By Fatou Saho
The Deputy Speaker of the National Children’s Parliament of Nigeria, Ibrahim Sunoma, has urged African leaders to implement their commitments made towards children.
While delivering his statement at the African union peace and security council ministerial meeting held in Banjul, Hon. Sunoma said their expectation from the AU conference as children, is not eloquent speeches or cascade of promising commitments but rather concrete actions that will sow seeds of tangible change.
“This gathering is a solemn opportunity to pave a different path where actions speak louder than words. Let this conference be a turning point where impactful actions takes centre stage. Its time for resolutions to transition into results. If we do not tackle this today, if we do not take care of conflict affected children, they will end up being the Frankenstein monsters that will consume all of us,” he stated.
The children’s representative who also doubles as a child rights advocate, emphasised the need for accountability, stating that their call still remains one, as he attarched urgency to their plight for tangible solutions.
“Act, implement and deliver on the commitments made. Leaders, I urge you to heed this plea. We are not just statistics; we are promises of a brighter future. Our wellbeing, our dreams, rest upon the actions taken by those entrusted with power. Words unaccompanied by tangible actions are just air in motion, ” Hon. Sunoma stressed.
He called for togetherness to embark on a journey fuel by compassion, solidarity and determination to rewrite the narrative of conflict affected children.
