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Celebrating with our future- The Nigeria Children On this occasion of the Children's Day Celebration, I celebrate every Nigerian child - the heartbeat of our nation and the bearer of our collective hopes and dreams. Days like this offer us the opportunity to appreciate the immense potential of our children, who represent the hope of a brighter tomorrow in our nation if only we care for them today. They deserve a nation that prioritises their well-being, education, safety, and future. A 2023 report from UNICEF estimates that over 110 million people under the age of 18 live in Nigeria. This represents a significant portion of the country's population and demonstrates how young our nation is. Such high numbers of young people in Nigeria should challenge us, as leaders, to commit wholeheartedly to investing in the future of the children. Their future is the future of the nation. Unfortunately, the Nigerian child is faced with many existential challenges right from birth. Nigeria today is among the nations with the highest infant mortality rates in the world. A Nigerian child who survives at birth is faced with hunger and malnutrition in early childhood. A 2024 report from UNICEF indicates that around 11 million Nigerian children were experiencing severe child food poverty. It is also indicated that one in four children under the age of five are stunted, especially in rural and remote areas due to malnutrition. Our nation today is home to over 18 million out-of-school children, among the highest in the world. This is not just a statistic - it is a deep national wound. Each out-of-school child represents a dream deferred, a future endangered, and a country that is failing to uphold its most sacred responsibility. The streets have become classrooms for too many, while our actual schools remain underfunded, unsafe, or inaccessible. Education, especially at the basic level, remains the right of every Nigerian child. Denying them such rights by not investing in their education is simply denying them the beautiful future ahead of them. The primary healthcare that should cater for the basic healthcare needs of our children is practically non-existent. We cannot also ignore the threats posed by violence, kidnapping, and abuse. Insecurity has forced thousands of children to flee their homes, live in fear, or grow up in regions where dreams are stifled by conflict. Most children are forced, by these harsh realities, to abandon their dreams and survive by any means. A 2022 report from the National Bureau of Statistics found that 46.5% of children aged 5-14 were engaged in child labour. It is heartbreaking to see the future of our children jeopardised when they should be nurtured. Thus, in their journey of life, an average Nigerian child has a long stretch of difficult road, filled with many existential challenges, ahead of them. Yet, in the face of all these difficulties, many Nigerian children continue to show exceptional resilience, creativity and talent. Our duty as leaders, and indeed compatriots, is to encourage the children, inspire greatness in them and support their journey. Their dreams are valid and we must invest in their future, our future! I, therefore, reaffirm my commitment to building a nation where every Nigerian child can feel secure, grow in peace, enjoy good access to education and health and have the enabling environment to pursue their dreams and contribute productively to societal development. We must build a nation where no child is left behind and where the child of a nobody can become somebody through hard work and productivity. Happy Children's Day to all Nigerian children. I want you to know that you are not forgotten. We see your struggles, your strength, and your light. We will continue to fight for a Nigeria where you can dream freely, learn safely, and rise boldly. That is the country we must build, and we owe you nothing less. A New Nigeria that supports your future is POssible. -PO

Democracy in Decline: Reflecting on Two Years of Present Government Today, June 12, is slated as Democracy day. Most unfortunately, in our present state, our dear country Nigeria cannot be justifiably classified as a democratic country. The vital indicators of democracy are noticeably absent. Some do not even exist. Democracy is said to be ‘a government of the people, by the people, and for the people,’ yet none of these three measures exist in our democracy today. Rules, regulations and requirements to participate in elections or be elected for are not followed, consequently, individuals who are to be disqualified ab-initio are now holding public offices. As we mark June 12, a day symbolizing the struggle for true democracy in Nigeria, it is deeply troubling that under this present administration in a short span of two years, our nation has witnessed broad erosion of democratic principles. There has been a corresponding decline in security and the quality of life for millions of Nigerians. We have traversed from rigged elections to collapsing social services; from soaring poverty to rising corruption; and from a seemingly stable economy to a parlous economy. It is most troubling that in its two years in office, the present government has brought the nation to the point where our leaders now celebrate and endorse failure, lies, and propaganda. The government today, rather than show genuine accountability and measurable progress, focuses on manipulating narratives, gaslighting the public, shifting blame and weaponizing governance. Meanwhile, Nigerians live in a worsening and worrisome insecurity, widespread corruption, hunger, and general despondence. There are no clear benchmarks for measuring tangible development, as we continue to witness the collapse of key indicators - like education, healthcare, and poverty alleviation- which are parameters for measuring national progress. Simple comparisons of what has happened in the past two years, now relies on propaganda and misinformation to mask the mis governance. Our country today can best be described as a nation declining fast in all its facets. The security of lives and property has worsened, and the rule of law is virtually non-existent. These are the hard-verifiable facts: 1. On May 29th, 2023, when this government was sworn into office, Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) stood at $364 billion. As of today, it has declined to $188 billion, a decline of almost fifty percent (50%). 2. Nigeria’s GDP per capita was $1,640 as of May 2023, but today it has dropped drastically to about $835, a devastating decline of about 50%. 3. Nigerians living in multi-dimensional poverty increased from 38.9% to 54% within this period, with about 129 million Nigerians now living below the poverty line. The World Bank reported recently, that 75% of Nigerians in the rural area now live in poverty as at 2025, and even more than previously recorded in the urban areas. 4. Our education sector has deteriorated significantly. Today, more than 18.3 million Nigerian children are out of school, the highest number in the world. The quality of education in Nigeria is also fast deteriorating. Many of our children are being taught sciences without any science lab and computer studies without any computers. Students are now writing WAEC and other national exams in darkness relying on candles. There are now even glitches in their exams. 5. Health services have worsened drastically. The National Primary Health Care Development Agency decried that less than 20% of over 30,000 Primary Healthcare Centers across the nation are fully functional. I have even recently visited some Health Centers where delivery rooms were without toilets. The United Nation recently reported Nigeria as the world's worst country to give birth, with one death recorded every seven minutes.