TGIF Parents! As we celebrate our independence this week, let us use this opportunity to build our Children’s love for our country, Nigeria. It is an important week in the history of Nigeria as we celebrate 60 years of independence; most children in this generation do not know why we celebrate this great nation’s heritage. Hence, we as parents must endeavor to build their passion for this country as they will be future leaders.
We will be looking at five ways we can build the love of our nation in the hearts of our children.
1. Talk about our Culture
Nigeria is a country with so much diversity in regards to culture, and this ironically is one of the core reasons for our unity thus far. We will do well as parents to enlighten the children of our culture and its diversity across the nation; teaching them about the rich cultural heritage of Nigeria will build their love toward its and make them want to be a part of this nation’s cultural growth.
For an online exhibit about Nigeria, you can visit the culture page here to get a detailed background about Nigeria.
2. Celebrate Nigerians’ Innovation
This refers to the ability of citizens of our country and their exploits towards creating something modern for the benefit of the nation and the world as a whole. Nigeria is full of gifted individuals of both genders especially in areas of technological advancement; who are responsible for these innovations, putting this country on a pedestal.
Celebrate these innovative acts by telling your children about them; such as that of Silas Adekunle, who is the highest-paid robotics engineer in the world. Also, he built the world’s first gaming robot and reportedly signed a mouth-watering deal with Apple Inc.
3. Entertainment
Nigeria’s entertainment industry is one of the largest in the world. The Country’s film industry, Nollywood, is one of the largest film producers in the world and is second only to India’s Bollywood; they also produce a total of about 50 movies per week and this results in about $590 million annually.
Share these important facts with your children, building their passion for things Nigerian such as movies, music, etc; thus, growing their love for the country’s entertainment industry. Check here for the top Nollywood movies on NetFlix.
4. Food
Get the family involved in this special Nigerian heritage. The nation’s high diversity is not only limited to the cultural heritage; but also the heritage of our food. Bring back some of the classic meals you used to eat when you were younger; or, make food the traditional way this weekend.
Doing this as a family will make your children understand better the food heritage of our land. Check here for the recipe to make Jollof rice.
5. Watch Documentaries
Most of history has been documented, thus, the whole family can relive the historical events and occasions that entails the history of Nigeria this weekend. Children respond more to pictures and videos; and watching the history of Nigeria on television or Youtube channels will teach them better and enlighten them more about their country.
Check here for an online Youtube video talking about the history of Nigeria, than can be watched by the family
Our children are the leaders of tomorrow and they will carry on the legacy of this country to the next generation. Thus, it is our duty as parents and guardians to enlighten them on this role and groom them to be the best they can be for themselves, the nation, and the world as a whole.
