NIGERIA is celebrating Children’s Day today – a day set aside to honour and reflect on the challenges facing children, and the importance of children in national development.

This year’s theme, “Tapping into the Untapped Natural Treasure,” highlights the immense potential children hold and the urgent need to nurture, protect, and empower them.

In a statement personally signed by President Bola Tinubu and released by the Presidency on X to mark the day, Tinubu described Nigerian children as “the heartbeat of our nation’s future and the custodians of tomorrow’s promise, innovation, and leadership.”

However, he warned that these treasures would not thrive in an environment plagued by bullying, violence, and neglect. 

He condemned child bullying in all forms and emphasised the need to build a society where every child feels safe, respected, and heard – both in physical spaces and online.

“Just to be clear, violence, bullying, and neglect have no place in the Nigeria of today,” the President said, adding that “A child who learns in fear cannot learn well. A child who grows in fear cannot grow right.”

Citing troubling statistics on issues affecting children, Tinubu noted that globally, more than one in three children experience bullying, while in Nigeria, up to 65 per cent of school-age children faced physical, emotional, or social aggression.

He said the situation was unacceptable and promised stronger action by his government.

The president outlined key initiatives already underway in Nigeria, including the National Plan of Action on Ending Violence Against Children (2024–2030), which provides a strategic framework for prevention, prosecution, and support for victims.

He also acknowledged progress in child protection laws, noting that all 36 states had domesticated the Child Rights Act.

However, Tinubu stressed that laws alone were not enough and that there must be collective action from parents, teachers, religious leaders, lawmakers, and communities at large to address issues affecting children.

“I commend states taking bold steps for our children’s welfare and urge those yet to act: now is the time. Our children are not just statistics – they are the heart of our nation,” he said.

He challenged Nigerians to recognise children not just as future leaders, but as present-day treasures who deserve dignity, peace, and love.