Patience gave the advice while addressing children at an event she organised to mark the 2014 Children’s Day at the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The children used the occasion to send letters of protest to the Boko Haram sect and President Goodluck Jonathan on the need to release the abducted girls.
The letters were given to Mrs. Jonathan for onward delivery to her husband and members of the sect.
The President’s wife however said since she did not know members of the sect, she would forward the children’s letters to the National Security Adviser or the Chief of Defence Staff.
“Let me thank the children that gave me a letter to give Boko Haram. Well, I have received your letter, but I am not the one to give it to Boko Haram because I don’t know Boko Haram and I have never seen Boko Haram. But I will give it to the NSS or the Chief of Defence Staff who will submit your letter accordingly.
“To my children, thank you for your letter. Thank you for your deliberation. I have received what you gave to me. I will make sure I pass it to the President because it is addressed to him and the other one is addressed to Boko Haram. That is why the two are different,” she added.
Earlier, Patience had told the children that God’s instruction to mankind to honour their parents was not limited to their biological parents only.
She said, “It is bad to abuse our country and the President because God has made him the head.
“The Almighty God commands us to pray for our leaders. We therefore need to pray for the development of our country and the President.
“Remember that a child that abuses his father and mother is disobeying God’s commandment because the Bible says in Exodus 20:12 that you should honour your father and mother so that you may live long in the land that the Lord your God has given you.”
She assured the children and adults who attended the event that the Federal Government was doing all within its powers to secure the release of the over 200 schoolgirls abducted from Chibok, Borno State.
While calling on Nigerians to be united in the fight against terrorism, Patience also advised that citizens should learn to encourage soldiers who are at the forefront of the terrorism war.
“It is the right of every child to go to school. It is only through education that you can be able to achieve your dreams and contribute meaningfully to your community and the nation.
“We desire peace in our community and in our nation. I want you all to be ambassadors of peace in your schools and practise good manners. We have no other country than Nigeria.
“We therefore need to be patriotic and committed to our dear country. We should strengthen our covenant with our country as outlined in the National Pledge.
“Let us therefore be united in fighting terrorism. We should encourage our soldiers who are in the frontline to rescue our beloved daughters,” she said.
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