BY TOSIN ADERIBIGBE
EVERY MAY 27TH 15 OBSERVED AND CELEBRATED AS NIGERIA CHILDREN’S DAY
BUT THIS YEAR’S CHILDREN DAY HAS BEEN MARRED BY COVID-19 PUTTING OF THE CELEBRATION,
POSITIVE FM EXAMINES THE MOOD OF CHILDREN AS THEY MARK THIS YEAR’S CHILDREN DAY WITHOUT FESTIVITIES AND FUNFARE.
CHILDREN’S DAY IS ONE DEDICATED TO CELEBRATE CHILDHOOD WHEREBY TRIBUTE IS PAID TO ALL CHILDREN IN THE WORLD
IN NIGERIA MAY 27 IS TRADITIONALLY THE CHILDREN’S DAY BUT FIRST ESTABLISHED BY THE UNITED NATIONS IN 1964.
IN MANY STATES ACROSS THE COUNTRY, THE DAY IS MARKED WITH SPECIAL OUTINGS, MATCH PASTS, LECTURES AMONG OTHER ACTIVITIES BRINGING CHILDREN TOGETHER.
THIS YEAR’S CHILDREN DAY CELEBRATION WOULD BE SOMEWHAT DIFFERENT FOR THE CHILDREN AS THE USUAL FANFARE ASSOCIATED WITH THE DAY ARE MISSING DUE TO COVID-19 PANDEMIC RAVAGING THE WORLD AND HALTING MOST ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND ACADEMIC ACTIVITIES DUE TO LOCKDOWN WHICH HAD ALSO KEPT THE CHILDREN FROM SCHOOL ALL IN THE BID TO CONTAIN DEADLY VIRUS.
RADIO NIGERIA FELT THE PULSE OF SOME CHILDREN WHOSE PLANS FOR THE DAY HAD BEEN DISRUPTED.
THEY SAID ALREADY THEY MISSED SCHOOL BUT MAKING THE CHILDREN’S DAY IN THE LOCKDOWN WAS AN UNFORTUNATE THING.
A PARENT, MR SOLOMON ADEDARA SAID SINCE THE CHILDREN WOULD N BE GOING TO DUE TO THE SITUATION IN THE COUNTRY, HE WOULD MAKE BEST OF THE DAY BY ENGAGING THEM IN SOMETHING USEFUL
A TEACHER IN A PRIVATE SCHOOL IN AKURE MISS TOYIN GRACE LAMENTED THE HARDSHIP THE PANDEMIC HAD CAUSED HER AND APPEALED TO THE GOVERNMENT TO EASE THE LOCKDOWN SO THAT SCHOOLS WOULD RESUME.
WELL, THE CHILDREN MAY HAVE COME TO THE REALITY WITH WHAT HAPPENED WITH 2020 CHILDREN DAY, THEY HOWEVER EARNESTLY PRAYED THAT THE PANDEMIC COME TO A QUICK AND SO THAT REMAINING FESTIVE IN THE MONTHS AHEAD IN THE YEAR WOULD NOT BE LOCKDOWN.