The Abia State Director of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Comrade Victor Orji, has called on parents, teachers, and community leaders to deliberately equip children with the values and skills needed to thrive and provide responsible leadership for the nation’s future.
Orji made the call while delivering the keynote address at the Train-the-Trainers Summit organised by the Duke Infant and Child Foundation at the Wonderland Event Centre, Isi-Court, in Umuahia, Abia State.
Speaking on the theme, “Empowering Our Next Generation Leaders: Raising Children to Thrive and Lead,” the NOA director said the future of Nigeria depends largely on the values, knowledge, and leadership capacity instilled in children today.
He stressed the need for intentional efforts to equip those responsible for shaping young minds, including parents, teachers, caregivers, faith leaders, and community influencers.
According to him, the NOA, as the government’s flagship agency for value reorientation and civic education, recognises that nation-building begins in the home, extends to the classroom, and is reinforced within the community.
“Our mandate to promote patriotism, civic responsibility, ethical conduct, and national consciousness aligns perfectly with the objective of this summit,” Orji said.
He expressed concern over challenges facing society, such as moral decline, youth restiveness, misinformation, and weakening social structures, noting that initiatives like the summit are essential in addressing them.
“Training the trainers ensures a multiplier effect. When we empower one parent, one teacher, or one community leader, we indirectly shape dozens, hundreds, and even thousands of young lives,” he said.
Orji also commended the summit’s alignment with the global United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly those related to quality education, decent work, economic growth, and poverty reduction.
He reaffirmed the commitment of the NOA Abia State Directorate to partner with credible organisations and stakeholders to deepen grassroots engagement, promote positive behavioural change, and build a value-driven society.
The director urged participants to see the summit as a call to action by adopting practical strategies and renewing their commitment to nurturing a generation that will thrive personally while leading responsibly and ethically.
Earlier in her remarks, the convener of the summit, Mrs Augusta Olachi Anyunwu-Egbom, said the programme was designed to equip parents, caregivers, teachers, and community leaders with the tools needed to raise purpose-driven children in the rapidly changing 21st-century world.
She noted that technology and shifting cultural realities have created new challenges for families, making it imperative for parents and educators to become more intentional in guiding children.
“Raising children in the 21st century requires more than good intentions. It requires preparation, awareness, and deliberate action,” she said.
Anyunwu-Egbom explained that the Train-the-Trainers initiative focuses on empowering those responsible for shaping the destiny of children, stressing that when parents and teachers are properly equipped, homes and classrooms become transformational spaces for young people.
According to her, the summit is currently being held simultaneously in Abia and Imo states and forms part of a broader national outreach that has already covered eight states and nine locations in its first phase.
She disclosed that the initiative is largely funded through personal resources and called on corporate bodies, organisations, and well-meaning individuals to support the programme as part of nation-building efforts.
“We are not just raising children; we are raising a generation that will lead the world. The quality of leadership they will offer tomorrow will depend on the quality of guidance they receive from us today,” she said.
Participants at the summit were encouraged to engage actively, reflect on their roles as trainers of the next generation, and commit to raising confident, responsible, and value-driven young leaders capable of contributing to Nigeria’s progress.
