Opinion
Improving Day Care Centres
Every mother needs extra hands especially when it comes to childcare. If and when this time comes, special care needs to be given to the quality of helpers. Today’s mothers, especially the working class ones, are left with the choice of whether or not the helpers are needed. For working mothers, day care is a must, a place where their young infants are catered for by paid caretakers while they are at work. For this group of women, proper day care system takes a lot of pressure off an already pressured lifestyle. Combining family with work has to be balanced. This is what day care does for the working mother. She has to be a master planner to succeed if she wants to keep her home intact.
Day care system is also a good platform for formal education. Children exposed to day care are taught early, they are fast learners and can absorb quickly. Proper day care system also prevents accidents from occurring as kids left on their own in the house are exposed to self and external dangers.
However, the persistent negative stories surrounding day-care system, especially in Nigeria, have made many to wonder if day-care is a necessary evil. Every now and then one hears stories both in the developed societies and Africa of how these innocents are exposed to various abuses ranging from psychological, emotional, physical and others. Several video clips had gone viral on social media of extreme torture of these infants by those under whose care they were kept.
Just three months ago we heard the story of how a six months old baby, Mitchele Onoja, was allegedly killed by caregivers in a day care at Lokogoma, Abuja.
According to the story, the baby who was hale and hearty when his mother dropped her at the day care in the morning, died a few hours later in strange circumstances. An autopsy conducted at a federal medical center indicated that she died as a result of asphyxiation.
Who could have deprived a harmless child of oxygen in a place she was brought for safety and care? The answer is still being awaited as the police is said to be carrying out an investigation into the matter.
It is usually very worrisome hearing how infants are exposed to self medication by careers who in a bid to keep them “quiet” administer tranquilizers and sleeping syrups unknown to their parents and the authorities involved. The constant drug abuse could eventually lead to serious health problems in the children.
These innocent lads in day care centers are sometimes exposed to psychological dangers which come in the form of violent or ill language from the careers. They are shouted at and sometimes verbally abused. These in turn results in low self esteem from a very tender age.
Again, some of these kids are left for long hours in the care of strangers and this often makes them feel abandoned, unloved and unwanted. The emotional scar often follows those kids to adulthood.
In some developed countries, there are reports of kids being sexually and physically abused by ex-child offenders who had not been properly checked by the authorities before engaging them as careers.
Many of such victims later come forward to relate how careers have subjected them to all forms of abuse many years back unknown to their parents. These victims tell of how they have lived in that shadow of abuse that can only heal when those criminals are prosecuted. In Nigeria, such stories are not always heard as it is rather seen as shameful, so the victims carry such abuse as guilt.
But one disturbing issue that cannot be hidden about some day care centers in Nigeria is the poor, unhealthy environment in which they operate. Some so-called day care centers can easily pass for prison cells as the poor lads are confined in poorly ventilated, unkempt rooms. This, of course, leads to diseases and sicknesses.
Also, there are allegations that children kept in some day care centers are not fully given the needed nourishment, as they are left in the hands of people who really don’t care what these kids are given to eat. There is a detached attitude as they are only doing their jobs for money. Hence, kids are subjected to very poor diet which eventually results in ill health.
As it is typical of Nigerians, many people see day care system as a lucrative venture and want to dabble into it with or without any professional knowledge thereby exposing the kids to a lot of problems. That is why one has to appreciate the effort of Anambra State government towards reducing quacks in the operation of day care, centers.
During the administration of the immediate past governor, Peter Obi, his wife, Mrs Margret Obi, in a one-day workshop for all day care centers in the state, disclosed the government’s readiness to close all unregistered day care centers in the state.
She said issues concerning children in the society should be handled with utmost care and diligence, noting that the era of abuse of the children in daycare centers was over in the state. She spoke of the need to document the staff and environment of every day care centre to avoid a situation where such centers were left in the hands of non-professionals.
If only other state governments should take a similar bold step to improve child care services in Nigeria. Employees of day care centers should be thoroughly screened. There should be regular check on these centers by government agencies, while labour should advocate nursery bay system to aid and encourage nursing mothers. Besides, longer maternity leave period for working mothers, especially those in the private sector, should be introduced.
Most importantly, owners of day care centers should be encouraged to install closed Circuit Television System (CCTV), as a watching lenses to monitor the internal activities of the centers.
All necessary steps must be taken towards improved child care services which are critical to children development.
Calista Ezeaku
The political atmosphere in Rivers State has been anything but calm in 2025. Yet, a rare moment of unity was witnessed on Saturday, June 28, when Governor Siminalayi Fubara and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Chief Nyesom Wike, appeared side by side at the funeral of Elder Temple Omezurike Onuoha, Wike’s late uncle. What could have passed for a routine condolence visit evolved into a significant political statement—a symbolic show of reconciliation in a state bruised by deep political strife.
The funeral, attended by dignitaries from across the nation, was more than a moment of shared grief. It became the public reflection of a private peace accord reached earlier at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. There, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu brought together Governor Fubara, Minister Wike, the suspended Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Martin Amaewhule, and other lawmakers to chart a new path forward.
For Rivers people, that truce is a beacon of hope. But they are not content with photo opportunities and promises. What they demand now is the immediate lifting of the state of emergency declared in March 2025, and the unconditional reinstatement of Governor Fubara, Deputy Governor Dr. Ngozi Odu, and all suspended lawmakers. They insist on the restoration of their democratic mandate.
President Tinubu’s decision to suspend the entire structure of Rivers State’s elected leadership and appoint a sole administrator was a drastic response to a deepening political crisis. While it may have prevented a complete breakdown in governance, it also robbed the people of their voice. That silence must now end.
The administrator, retired naval chief Ibok-Ette Ibas, has managed a caretaker role. But Rivers State cannot thrive under unelected stewardship. Democracy must return—not partially, not symbolically, but fully. President Tinubu has to ensure that the people’s will, expressed through the ballot, is restored in word and deed.
Governor Fubara, who will complete his six-month suspension by September, was elected to serve the people of Rivers, not to be sidelined by political intrigues. His return should not be ceremonial. It should come with the full powers and authority vested in him by the constitution and the mandate of Rivers citizens.
The people’s frustration is understandable. At the heart of the political crisis was a power tussle between loyalists of Fubara and those of Wike. Institutions, particularly the State House of Assembly, became battlegrounds. Attempts were made to impeach Fubara. The situation deteriorated into a full-blown crisis, and governance was nearly brought to its knees.
But the tide must now turn. With the Senate’s approval of a record ?1.485 trillion budget for Rivers State for 2025, a new opportunity has emerged. This budget is not just a fiscal document—it is a blueprint for transformation, allocating ?1.077 trillion for capital projects alone. Yet, without the governor’s reinstatement, its execution remains in doubt.
It is Governor Fubara, and only him, who possesses the people’s mandate to execute this ambitious budget. It is time for him to return to duty with vigor, responsibility, and a renewed sense of urgency. The people expect delivery—on roads, hospitals, schools, and job creation.
Rivers civil servants, recovering from neglect and under appreciation, should also continue to be a top priority. Fubara should continue to ensure timely payment of salaries, address pension issues, and create a more effective, motivated public workforce. This is how governance becomes real in people’s lives.
The “Rivers First” mantra with which Fubara campaigned is now being tested. That slogan should become policy. It must inform every appointment, every contract, every budget decision, and every reform. It must reflect the needs and aspirations of the ordinary Rivers person—not political patrons or vested interests.
Beyond infrastructure and administration, political healing is essential. Governor Fubara and Minister Wike must go beyond temporary peace. They should actively unite their camps and followers to form one strong political family. The future of Rivers cannot be built on division.
Political appointments, both at the Federal and State levels, must reflect a spirit of fairness, tolerance, and inclusivity. The days of political vendettas and exclusive lists must end. Every ethnic group, every gender, and every generation must feel included in the new Rivers project.
Rivers is too diverse to be governed by one faction. Lasting peace can only be built on concessions, maturity, and equity. The people are watching to see if the peace deal will lead to deeper understanding or simply paper over cracks in an already fragile political arrangement.
Wike, now a national figure as Minister of the FCT, has a responsibility to rise above the local fray and support the development of Rivers State. His influence should bring federal attention and investment to the state, not political interference or division.
Likewise, Fubara should lead with restraint, humility, and a focus on service delivery. His return should not be marked by revenge or political purges but by inclusive leadership that welcomes even former adversaries into the process of rebuilding the state.
“The people are no longer interested in power struggles. They want light in their streets, drugs in their hospitals, teachers in their classrooms, and jobs for their children. The politics of ego and entitlement have to give way to governance with purpose.
The appearance of both leaders at the funeral was a glimpse of what unity could look like. That moment should now evolve into a movement-one that prioritizes Rivers State over every personal ambition. Let it be the beginning of true reconciliation and progress.
As September draws near, the Federal government should act decisively to end the state of emergency and reinstate all suspended officials. Rivers State must return to constitutional order and normal democratic processes. This is the minimum requirement of good governance.
The crisis in Rivers has dragged on for too long. The truce is a step forward, but much more is needed. Reinstating Governor Fubara, implementing the ?1.485 trillion budget, and uniting political factions are now the urgent tasks ahead. Rivers people have suffered enough. It is time to restore leadership, rebuild trust, and finally put Rivers first.
By: Amieyeofori Ibim
Amieyeofori Ibim is former Editor of The Tide Newspapers, political analyst and public affairs commentator
Do the Fulani herdsmen have an expansionists agenda, like their progenitor, Uthman Dan Fodio? Why are they everywhere even the remotest part of other areas in Nigeria harassing, maiming, raping and killing the owners of the land?”
In a swift reaction, The Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) decried and strongly condemned the invasion by suspected Fulani herdsmen.
In his denunciation, MOSOP President Fegalo Nsuke described the incident as very unfortunate and deeply troubling, warning against a recurrence of the violence experienced in Benue State. “The killing of yesterday is bad and very unfortunate. We are getting preliminary information about how the herders gained access to the farmland, and it appears some hoodlums may be collecting money and granting access illegally.”
He called on the Hausa community in Rivers State to intervene swiftly to prevent further attacks.
“We want the Hausa community in Rivers State to take urgent action to ensure these issues are resolved”.
But will such appeal and requests end the violent disposition of the Fulani herdsmen? It is not saying something new that the escalating threat and breach of peace across the country by the Fulani herdsmen or those suspected to be Fulani herdsmen, leaves much to be desired in a country that is bedevilled by multi-dimensional challenges and hydra-headed problems.
Some upland Local Government Areas of Rivers State, such as Etche, Omuma, Emohua, Ikwerre, Oyigbo, Abua, Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni, have severally recounted their ordeals, as herdsmen invaded farmlands, destroyed crops, raped female farmers and killed protestant residents.
Again the wanton destruction of lives and properties which no doubt has overwhelmed the Nigerian Police, makes the clamour for State Police, indispensable. The National Assembly should consider the amendment of the Constitution to allow States to have their Statutory policing agencies.
As insurgency has risen to an all time high in the country were killings has now grown to be a normal daily activity in some part of the nation it may not be safe to say that Nigeria still practices democracy.
Several massacres coming from the Boko Haram and the herdsmen amongst all other insurgencies which have led to the destruction of homes and killing, burning of communities especially in the northern part of the country. All these put together are result of the ethnic battles that are fought between the tribes of Nigeria and this can be witnessed in Benue State where herders and farmers have been in constant clashes for ages. They have experienced nothing but casualties and unrest.
In the month of June 13-14, the Yelwata attack at the Guma Local Government Area by suspected gunmen or herdsmen who stormed the houses of innocent IDPs (Internally Displaced Persons) claiming the lives of families, both adults and children estimated to be 200 victims. They were all burnt alive by these unknown gunmen.
This has been recorded as one of the deadliest insurgencies that had happened in recent years. Some security personnel that were trying to fight the unknown gunmen also lost their lives.
Prior to the Yelewata attack, two days before the happening, similar conflict took place in Makurdi on June 11, 2025. 25 people were killed in the State. Even in Plateau State and the Southern Kaduna an attack also took place in the month of June.
All other states that make up the Middle Belt have been experiencing the farmers/herders clash for years now and it has persisted up till recent times, claiming lives of families and children, homes and lands, escalating in 2025 with coordinated assaults.
Various authorities and other villagers who fled for safety also blamed the herdsmen in the State for the attack that happened in Yelwata community.
Ehebha God’stime is an Intern with The Tide.
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