As the oldest existing institution on earth, families are still relevant nucleus for social change. Although transformed greatly over the past decades in terms of their structure and as a result of global trends and demographic changes, the United Nations still recognizes the family as the basic unit of society.
The observation of an International Day of Families (May 15th) therefore provides an opportunity to promote awareness of issues relating to families and to increase knowledge of the social, economic and demographic processes affecting them. It has inspired a series of awareness-raising events, including national family days. In many countries, this day is an opportunity to highlight different areas of interest and importance to families. Last year, a popular joke drawn from the rich comedy industry in Nigeria pointed at the decay of families. A student was asked to pay up his fees. In turn, since he was closer to the mother, he informed the mother of the fees inflating the amount slightly, the mother in turn also inflated the money slightly before asking her husband for the child’s fees. The father who is obligated to pay was going to provide a sum higher than the actual school fees. This reflects the untruth that has taken precedence among families. So many families still reek of wounds from domestic violence, child and drug abuse, spousal infidelity to mention but a few. In the original structure of the family setting, children were supposed to grow in a clime that fosters their positive contributions to governance and development process in Nigeria. Families are actually supposed to serve as a platform to harness and nurture youths through informed, innovative and value-driven upbringing for personal, community and country development. In the failure of many families, Youth Alive Foundation have driven this cause charged with it as a far reaching vision that influences the social programming. To all those who still believe in families, who uphold the bond of filial unity above the negative vices of a decayed society, we at Youth Alive Foundation say- Happy International Day of Families. Planned activities by those who might want to observe today can include: workshops and conferences, radio and television programmes, newspaper articles and cultural programmes highlighting relevant themes.
