Alhaji Adamu Loddo, a Jalingo-based 68-year-old man on Saturday urged parents to ensure proper upbringing of children as he celebrated the gift of 30 surviving children and 70 grandchildren.

Loddo, who expressed appreciation to God for the gift, also said the celebration was an opportunity to show the right example on how to bring up children in both scholarship and character.

“Today I am happy to say that at least 15 of my children and 5 grandchildren have obtained various degrees from different universities in Nigeria.

“I also derive joy and thank Allah for His favours as several of those children and grandchildren have also memorised the Holy Qur’an.

“I have to do this thanksgiving party (walima) while I am alive not to be silent and other people to do it on my behalf after my death,” he said.

Loddo urged parents to celebrate the gifts of God while they are alive and closely monitor the behaviour of their children in order to make them better citizens.

He, however, expressed displeasure at the high rate of youth’s indulgence in criminal activities due to the influence of peer groups.

“A child that is given appropriate training from home and brought up in the fear of God will not turn to social vices in his later years.

“Before blaming schools or society for anti-social behaviour of our wards, we should examine the type of home training we gave them.

“Our children are a reflection of the home they came from,” he said.

While calling governments at all levels to make schools conducive for learning and moulding of good character, Loddo emphasised that the home remained the best training ground for the child.

Speaking on behalf of other grandchildren, Abubakar Dayama, 25-year-old graduate of Architecture, appreciated their grandfather for giving them quality education.

He said that the grandfather was always checking on them to ensure that they got the best, adding that he also gave them a good foundation in Islamic knowledge.

Dayama urged other parents to watch the companies their children keep and support their quest for education to enable them to be good citizens. (NAN)