- To Advocate Critical Issues Affecting Children In Health, Education, Nutrition, Child Protection
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L-R: Alli Nuhu, Kate Henshaw, Cristian Munduate - UNICEF
Nigeria Representative, Cobhams Asquo and Waje at a media presentation of the United
Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) Champions in Lagos, on Tuesday to serve as powerful
voices in amplifying issues around child rights in Nigeria for one year. |
The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) Nigeria on
Tuesday, installed Cobhams Asuquo, WAJE, Kate Henshaw, and Ali Nuhu as Child
Rights Champions.
The advocates, who are celebrated music producers,
musicians, and film actors will be powerful voices amplifying issues around
child rights in Nigeria as UNICEF Champions for a 12-month period on Tuesday.
Within the one-year period, these champions will collaborate
with UNICEF to raise critical issues affecting children
in areas such as health, education, nutrition, child protection, water
sanitation, and hygiene (WASH).
Speaking at a media presentation of
the Champions in Lagos, UNICEF Representative in Nigeria, Ms. Cristian Munduate,
who lauded the commitment and unmatched influence of the champions said: “We
are truly elated to join hands with such influential voices in the
entertainment industry – Cobhams, WAJE, Kate Henshaw, and Ali Nuhu.
“Their dedication and passion for children’s rights will
undeniably amplify the urgency of the issues we fight for daily,” she stated.
Munduate further explained that the collaboration symbolises
a bridge between the commitment to child rights and the power of art and
storytelling.
She said through music, film, and public engagement, they
hope to touch hearts, shift perspectives, and inspire action. As UNICEF champions,
Cobhams, WAJE, Kate Henshaw, and Ali Nuhu will engage in numerous initiatives
and campaigns designed to ensure every child’s right to survival, growth,
development, and protection is upheld and championed.
Commenting, Cobhams who is also a UNICEF Children Ambassador
said it was important to use music to tackle challenges facing the children as
it influences future generations and reduces the flaws endemic in the country.
“It is impotent to extend the kind of affection and
attention I received during my days as a child.
That is why I am what I am today. Every gift you are giving is not just
given to you but to pass on to others. Children need all the help they can
get.”
Similarly, WAJE who claimed to have been at the forefront of tackling issues concerning children said there was a need to pay more attention to children.
Also responding to her new role, Kate Henshaw said she was
passionate about advocacy noting that it was important to prioritise children for the
country to attain development.
“If you don’t take care of children, they’ll be wiped out,
and there will be nobody left. And children are so vulnerable, especially in
Nigeria. They need special care. When a
woman is pregnant and takes in, she gives birth to hope, aspirations, dreams,
and all the energy she wants to pour into this child to become someone better
than she is. So, no country should be in a position where children are
vulnerable, discarded, used as toys to be played with, not given room to grow,
to actualize their potential.”
She said, “In 2023, Nigeria needs to be more intentional
about child education, nutrition, health, the mothers, the environment in which
they’re raised, children in hard-to-reach places, where there are no roads, and
you have to have a lot of field workers to reach them.”
“Being a Rotarian, I’ve had cause to go on immunisation
tours with for polio vaccine. And I know that with tribe and religion, there
are a lot of barriers, where people say because of my religion, you cannot do
this, and so on. So, a lot of the
mindset needs to be changed, to let people know that this is for your good.”
Contributing, Ali Nuhu, who recalled his growing days
lamented the level of deprivation children in Northern Nigeria are facing
adding that most of the children are deprived of quality education, good
healthcare, and the right upbringing, care, and attention that a child should be
given.
“Probably because you have a lot of homes where polygamy is
practised in Northern Nigeria so, there are many children in every household,
and how to cater and take care of those children is something very
difficult. I’m a parent, and I have
just two kids. And I know what it takes to take care of children. Every child
has their share of problems. They need your attention, they need your care.
“With UNICEF, we’ve done some things in the past. So, having
me on this platform, it’s something that excites me, because it allows me to
fight for the rights of the children.
“In most of the streets in Northern Nigeria, you see
children walking around, begging. Some look starved, and most don’t have access to
education, and this troubles me a lot. What are we envisaging in the future?
What do we think of a society that is not concerned about this? In Islam, it is
the right of the child, for you to provide everything they need. So, I don’t
know why people let their children roam around carelessly, and don’t take
excellent care of them.”
He pledged to step down the message in the local languages
up north for proper communication. “So, it is very important to step it down
from that end, get to partner with the clergymen there, because people listen
to clergymen very well in Northern Nigeria, get to meet parents, talk to them,
maybe have Town Hall meetings, do some skits, and just pass the message across
all sorts of platforms, to make people understand that it is very important to
take care, and protect the child, and make sure that those children are not
vulnerable to negative things in the society,” he added.
