Leaders of Tomorrow?

I’m not sure who came up with this quote that “Children are the Leaders of Tomorrow”, I’m not keen about knowing the author at the moment, but perched on knowing if the quote has been proven right or wrong. If we should still use it as relevant or obsolete.

Hey, hold your stones down for a sec, or else I will pull one of my fav scriptures on you “let him that is without sin cast the first stone” …rolling my eyes at you now with my right eyebrow up and the left one down as I type out my thoughts. Yesterday was ‘Children’s Day’ (at least in Nigeria), the children went out, the Amusement parks were filled to the brim, some more calories packed on as they gulped ice-cream, pizza and all the other sweet things children love and adults too. Now, that’s the fun part of Children’s day. How about the not-so-fun part that makes the parent realise that yes, it’s Children’s Day, but what hope is there for our Children with the Educational Sector being bamboozled by external factors, like extended non-payment of salaries, fuel scarcity, and other threats?

I daily listen to some ‘crazy’ station (my King finds this particular one amusing) that bash any matter being brought before them whether it is serious or not. And I wonder, if they would swap places with these teachers or doctors (or whoever they are bashing on a said-day) and do their work better, given all the restraining factors. Well this is a discussion for another day, when I’m ready for them.

We were discussing the other day and I made the comment to take care of Children as they are the Leaders of Tomorrow and the response I got was “Tomorrow never comes!” Why, would they say that?! And the two gentlemen I was discussing with flooded me with history of how Nigeria has been handed from one Leader (please use ‘OLD’ as a pre-fix) to another and the recycling goes on and they wondered if the Children will EVER be allowed to lead and if TOMORROW will ever come for fresh brains and ideas. Some leaders need to REALLY RETIRE and stay out of politics and all the other matters that affect this nation. They are causing us more pain than needed. Let him/she that hath an ear, hear what the children are saying “Save some ‘National Cake’ for us too.” NO! Rewind…you have finished your old recycled ‘Sectional Cake’. Please leave! We have some fresh ones to bake.

So what are we (you and I) going to do about it? If these recycled leaders have refused to leave the ruling arena for other ideologies and fresher thoughts, then we have to teach the children from birth, from kindergarten, from the playground, from church, from the mosque and society that they have what it takes to move this nation forward positively. Regardless of how far it has sunken in some areas or all the bad news that surrounds her.

We have to fill their minds with endless possibilities of who they are and can be and what they can achieve. Also prepare them for the journey ahead. I am not a Political Analyst or an Economist, but the little I know of what goes on around here is that it’s about time to really CHANGE and do what is right for the Children and for their future and ours too. By the way, I am not senile either just a concerned mother who will not keep silent!

Source of picture: http://www.methodistcollege.org/images/yootheme/widgetkit/Childrens-day.jpeg

© 2015. Frances Kelvin Otung. All rights reserved.