Children's
Centre
University
of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria |
Children's
Centre
University
of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria |
50th Anniversary celebrated with party and football match
Children
of the university community celebrated the joint 50th Anniversary of the nation
and the University on October 8-9, 2010 with a party and football match. A party
for over 3,000 children was organized by the University Women’s Association
under the leadership of UWA Patron, Barr. (Mrs.) Nwanneka Okolo. Held at the
stadium, the party featured songs and recitation by the Children’s Centre
singing group, traditional dances by Model I and Agu Achara primary schools,
and entertainment by super hero and cartoon characters. The party climaxed with
all the children joining their mothers and other guests in a joyous circle dance.
The second day featured a football match between the newly-formed Children’s
Centre Cubs and Shining Stars of Umeano Quarters. The Shining Stars won the
match 2-0 and became first winners of a trophy donated by our patron. The Centre
resolved to make football matches regular events and to fully develop the child-sized
football field at the Centre premises for this purpose. Already, the field is
heavily patronized by both children and adults.
Long vacation program, 2010
Children
enjoyed a holiday program full of activities tailored
for various age groups. One hundred and forty-nine children aged 1 to 15 years
participated in this year’s program, with 61 in the younger age groups
registering for N500 and 88 in the older age groups registering for N800. The
program was organized by a committee comprising of Margaret Ngwuchukwu, Harry
of AIESEC and Elizabeth Babarinde, ably supported by committee Vice-Chair Terri
Emezi and assisted by AIESEC members and staff of the Department of Library
and Information Science as resource persons.
Activities
for younger children (1-3 and 4-6 years) included play and story hour, art,
and a variety of pre-reading and mathematical skills. Young people in the older
age groups (7-9 and 10-15 years) engaged in a variety of crafts such as soap
making, soya milk making, crocheting and beadwork, computer training, cookery,
life skills in health, science and technology, sports and personal development.
Children also visited local places of interest such as the zoo, space center
and surrounding hills, Lion water, and motherless babies home.
Our thanks to all those who helped provide a most successful program.
Youth book club inaugurated to promote reading
This session saw
introduction of a book club for youth, initiated by Children’s
Centre Committee Secretary Ngozi Osadebe as a way of promoting reading. The
first works discussed were two novels, The Great Ponds by Elechi Amadi
and The Joy of Motherhood by Buchi Emecheta, and the drama
Wedlock of the Gods by Zulu Sofala.
AIESEC trains youth on entrepreneurship and HIV/AIDS
Our university student partners, AIESEC, assisted young people by mounting programs on entrepreneurial skills and HIV/AIDS during the 2010 long vacation period. The YES program was an extension of a four-week African Young Entrepreneurs (YES) program at the Children’s Centre in July-August 2009, a project aimed at developing their entrepreneurial skills and encouraging self-reliance and innovation. The ASK program addresses the problem of HIV/AIDS prevention among young people.
National art competition won by local pupil
John Cross Omeke, a 13-year old pupil of Model Primary School II, Nsukka, won
first prize in the ‘Mirror the Master’ national art competition
organized by Kambani Arts with financial support from Access Bank. Children
from Nsukka, Osogbo, Benin and Zaria participated in the initiative that ran
from October 2009 to April 2010. Organized by former UNN staff child Chima Ezeilo,
the initiative aimed at inspiring young artists to develop their talents. The
Nsukka competition, organized with assistance from the Children’s Centre,
took place from January 18-20, 2010 at Central School I. Winners were John Cross
Omeke (center), 1st prize; Oluchuku Okorie of University Primary School (left),
2nd prize; and Ifeanyi Agbo of Township Primary School I (right), 3rd prize.
John went on to win the national competition in Lagos and a trip to London.
The Children’s Centre congratulates all the young artists and commends
Chima and Kambani Arts for this admirable initiative. For more information on
Kambani Arts and the competition click
here.
Judith
D. C. Osuala Collection on Women and Development
The
Children’s Centre recently opened a memorial collection on Women and Development
in honour of our late member, Prof. Judith D. C. Osuala. Judy suggested the
idea of the collection and offered her materials as a beginning shortly before
her death. A professor of adult education and community development, Judy left
an extensive collection of journals, reports and conference papers on women’s
studies, education, health, and sustainable development. The Children's Centre
thanks her family for this valuable addition to our collection.
Outreach to Primary Schools, 2010
The
Children’s Centre continued its outreach to primary schools in
the Nsukka area with a series of in-school workshops with teachers. The purpose
was to alert them to the many uses they could make of library resources in teaching
and learning. Over 500 additional books provided by PULA and the Traverse Area
District Library were distributed to performing schools in May and June 2010.
In addition the Centre persuaded one school, Community Primary School, Onuiyi,
that has a UBE collection of 1,000 books but no library accommodation, to unpack
the books and distribute them to teachers. The books have been catalogued and
children are happily borrowing from their classroom teachers.
The
Centre ventured beyond Nsukka to visit three schools in the neighbouring community
of Nkpologu. One of the three, Central School, had set aside a space for the
library, which we helped organize with a number of new textbooks received from
the government. Because of their interest and enthusiasm, we returned in May
2010 with one hundred story and information books to begin developing their
library. The next step is
a workshop with all the teachers on use of the library.
Women’s
Book Club considers new African fiction
Discussion at the book club continued in 2010 with four new works of African
fiction. The first was Chimamanda Adichie’s Half of a Yellow Sun (published
in Nigeria by Farafina ), a novel vividly depicting university life at
Nsukka in the 1960s and the Nigerian Civil War. Next was Say You’re
One of Them by Uwem Akpan, a powerful collection of five short stories
featuring children in very harrowing circumstances: prostitution and dehumanizing
poverty, victims of human trafficking, the destructive power of inter-religious
violence, genocide striking at the heart of the family. Tropical Fish,
a set of short stories by Ugandan author Doreen Baingana (published by Cassava
Republic of Nigeria), takes three sisters through differing experiences of adolescence
and young adulthood. Nights of the Creaking Bed, a collection of 14
short stories by Toni Kan of Nigeria (Cassava Republic), portrays a number of
grim realities—corruption, religious intolerance, infidelity, betrayal,
parental indifference, the grinding effects of poverty. See
Book Reviews
Children’s
Christmas Party, 2009
The
Children’s Centre field was the venue of a party hosted for
children by the wife of the Vice-Chancellor, Barr. (Mrs.) Nwanneka Okolo to
celebrate the Christmas season. Events included a dramatization of the Christmas
story, songs and miming, dancing with Teddy Bear, and distribution of food and
presents.
Members
of the University Women’s Association (UWA) received
their new patron, Barr. (Mrs.) Nwanneka Okolo, the wife of the Vice-Chancellor,
at the Children’s Centre on Friday November 20, 2009. Children from the
University Staff School recounted the Children’s Centre’s history
in song, while the Children’s Centre drama group dramatized problems caused
by the recent disengagement of casual workers. Terri Emezi, representing the
interim president Ebele Maduewesi, presented the contributions of UWA and the
Children’s Centre to university life and highlighted current concerns.
The Chair of the Children’s Centre Committee, Virginia Dike then showed
the Patron around the facility. Responding Mrs. Okolo affirmed her commitment
to UWA and the Children’s Centre project and pledged to do all in her
power to assist.
Long
Vacation Program
2009
A very successful
vacation program was held the
last two weeks in August. Children registered in four age groups, from toddlers
to teenagers. Activities included crafts such as toy and hat making, computer
training, play activities for the young ones, sewing, baking, and drama. Younger
children went on a very exciting excursion to the fire department, where firemen
demonstrated their work and advised on fire safety. The older group had an equally
interesting tour of the pharmaceutical lab on campus. The program was organized
by committee members Margaret Ngwuchukwu, Ngozi Osadebe, Ezinne Njoku and Amaka
Ejikeme, with the able assistance of student members of AIESEC.
Our Motto: “By Reading We Learn, by Knowledge We Serve.”
Joanne
Ezeilo, a longtime friend and former member, met with children to develop a
motto for the Children's Centre during her visit in May. The above motto summing
up the Children's Centre mission was presented to the community during the May
30 th Children's Day Celebration. Our thanks go to Joanne for initiating this
activity and the children for contributing their ideas.
Children's Day Celebration, 2009
The
Children's Centre celebrated this year's Children's Day in grand fashion on
Saturday, May 30 th in an event that brought together a multitude of children
from 15 primary schools and friends and well-wishers from the community and
beyond. The theme of the celebration was: The Nigerian Child in the Next Ten
Years. Schoolchildren presented cultural dances, drama, miming, essays, poems
and creative arts to the enthusiastic assembly. They also competed in a quiz
organized by the student organization AIESEC. Another highlight was the appearance
of Mickey Mouse to dance with the children. The event was organized under the
leadership of Grace Anyanwu and Ngozi Osadebe, assisted by Amaka Ejikeme, Fidelia
Asiegbu, Ezinne Njoku and Stella Nwadinobi. The ever able Mr. Gozie Arazu acted
as master of ceremonies for the occasion.
We thank the many donors who contributed in cash or in kind to the success of the event. They include: Engr. T. N. Osadebe, Director of Works Services, UNN; Bonez Nig. Ltd. (N50,000); University of Nigeria Micro Finance Bank (N40,000); Enyap & Sons Nig.; Hillson Nig.; Jives Table Water; University of Nigeria General Ltd.; Chioma Bakeries; Lion Table Water; Coca Cola Bottling Company; United Bank for Africa (UBA); Igwe and Lolo Mamah; Lolo Okwor; Dr.(Mrs.) I. Echezona; Ecaison Pure Water; Chitis Bakeries; Prof. Uche Agwagah; Mr. & Mrs. Umeano (Estate Officer); Prof. & Dr. (Mrs.) Anyanwu; Prof. & Mrs. Nwadike; Sir & Lady Idoko; Mr. Ferdinand Asogwa; Dr. Sam Chukwu (Samsee); AIESEC students; and all staff of Children's Centre.
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