ABUJA — The President of the Police Officers Wives Association, Chief Mrs Mutiat Olufunmilola Disu, has called on mothers across Nigeria to take a more deliberate role in shaping the values and choices of young people, saying the Nigeria of tomorrow will be determined by what families nurture today. Speaking during the NPF International Youth Day 2026 Tree-Planting Exercise, where she led members of the Police family to plant 50 seedlings donated by the Federal Ministry of Environment, Mrs Disu drew a link between raising trees and raising children. “Every young Nigerian is a seed of possibility. But just like a tree, potential does not grow by itself. It requires nurturing, protection and the right environment,” she said.
The POWA President stressed that society cannot demand responsible citizenship from youths without creating an environment where they can thrive. “We cannot ask them to protect Nigeria while destroying the environment they will inherit,” she stated. She urged mothers to teach children that strength is not violence, courage is not thuggery, patriotism is not hatred, and leadership is not intimidation. With the 2027 electoral season approaching, she called on parents to have honest conversations about political thuggery, criminality, substance abuse and online manipulation to protect young people from exploitation.
Mrs Disu said mothers must see themselves not just as caregivers but as nation-builders, and should encourage youths toward education, innovation, entrepreneurship and service. She reaffirmed POWA’s commitment to youth development and noted that the participation of wives of senior Police officers in the exercise was about leading by example. “Let us plant today — not only for ourselves, but for the Nigerian child who will stand here years from now and ask, ‘Who planted this tree?’ And may the answer be: ‘People who believed in our future,’” she concluded.
