: : Letter to president Muhammadu Buhari on nigetias problem and parenting

[Augustine Togonu-Bickersteth]

Dear  President  muhammadu Buhari

You know the main problem of nigeria. Like the mathematicians  would say.a problem defined is half solved.

You have identified it as parenting.

So why dont we have some programmes lined out to tackle parenting in nigeria in the immediate term,the intermediate term and in the long term. ?

I am proposing a ministry of children's affairs  and a university  of chid studies 

The child is the father of the man and as protagoras the greek philosopher said,  man is the measure of all things.and the greek philosopher  aristolte affirmed man is a political animal. 

Mr president  scouting can help to breed  well behaved  citizens.you have long identified  indiscipline  on your first  coming  as head of state..good.but your approach  proved unpalatable  to the informed  ones.

Sports is a veritable way of instilling discipline  in adults  and re chanelling their  agreesive  energies. Expecially  with the sports  like martial  arts like judi.teakwando,shotokan or boxing. 

Sports is war and war is sports.its better to sports sports than  to war war.

This is where Patrick segun odegbami comes in  with his ideas  of sports academy. 

I mention odegbami  because today  marks 53 years  of the Eagle  landing on the moon.

"Tranquility base here the Eagle has landed" so stated the astronaut  Neil Armstrong  on stepping  on the moon  july 21 1969.the first man to achieve  such feat. Neil Armstrong  was a boy scout!

The benefits of Scouting as garnered  from the web

Scouting is about having fun, building good relationships, and taking part in activities that contribute to the community and improve life chances. Scouting develops the leaders of today and tomorrow. 

Scouting helps businesses 

80% said that Scouting benefited their organisations 

Staff who had been involved in Scouting were above-average employees across a range of attributes

Scouting develops social skills for young people & leaders

87% of Scouts think Scouting helps them contribute more to their community

84% of Scouts think Scouting improved their character & personal development

82% of Scouts think Scouting improved their leadership ability

80% of Scouts think Scouting improved confidence and teamwork

Scouting improves employment chances for young people

41% of organisations said if Scouting was on a CV it would be a positive influence on their appointment

33% of Explorers believe that Scouting has given them greater skills for employment and volunteering

88% said Scouting helped them at school and in employment

Scouting helps provide a valuable community resource

84% of Scouts take part in some form of community service 

41% of Scouts volunteer for other charitable organisations

Scouts grow up to have better mental health at age 50

Scouts are 15% less likely to suffer from anxiety or mood disorders at the age of 50 than their peers who didn’t join a Scout Group

Lastly I propose  that at the meeting  of the Federal executive Council  we should  have as observers a mathematician,a development  economist,welfare  economist, insurance expert ,marketing expert and a top notch ict expert. And a Chemical  engineer.

Thank you  for your time

Augustine Togonu-Bickersteth, london  England