As the whole world celebrates this year children’s day, the Archbishop of Ibadan diocese, Archbishop Gabriel Abegunrin, has charged parents, stakeholders and the Nigerian government to give more attention to the children, noting that the children are the future of the world.
Archbishop Abegunrin made this call during the Archdiocesan Children’s Day celebration that took place at St Brenda Catholic Church, Ikumapayi, Olodo, Ibadan on Monday.
According to him: “The children are the future of the church, the nation and the world but it is highly pathetic that some parents and government are not paying proper attention to these young ones.”
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He said there is a need for the government and the parent to give proper attention to the upbringing of the young individuals
“There is need to ensure the children are properly taken care with love, by ensuring that moral and value are properly inculcated in them, in order for them to flourish and be good ambassadors of their family, the church and the country,” he said.
He also noted that the church has made it a culture to ensure the children are assembled on children’s day like this, so as to ensure that they are shown love and taught how to live a good way of life.
“The Catholic Church has made it a culture to be assembling and celebrating the children on days like this even before the conventional children’s day was recognised.
“We have been taking care of the children because we know and understand that the children are the future of tomorrow and shouldn’t be neglected and that’s why we usually bring them together to show them love and feed them with both foods and words of God,” he said.
The highlight of the event was the official commissioning the Holy Mary’s grotto in the church by the Archbishop.
Earlier in his word of appreciation, the Parish priest, Rev. Fr. Martin Olowoyeye appreciated the Archbishop for making it down to the church for the celebration and for the love he has continually shown to the parish.
He also appreciated the animators for guiding and bringing the children down to the church from their various parishes to celebrate the Children’s day.
Also present at the event were Rev. Fr. Alabi Vincent and Rev. Fr. Philip Egunjobi.
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