Kunle Adelabu
The Education Secretary, Local Government Education Authority (LGEA), Ikorodu Local Government, Alhaji Taiwo Odumbo, and the Executive Secretary, Ikorodu Division Peace Initiative Limited (IDPIL), Otunba Ganiyu Abiru, have pleaded with the six Council Chairmen in Ikorodu Division to not only embrace the Uniformed Voluntary Organisations (UVOs) initiative but also go steps further in domiciling it in their respective councils.
The duo gave the charge on Monday during the formal relaunch of the UVOs across various primary schools In the division. The relaunch took place at the Methodist Primary School, Ikorodu, Hall.
Alhaji Odumbo speaking with THE IMPACT, thanked the Council Chairmen who he described as his bosses for honouring the LGEA invitations and embracing the idea which he said would gear the pupils towards embracing discipline and other qualities that would help in their proper development.
“Their core values are timeless and indispensable: Discipline — teaching children self-control, respect for rules, and responsibility; Hard work — instilling the ethics of diligence and perseverance in all endeavours; Etiquette — nurturing respect, courtesy, and proper conduct in social interactions and Team spirit and service — encouraging cooperation, empathy, and a sense of duty to community and nation.
“Let us remember that we are not merely reviving a programme; we are rekindling a tradition of excellence, virtue, and nation-building. May this initiative flourish, and may our children grow into disciplined, hardworking, and responsible citizens who will make Ikorodu, Lagos State, and Nigeria proud,” he said.
To sustain the initiative, the LGEA Secretary pleaded with council chairmen on the need to domicile the UVOs initiative in their various councils.
“Yeah, it is important that we get it right from the beginning so that we will not have to come together again for another relaunch and this is why I will plead with my bosses – the six local council chairmen in Ikorodu Division to assist in domiciling these UVOs in their respective councils by sponsoring uniforms for pupils in their schools especially those that show interest in joining any of the organisations.
“This is necessary because many of these kids’ parents cannot afford to buy the uniforms. They are struggling parents and we cannot put the burden on them to take up the responsibilities of buying uniforms of these voluntary organisations for their children and wards.
“This is where the local council administration, privileged individuals, corporate bodies and concerned NGOs should come in. We want them to intervene in this regard to sustain the initiative,” Alhaji Odumbo pleaded.
The Executive Secretary, IDPIL, Otunba Ganiyu Abiru, speaking during the relaunch expressed his fear at the sustenance of the initiative and added that the UVOs that were the practice then collapsed and caused several social vices that the society is contending with today.
“In Nigeria, we are never short of ideas and this is another one we are relaunching today. While the development of ideas is not our problem, the problem has been the ability to sustain these ideas.
“Yes, we are relaunching the Uniformed Voluntary Organisations today, it is because we have allowed the organisations to die in the first place, and that is why we have cultism in our primary schools.
“I want to tell you for a fact that we have cultists in our primary schools today, and unless and only if we fail not to nurture our school pupils through this organisation that you are relaunching today, we will continue to have problems in Nigeria.”
He emphasised the need to sustain the UVOs that have just been relaunched by tasking the organisers of the initiative and council chairmen to fully intervene in supporting children whose parents cannot afford to buy UVOs uniforms for them.
“Secondly, there is a need for sustainability. I remember in those days some of us wanted to join Boys Brigade and Boys Scout, but because of lack of funds by parents, some of us were not able to join the Boys Scout, Boys Brigade, and Red Cross.
“I want to challenge the organisers, I mean those people that are in charge of this programme, what are they going to do for the indigent pupils, who are interested in becoming members of any of these organisations? Do we have programmes for them? Do we have consideration for them, because this is very key?
“As it was said, joining any of the organisations is free, for the pupils, but do we have the capacity to sustain it? This is where the local governments should come in, because these are the future leaders and if we don’t nurture them very well you will be surprised that they will join the cultist groups.
“A nation resonates with hope, when the welfare of the youth is well taken care of,“ Otunba Abiru charged.
While commending the Education Secretary for the laudable initiative, Otunba Abiru also charged the local and state authorities on the need to replicate the relaunch across the state.
“I want to challenge the Education Secretary, and the Commissioner (for Youths and Social Development). This is a programme that I think should go round all schools in Lagos State. Cultism is a phenomenon that is becoming dangerous to us, and If we don’t have our pupils engaged positively, they will get involved in cultism.”
