The Oyo State Directorate of the National Orientation Agency (NOA) has issued a clarion call to parents, educators, and leaders at all levels to redefine the nation’s approach to child development by prioritizing quality education, practical skills, and strong national values.
This mind searing message was delivered during a special Children’s Day engagement at Olivet Baptist Church, Oyo, where the State Director, Mr. Aderogba Akanbi, who was ably represented by Mrs. F.O. Siyanbade, Deputy Director, Civic Values and Democracy Education, carried the sensitization to the threshold of religious leaders and their teeming worshippers.
Speaking on the agency’s theme of this year’s celebration, “Enhancing the Total Well-being of the Child through Quality Education and Skill Development,” Mrs. Siyanbade emphasized that the future of Nigeria depends on the deliberate and collective investment in the future generation.
“We must stop seeing education as just a stepping stone to pass examinations, true education equips children with life skills, confidence, creativity, and the ability to contribute meaningfully to society,” she stated.
The deputy director emphasised the urgent need for national reorientation—moving away from the outdated belief that success lies solely in white-collar employment. “The government cannot employ every graduate, we should all know that, It is high time we grappled realistically with the vocational excellence, entrepreneurship, and self-reliance as the building blocks of national prosperity,” Mrs. Siyanbade affirmed.
Oyo NOA challenged all stakeholders—families, students, religious institutions, and communities—to ensure that no child is left behind. Every Nigerian child, the agency insists, deserves the chance to grow as a fundamental right into a skilled, confident, and patriotic citizen.
“This is a national mission. There should be joint efforts to raise children who are not just literate but also value-driven, solution-oriented, and proud to be Nigerians, she concluded.
The NOA Oyo State Directorate continues to champion civic education, democratic values, and national consciousness across the state, aligning with its mandate to build disciplined, united, and self-reliant Nigerians.
In conclusion, Mrs Siyanbade prayed for well equipped future leaders who would propel the Nation to the promise land.
