Tears, anger as Petros Hall Schools visit motherless babies home

It was crying galore when pupils, teachers and Headmistress of Petros Hall Schools, paid visit to Compassionate Orphanage, located at Idowu-Egba area of LASU Road, Isheri, Lagos State. The teachers, mostly females, including the school headmistress, Mrs. Elizabeth Adefunke Irabor, burst into tears as they were ushered into a room and beheld some of the abandoned babies.  Among the abandoned babies was a set of twin. The youngest baby among the lot was less than a week old.

This few days old baby was actually the star of the visit, who got the tears jerking from the women.
In an emotional laden voice, Mrs. Irabor sniffed: “My heart is so full; I don’t know what to say. When I saw those babies, I just didn’t know what to say. Some people are out there, looking up to God for a baby, they’ll do anything to have one, yet, some people were given those babies, blessed with those babies and they abandoned them. I learnt a lesson in there today; those of us that have children should thank God and appreciate them and take good care of them.”
According to Mrs. Irabor, the visit to the orphanage was the school’s own way of marking May, 27, which is children’s day.

The Nigerian Compass gathered that the visit was not an impulsive one, but had been slated since the beginning of the session as one of the cardinal duties to be carried out in the third term.
Mrs. Irabor, with her team of teachers, had planned for it meticulously and as the time drew near and nearer, she told the pupils to bring whatever they fancy as their gifts and donations to children less privileged than them. Many of them brought clothes, shoes, food stuffs, among others.
But the pupils who caught the attention of the Project Manager of Compassionate Orphanage, Mrs. Pat Muzan, was nine-year-old master Yomi Adesowo, who gave as donation, his savings.
Speaking with the Nigerian Compass, the primary four pupils said he had been keeping the money which his Dad and Mum had been giving to him. He thought the motherless children were better off with the money, than him is lucky to have his parents taking care of him.

He received pats of approval from his teachers and prayers from Mrs. Muzan who was deeply touched by the boy’s gesture. The money was N550.00.
Further stating the purpose of the visit, Mrs. Irabor said for long as school, the teachers had been talking to the kids about motherless children and orphanage and had decided to bring them to Compassionate, not just to show them the practical aspect of the teachings, but to make them to begin to value and appreciate their parents and guardians.
Her words: “Our kids have been hearing about orphans and orphanages in classes, but many didn’t know what we mean. We wanted them to know these kids exist and not just stories. Our want our kids to begin to appreciate fact that they have parents and guardians. We want them to know that orphans are real. We want our kids not to look down on orphans, but should learn to be compassionate. This is our way of celebrating children’s day.”
Mrs. Muzan conducted the teachers round the shelter. It was when the teachers were taken to the room, where babies are kept in their cribs, that they burst into tears. The babies were so small, innocent looking and clearly do not deserve the lot had offered to them. But with compassionate heart like those from Petro Hall Schools, the babies might not suffer.

The facility also has a school, library and vocational Centre. Some older were seen receiving lessons. Mrs. Muzan explained that the school and the shelter do not only cater for motherless children, but also for children, whose parents are less privileged.
Primary school pupils and secondary students, who went into the room for babies, were allowed to carry and shower love on the babies.
One of them, Grace Anorom, 10, primary 5, said it was sad to see such lovely babies being abandoned.
“It’s not good what these babies parents did. It’s not good for them to abandon their children. There are people, looking for children, God gave them their babies and they abandoned them. It’s bad. Nigerians should help give these babies presents and things, so they the children in this orphanage and the people taking care of them, will have something to feed,” suggested Grace.

Speaking about the orphanage, Mrs. Muzan said: “We do adoption here, but with collaboration of the Lagos State government. Couples who want to adopt from us, will have to go first to Alausa Ikeja, to get approval, them come here to make their choices. We’re just vessels to take care of the babies. We do everything here with Lagos State government. Records of these babies are with Alausa and us. We however know that there are many orphanages around these areas which are operating without government approval.”
She told the Nigerian Compass that Compassionate Orphanage is headed by Reverend and Mrs. G.O Oyediji and has seasoned social workers.
“Our major goal is to see the abandoned children in our home fulfilled their destiny. We relate with the Lagos State social welfare department as well as the juvenile police for credibility and transparency. We provide a home where love is shared to the fullest and not just a house. We have seasoned workers and volunteers, providing adequate care for the children in the house as well as psycho-social support,” enthused Mrs. Muzan.
She further said that as the population of the children requiring help keep swelling, the resources available become grossly inadequate to meet, “all our needs, consequently we would appreciate people’s support.”