The National President of the Customs Officers’ Wives Association (COWA) and wife of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Mrs. Kikelomo Adewale Adeniyi, hosted over 200 children to a festive celebration on Monday, May 27, 2024, in Abuja to mark Children’s Day.

Addressing newsmen at the Corporate Headquarters of COWA, Mrs. Adeniyi highlighted the event’s objective of setting a lasting agenda to guide the children in their future endeavors. “As mothers, it is our duty to nurture our children and pray for them to succeed in life,” she said.

She added, “You can see, it is a beautiful day; it’s the Children’s Day, and COWA is organizing this event to celebrate the day with the children because they are special to us – and we are concerned about their future.”

Expressing confidence in the potential of Nigerian children to excel and become good ambassadors of Nigeria, Mrs. Adeniyi urged them to heed the teachings of their parents and teachers and avoid the negative use of social media platforms.

Reflecting on this year’s theme, “Protecting the Nigerian Child from the Dangers of Online Technology,” Mrs. Adeniyi emphasized COWA’s commitment to educating children about the risks associated with online activities. “At COWA, we believe that it is our responsibility to speak to the minds of our children to protect them and educate them to understand the dangers of online stuff,” she stated.

Mrs. Adeniyi also called on parents and guardians to be vigilant about their children’s activities at home and monitor their use of technological gadgets. “There are so many people on social media; thus, we all must be watchful towards what our children are doing,” she cautioned.

Stressing the importance of raising children with the awareness that they represent their families and the larger community, Mrs. Adeniyi opined, “In my opinion, children who are within the age of 8–16 must not be allowed to use social media platforms.”

She concluded by urging children to be obedient to their parents and maintain discipline, stating, “Discipline is the key to achieving greatness in life, and COWA will continue to support them.”

The celebration included various activities that aimed to promote the welfare and well-being of the children, reinforcing COWA’s ongoing commitment to their development and safety.