that the Nigerian child does not have much to celebrate. I think with the kidnapping and holding as hostages our girls from Chibok, many believe it has come to a head. Well, the question, I ask is, who is winning if we do not celebrate, the children or the terrorists? I think I should leave that to your young and absorbent minds.
Let me continue where we stopped last week. The first principle I will like to share with you today, which is the third of principles I began to share with you last week is that being your does not mean being irresponsibility. Responsibility is very important to our daily existence. It is the ability to be accountable to yourself and your identified values.
Nature began to demand responsibility from you from birth. You accepted the responsibility when you cried out at birth. What you are saying by crying out is that ‘I am here and ready to live.’ The part you played is to cry. That is responsibility. It simply means ability to respond positively to a situation. Positive response to life and all it may bring needs adequate preparation. It simply means preparation of the mind that it has the capacity to respond positively to life at any stage in life, knowing that life is not unfair to throw at you what you are not able to handle for your age. One of such preparation is what I am doing here right now, educating you that being young does not mean being irresponsible.
That is why I refuse to accept that you are leaders of tomorrow. It is my humble opinion that you are leaders of today. Leadership simply means readiness to take responsibility. As I write this I remember a young girl, who attended one of the best private schools in Nigeria. She was about 14 years old and was returning from an excursion, when she saw the state of a public school, where her fellow children sat on the floor. She took responsibility. She mobilized funds from family and friends and through her effort, the school was rebuilt. If that is not leadership, what would you call it? That is why I keep saying that those who say that children and teenagers are leaders of tomorrow should stop sending them to schools. It takes responsibility to learn. I also say, they should not appoint children and teenagers as class heads and prefects if they are leaders of tomorrow.
Friends, the point I am trying to make today is that being young does not mean being irresponsible. Therefore you must learn to take responsibility for your protection.
We will continue next week. Permit me to sign out. Before then, note that I am available for Please note that I am available for interaction on this platform. Do have an INSPIRED week. Do have an INSPIRED week. Stay SMART!