Educating Nigerian children on the right values

Speaking as a matter of fact and reeling out what can be described as the gospel truth, President Muhammadu Buhari in Daura, Katsina State, implored parents to inculcate the right values in their children.

He outlined some of the right values parents should inculcate in their children including deep fear of God, respect for constituted authorities and living a purposeful life through continuous education.

The President, who spoke at the Emir of Daura’s Palace during his Sallah homage there, said that more time should be given to the coaching of future leaders, with basic knowledge of moral values, as the fast-changing world, driven by new technology, would be more competitive and demanding.

He pointed out that oral values are important in whatever stage of life. But most of the values we have as adults were instilled in us during our childhood years. That’s why it’s essential that we teach our children the values that we want them to have as adults.

Therefore, the President cannot be faulted here. After all, it is clear to all who cared to observe that Nigeria is suffering from the effects of values degradation and, in some cases, the collapse of the entire values.

Thus, we hear so much these days about how important it is that parents instil good values in their children. The truth is that if parents don’t accept this responsibility, then, the void may be filled by negative forces in our culture, that do not support healthy morals and ethics for our families.

However, the more aware parents are of their own values, the clearer they will be in expressing them and communicating them to their children. Values are very important in parenting since they deeply influence all behaviours and attitudes and affect our decisions and relationships.

Yet, for a value to be truly your own, you must act on it and your behaviour must reflect it – not just verbally accept it or think that you should follow it.

Knowing good moral values such as kindness, humility, courage, and compassion at an early age builds a child’s character. It forms the very core of their being and becomes a foundation of their moral beliefs.

This is why it’s essential to start teaching them moral values while they’re still children. Those values mould them to become the person you want them to be. When children can tell what is right from wrong, they can also determine the good from the bad. This helps shape their perception of the world.


A child who has a strong moral compass will not just stand idly by when an injustice is happening. They will take action to correct it in whatever way they can. And this is what we need now in society. The youths should be forward-looking, progressive and developmental while at the same time maintaining their sanity and moral compass with a view to building a morally upright society.

No doubt, doing good things help children feel good about themselves. That exhilarating feeling of being able to give back and help others is not exclusive to adults. Children feel it too. This self-affirmation helps boost their self-confidence which, in turn, helps them develop positive relationships, build bridges and strengthen bonds of unity in the country which is needed now to keep the country as one.

Hence, a strong character makes a strong personality. And that strong character is made by the virtues and values that a kid learns during his/her early childhood. In the end, just like it was pointed out by the President, modesty, honesty and strength are some of the basic habits that children must be taught in order for them to develop, within them, and decide their right path in life.

Regrettably, it can be said that corruption, a menace in Nigeria, and a cankerworm which has for a long time, and unjustifiably so, stunted our nation’s development, instill imbalances in the system and cause division among Nigerians, does not appear capable to allow, or inspire, admiration or love among the citizenry which is vital for Nigeria’s security and development.

Regrettably, too, the corrupt system now in operation in Nigeria is built on the best use of our vices, including greed. The sad truth is that this system has failed miserably because, with endemic corruption, it accords less significance to human nature including empathy, togetherness and love.
In fact, in Nigeria today, while the government preaches honesty, unity and love and insists on morality, the truth is the more the people seem to buy into these standards, the more the corrupt and powerful government officials use same to pursue their own personal agendas while cloaking it under the name of common good or ethics.


Therefore, as Nigerians, we need to understand our social and cultural values and standards so that government, at all levels, can set up systems that are impervious to our manipulations. What we need in our country is a system that is not only just but also forces us to do the right thing and punishes wrongdoers.

As Buhari participates in trial census, is NPC ready for 2023?
The first phase of Census 2023 – the trial House listing and House numbering – took off officially in selected local government areas of the country Wednesday, this week, with President Muhammadu Buhari giving his blessing to the exercise.

The President urged officials involved in the exercise to justify the confidence that the government has in them by returning accurate, verifiable and dependable data.

The National Population Commission (NPC) has said the next Population and Housing Census in the country will be held in April 2023.

The last population and housing census in Nigeria, conducted in 2006, put the country’s population at 140 million.

Census is important because without gathering statistics about the number of people living in a place at a particular period of time, it will be impossible to compare socio-cultural, economic, social and demographic changes.

Moreover, it will be impossible to estimate the level of life in the country and make forecasts about the perspective of national development and national population growth. Census provides a suitable database for comparisons and projections of demographic data as well as social and economic characteristics of society.

The conduct of the census has always been problematic in Nigeria. The 1962, 1963 and 1973 censuses were bedevilled with controversies. They were mostly about the deliberate manipulation of census figures at sub-national levels. The 1973 census provoked debate along ethnic lines. In 2006, the Lagos State government rejected the figures and ran a parallel census.

The 2006 census was the last one, so Nigeria is overdue for another and to mark the commencement of the exercise, the National Population Commission (NPC) accredited President Muhammadu Buhari at his country home in Daura, Katsina State.

“I am happy you have started the process, and congratulations,” the President told the team from NPC led by the Chairman, Hon. Nasir Isa Kwarra. “I know this will require a lot of time, skill and stamina.”
The NPC chairman said: “The Trial Census shall cover a total of 7681 Enumeration Areas (EAs) in the 36 States and the FCT. Six LGAs have been selected from the six selected states in the six geo-political zones of the country for full population enumeration while forty-five EAs in nine LGAs cutting across three senatorial districts were selected from each of the thirty States and the FCT for enumeration.”
The Trial Census fieldwork includes building numbering and household listing from 13th to 15th of July 2022; validation of EA frame from 16th to 18th July, 2022; person’s enumeration from 19th to 25th of July 2022; and enumeration mop up from 26th to 30th of July 2022. As part of the exercise, Enumerators are expected to visit all residential and non-residential buildings within the selected Enumeration Areas and number the buildings and enumerate members of households in the buildings.
At the end of the trial census exercise, the NPC expects to take away lessons on their chosen methodology, workload, challenges of data collection in peculiar areas and the education as well as the adequacy of the preparation of their enumerators.


So, is Nigeria ready for the census next year? The national census is a colossal, expensive and labour-intensive statistical operation that requires extensive planning. The success of a census depends on several factors. These include technical expertise, independence from political interference, excellent geo-referenced maps, huge human and financial resources and good timing.


Although some of the pre-census activities like the enumeration area demarcation have been well implemented, it is unrealistic to assume that everything will be ready. Recruitment and payment of staff were critical issues in the 2006 census while the year 2023 is an election year with many political activities and this might affect the census. Nigeria’s security challenges and the economy are factors to be considered, too.


Then, there’s the unpredictable dimension of COVID-19. The level of public and professional awareness of the census is also very low. Census is a huge scientific responsibility that requires a high level of preparedness, transparency and quality assurance but, in the end, we can only hope and pray that the commission does live up to its responsibilities.