Insecurity: Sanwo-Olu’s wife seeks community-based inculcation of values in children, youths

… organizes seminar for Muslim women on successful home, nation building

Etim Ekpimah

Lagos State First Lady, Dr. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu on Wednesday called for a return to community-based system where the interest and welfare of every child is the responsibility of all parents and guardians.

She stated that inculcation of right values in children and the youth at the community level remains one of the veritable solutions to rising insecurity in the country.

This was contained in a statement signed by the Assistant Director, Public Affairs, Office of Lagos State First Lady, Olubukonla Nwonah.

Sanwo-Olu, who spoke at a one-day seminar for Muslim Sisters organised by her office, held at Lagos House, Alausa, Ikeja, said parents must go back to the basis and embrace the system where every mother genuinely cares about all children in the community.

According to her, “In this era when we have insecurity happening all over the country, we need to go back and check where we got it wrong. The so-called youths out there that are annoyed were given birth to through women. The question arises where did we go wrong? Why is it that they are so annoyed with the system and are now fighting us?

“Not minding that it is taking place in the North today, but we have also noticed it coming down to the south.

“And so, it is so apt at this time that we talk to our women in various organizations especially at this time when peace is paramount relating it to obedience in the house. It is so important that we look back and try to retrace our steps and look at what correction we can give from the home front.”

She recalled how people used to care for all children within the community, saying it was important more than before to go back to the system where what affects one, affects all.

“In those days when we were much younger, every mother is the mother to every child in a community. That was how it used to be. When a child is roaming the street during the time for school hours, the non-biological mother in the community would ask why the child is not in school.

“But we are not seeing much of that any more partly because when you try to accost some of the children, the mother will say what is your business, and so we withdraw into our shell. We cannot continue like that because when trouble comes, it affects everybody,” she said.

She explained that the seminar, with the theme: “Women, Obedience: Nexus for a successful home and Nation Building,” was designed to bring Muslim sisters up to speed with skills and information to contribute their quota to peaceful society and national development, starting from the home front.

In his lecture, the Chief Imam of Lagos, Sheikh Sulaimon Abou-Nola said for women to contribute to national development, they must be well educated, financially independent, be of good character and morally upright, prayerful and know their rights in the society.

There were other lectures on Islamic Perspective on Violence Against Women by Alhaji Abdul Hakeem Kosoko; Islamic Panacea To A Troubled Marriage by Alhaja Omolara Mumuni; Our Children: Our Today And Tomorrow by Alhaja Azeezat Raji; as well as Work Life Balance by a Psychiatrist Doctor from Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Dr. Seun Ogunnubi.