Children’s Day: Cleric urges society to promote family relationship

Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Niger state, Dr. Mathias Echioda, has emphasised the need to promote family relationship by the society.

He said this in an interview with in Minna on Monday to commemorate this year’s Children’s Day celebrations.

Echioda, who decried the increasing rates of suicide among the youth, also called on the government at all levels, non-governmental and religious organisations to drum support for more family relationship.

“In the society we live in today, family values are declining; parents no longer listen to their children and children no longer listen to their parents.

“Every religion teaches children to obey their parents and honour them while it advises parents not to provoke their children into anger. But nowadays, the reverse is the case.

Children no longer respect their parents due to societal norms, which include influence of social media, drugs and peer group.

“Imagine a child that was a first class student in one of our universities had to take his life and another one who failed JAMB committed suicide.

“Parents need to teach the new generation that life is sacred and should not be taken anytime one feels things are not working the way they plan it,” he said.

The clergyman advised parents to train, discipline and bring up their children in the ways that they will have the fear of God when they grow up.

He advocated that the teachings of religious knowledge should be made compulsory in public schools to help groom children from their early ages.