By Peter Onyekachukwu 
By Peter Onyekachukwu
As Nigeria celebrated this year’s Children’s Day, the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) marked its 25th anniversary with a clear message: the future of the region lies not just in infrastructure, but in the minds of its children.
In an event held in Effurun, Delta State, and organised in partnership with Indigo Bloom Health and Empowerment Foundation, hundreds of schoolchildren, educators, and parents gathered to celebrate a vision of development rooted in education, creativity, and mentorship.
“For us at NDDC, children are not just our future, they are the reason for every road we construct, every school we build, and every healthcare facility we upgrade,” said Emavwoxia Oghenekohwo Irene, Head of Environment, Health, and Social Services at the Commission’s Delta State office. “True development starts with them.”
The event was filled with academic activities and creative displays, including a competitive quiz tagged “Game of Intelligence,” where eleven-year-old Praise Ogaga of Donnish International School wowed the audience to emerge overall winner.
On her part, Jennifer Nnorom, a consultant with Indigo Bloom, said the celebration was about inspiring a generation and reinforcing the value of education.
“The NDDC’s belief in children as change agents for the region made this possible,” she said. “What we witnessed here today was more than fun—it was vision-building.”
Addressing growing cynicism among young people regarding the value of education, Hon. Efeh Evelyn, Personal Assistant to the Chairman of NDDC’s Governing Board, delivered a powerful message to the students present.
“If school was truly a scam, I wouldn’t be here today,” she said. “Education brought me here, and it’s what will take you even farther.”
Some parents also used the occasion to discourage the pursuit of internet fraud, popularly referred to as “Yahoo Yahoo.”
“They should know that Yahoo is not the way,” said Albert Abiye Sibi, a parent at the event. “Education remains the best foundation.”
While the NDDC’s footprint is visible in roads, water supply, and electricity across the oil-rich region, its message during the Children’s Day celebration was that the most enduring legacy lies not in physical structures but in nurturing young minds.
As the Commission looks ahead to the next 25 years, it is shifting its priorities beyond bricks and mortar to building a smarter, stronger generation ready to lead the Niger Delta into the future.