Lagos State Deputy Governor, Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat, has charged parents on proper upbringing and training of their children as one of the solutions to the myriads of challenges facing the country.
The Deputy Governor gave the advice while speaking at the 2nd Memorial Ramadan Lecture of Late Oba Muftau Olatunji Hamzat, held at the weekend in Ogba.
Dr. Hamzat urged parents should raise their children in a Godly way and teach them morals to become responsible citizens, stressing the need for Nigerians to take good care of their homes as the family remains an integral unit of the nation and the way children are trained goes a long way in determining what they become in life.
His words: “How good are we in training our children? What are we teaching them at home? The foundation of any successful country is the family”.
Admonishing parents not to neglect their divine roles over their children, the Deputy Governor emphasised the importance of devoting more time to discussing life and the consequence of criminal activities with their children.
“The problem we are facing today is as a result of neglect by some parents who failed in their responsibilities to do the right thing and bring up their children in a Godly way”, he said.
While berating some men for neglecting their homes and responsibilities as fathers, the Deputy Governor described such action as morally and spiritually wrong.
Speaking further, Hamzat implored religious leaders to infuse morals and values into their teachings and enhance their sermons on the need for proper training and nurturing of the children for a better Nigeria.
In his lecture, titled: “Educational Reforms for National Development: Islamic Perspective”, Sheikh Muh’awwal Shuaib Atata stressed the need for bold and revolutionary reforms in the country’s education sector as the current system is not meeting the needs of Nigerians.
According to him, reforms in the education sector will lead to a faster-growing national schooling system, which will benefit all levels of education, the labour market and the nation’s economy at large.
He stressed the importance of education in national development, stating that Islam as a religion supports education for all as it would impact and leave an indelible imprint on all aspects of national development.
In his welcome address, the President, Ifako-Ijaiye Muslim Community, Alhaji Lateef Ayodeji Sunmonu, described the late Oba Muftau Olatunji Hamzat as a committed Muslim who, in his lifetime, contributed a lot to the growth of the Muslim Community in the Area.
He further implored all to have faith in the country, believing that things will turn around and the nation will be a better place for all to live.
