•Ambassador ‘Tunde Adeyemo and some of the pupils and staffers of the school on Wednesday.
Excitement has suffused the faces of pupils of Police Children School Eleweran Abeokuta, Ogun State, as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Pelican Valley Nigeria Limited, Ambassador ( Dr) Babatunde Adeyemo, distributed a number of branded school bags to them.
The top – notch player in the nation’s real estate sector had last July 30, while delivering his speech as the Chairman of the school’s colourful end of year, prize giving day and passing out parade ceremony, pledged to provide school bags to pupils who partook in the cultural dance performance that thrilled parents, teachers and the guests to no end on that occasion.
Presenting the bags to the beneficiaries on Wednesday at the brief ceremony coordinated by the school head teacher, Mrs Oluwa Modinat Folashade and others, Adeyemo said the gesture is an incentive to encourage the pupils to uphold the rich African cultural heritage and be their best in school.
Describing them as the country’s future torches – bearer, he urged parents, educationists, governments and policy makers to focus on building the right attitudes and characters in children, especially in their formative years in order to change the narratives about Nigeria and build a better and secured tomorrow.
He expressed readiness to continuously lend his supportive hand to the school, urging the management to bring his attention to areas of challenges where he might be of assistance in finding solutions to them.
Earlier, he had appealed to well meaning Nigerians to support the infrastructural and manpower development of Nigeria Police Children Schools across the country, not only to ensure success in moulding the minds that will build a better nation, but also to motivate the police personnel to put in their best in the service of securing lives and property of citizens.
According to him, given the critical role of the police to the nation, it is morally justifiable for citizens to support them in providing continuous conducive teaching and learning environment for their children and wards.
Drawing from his personal life experience, he said it is necessary to inculcate in the young minds that despite the seemingly daunting challenges, it’s still quite possible to succeed here in Nigeria without engaging in sharp practices, cutting corners or travelling out – Japa.
Adeyemo said, “I always like to use every available opportunity to let the average Nigerian youth know that one can make it here in this country without engaging in sharp practices and without having bad records. It is very very possible. Although, the situation of our country is making a good number of our youths to be discouraged. They believe that they can’t make it unless they travel out of the country or cut corners. I want to use my life experience to motivate and encourage the young ones because I believe it is better we motivate to toe the right path of honour, integrity, build trust and cultivate goodwill in order to experience genuine success.
“And the best time to do this is in their formative years of age – when they are between 0 and 9 years, when they learn faster than at any other point in time. It is the time children experience rapid intellectual, social, emotional, and physical development. It is a time when the curiosity to know and explore their environment is sharper. I believe we have begun to change the narrative and to the Glory of God, everything will become positive by GOd’s willing.”
In her response, the head teacher, Mrs Oluwa Modinat Folashade, commended the Pelican Valley CEO for the kind gestures, including the financial support earlier extended to the school during its end of year and graduation ceremony.
