…As W.O.R.K.S Feasts 100 Indigent Children in Iseyin
The Aseyin of Iseyin, Oba Sefiu Olawale Oyebola Adeyeri 111, Ajirotutu 1, has charged Nigerians to show genuine love to children from poor homes to create a just society.
The call was made on Sunday at the 2024 Children’s Day programme, organized by Women’s Organization for Resources, Knowledge & Skills (W.O.R.K.S) at the Aseyin’s palace in Iseyin, Oyo State.
The monarch said the absence of communal love for children that are orphaned or from less-privileged homes has led to a disorganized society, where the rich care only for their own children while the poor ones are forced into early marriage, illicit drugs consumption, child trafficking and criminal activities.
He advised that people should return to the old communal ways of caring for children from extended family whereby a privileged family *member* will sponsor sons and daughters of relatives to have good education and job opportunities.
“We now live in a society where everyone only cares for his or her own children, leaving the children of the less-privileged to suffer the consequences of global and national economic crises; this has led to these indigent children to be forced into early marriage, turned them into easy target for children trafficking, make them join bad gang to take illicit drugs and engage in criminalities.
“Why can’t we take on children of our relatives who have *little or nothing* to cater for their education and wellbeing? That is what used to be when our uncles who were teachers and earning averagely well would take into custody, children of their brothers and sisters that have *little or nothing* to send their children to school, it is what made many billionaires of today.
“If we continue to shut these indigent children out of opportunities, we are creating a horde of enemies for our own children that have every opportunity today; they will envy our children for having it all and hatred will grow. *Therefore* let us work towards having a just society,” Aseyin admonished.
The *Founder* of Women’s Organization for Resources, Knowledge & Skills (W.O.R.K.S), Mrs Titilayomi Ahmadu, *who also is an indigene of the town* charged the children to see the challenge of coming from poor homes as a leverage to strive more to achieve success in life.
She said the programme was meant to support the Oyo State government’s agenda to provide succor for children from less-privileged homes, adding that *it* will also extend to the entire Oke-Ogun region, whereby women and children would be given skills and other empowerment *opportunities* to overcome poverty.
Ahmadu said the organization also provides free sanitary towels for many female public school students annually around Nigeria, to mark the World Menstruation Day, calling on all girl children to live a hygienic life by using quality sanitary pads to ward off infections.
She urged philanthropists in Oke-Ogun area to join hands with the NGO to lift the standard of families in the zone.
Another indigene of Iseyin who took the children on health education session, Dr. (Mrs) Sinmisola Soyebo explained the importance of basic hygiene and need for the children to avoid drug abuse.
Highlights of the event include a tour of the palace by the children, quiz competition, dancing competition and distribution of special gifts, which was anchored by the wife of Aseyin of Iseyin, Olori Mariam Oyebola.