2024 Children’s Day: 3CL Tasks Parents, Govt On Equal Opportunities

BY ADOKA EZEKIEL – A non-government organization, Comfort Centre for Love and Care (3CL) has tasked parents and government at all levels on providing equal opportunities to grow the seed of greatness in every Nigerian child.

The organisation, in commemoration of the 2024 Children’s Day celebration, also urged women the world over to avoid aborting the seeds of greatness deposited in their children but rather nurture them with the fear of God to fulfill destiny in life.

The Founder and President of 3CL, Ms Comfort Offornedu, who made the call while celebrating this year’s event with Children from Charity Hope and Faith Orphanage Foundation, Apo Dutse in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), said governments must step up efforts at addressing adequately issues affecting women and children in Nigeria.

According to her, visiting and celebrating with the children at the Orphanage was a demonstration of love and appreciation of their value as great leaders of tomorrow.

She further said despite their being challenged by the circumstances of birth, the children should not be denied the opportunity to excel and contribute their quota to the nation’s development.

Offornedu said the 3CL Team is committed to building a great and comfortable future for the children in Christ Jesus, where the potential of every child is realized and celebrated.

She thanked the Orphanage’s management for the opportunity to engage the children and enjoy a wonderful interaction to make them realize how special they are and that the world loves, treasures, and cherishes them always.

In his word charge at the occasion, Pastor Chuks Josiah of Living Faith Church Durumi admonished the children to recognize and appreciate the seed of greatness deposited in them by God Almighty.

Pastor Josiah, who is the Patron of 3CL, said every child has a great destiny in God, and they must stay away from sin which is a sinker of destiny and keeps people far away from God.

While emphasizing that parents must be alive to the family responsibilities of raising their children in the way of the Lord growing up, he said no child was created less human than the other, but only the circumstances of birth that put one in an orphanage and another in a proper home.

For him, parents and caregivers are duty-bound to guide their wards right so they do not become victims of negative peers’ influence and engage in social vices that would truncate their glorious destiny.

Similarly, Pastor Josiah tasked the government to make the country conducive to raising productive and God-fearing youths while also putting measures in place to effectively punish those perpetrating criminal acts and their supporters.

He said religious and political leaders as well as NGOs should work and focus on issues that would help check the increasing trend of crime and criminality among Nigerian youths.

This is as the clergyman warned that if this ugly development remains unchecked, Nigeria’s collective future as a nation is bleak and unsecured.

For Pastor Josiah, there is an urgent need for critical thinking on the way forward in addressing the challenge of an increasing rate of crime and criminality among Nigerians, especially the teeming youth population.

In her remarks, the Proprietress of the Charity Hope and Faith Orphanage Foundation, Dr Hope Praise Daniel thanked the 3CL team for its kind gesture and appealed to other NGOs, well-meaning individuals, and the government to assist the home to cater adequately for the children’s welfare.

She said with the current economic situation in the country, the Foundation needs all the support necessary to give the children hope of a better future going forward, adding that all hands must be on deck to ensure the less-privileged of society are also well-cared for at all times.

The 3CL’s programme, with the theme; “Celebrating the Seed of Greatness In Our Children’s Lives”, featured many activities including, Sports and Games; Talks on Health, Hygiene, Environment, Career Guidance, Life Skills, dance and musical displays as well as the presentation of gifts to the children among others.