Quality child upbringing, key to a better Nigeria, says Islamic group

The Islamic Education Trust (IET) has described quality child upbringing as key to having a better Nigeria.It said poor leadership and corrupt practices are the menace ravaging the country on bad child-raising.

A top member of the organisation, Hajia Maryam Lemu, described women as mothers of the nation, the first institution and role model for their children.

Lemu, who spoke at a three-day biennial women conference organised by the Nasrul Lahi-l Fatih Society in Kaduna with the theme: “Preparing Muslimah (Muslim Women) For the Challenges of Our Time,”  tasked women more on personal, intellectual, financial development and skills acquisition, urging them not to allow anyone to crush their dreams of excelling in life.

“Women with good character and quality education have the capability to influence their society, and can change the mindset of their children by motivating and inspiring them. 

So, our women need to develop themselves. They are the first role models, who children will grow up to want to emulate. Once a woman has educated herself, build herself, she’s able to use those values to raise her children properly, and this will translate to our children having a sense of direction and meaning in life, unlike what we are facing today.”

Lemu, who stated that child’s upbringing is a joint effort, said: “You cannot see a society breaking down and say it’s one person’s problem. It is a collective responsibility.

“For me, I have a problem with our society where we get married and have children. Why are you having children? Are you ready to be a parent? Do you know what is involved in raising children with good moral values?

“We just get married and nine months later,  there’s a child, but are we responsible for instilling those values? Because that child didn’t ask to be born, but once you give birth to that child, your responsibility is to instill good behaviour in them. So, you will be held accountable for that by God.

She said when mothers take a personal responsibility to do their own contribution within their own little circle to give their children quality training, it will spread over to the society.