By Elizabeth Osayande, edited by Osa Amadi

A Nigerian artist, Mr. Seidougha Eyimiegha, popularly known as Mr. Danfo has said that traffic violations and antecedent road accidents can be reduced when children are exposed to safety education.

He stated this recently a at safety workshop for children aged 5-15 years old, organised in partnership with Alliance Francaise, Lagos.

The event saw officers of the Federal Road Safety Corps educate young children on art and craft of road signs. The children also explored with their hands by painting and drawing the safety signs among other activities.

Speaking of the initiative, Mr. Danfo said: “Safety and street signs is a series designed to engage various safety professionals to educate children on safety precautions and help them understand the meanings of safety and caution signs.

“So, by this workshop, the future is safer as the younger generation is being taught safety. This will in turn reduce the challenges of traffic violations and road accidents.

“So our main goal is to empower the children to create their artworks with the use of safety signs or artworks based on safety themes. And we intend to have this workshop across various locations in the country,” Eyimiegha reiterated.

Speaking on the reason behind the collaboration with Mr. Danfo, the Culture Director, Alliance Française, ChicChic Umah, stated: “Part of the programme we are organising in Alliance Française this year was mostly to include more activities for children. So, Mr. Danfo exhibited with us last year and indicated his passion to work with the children on safety

signs, and we keyed into it. We are excited that the children are being engaged, and their parents are happy,” Umah said.

The Unit Commander, FRSC, Mrs. Esther Uzoma, accompanied by other FRSC officials noted that this kind of workshop was commendable as the impacts will not only reduce road accidents among children, but will also make them advocates of safety.

“We were invited by Mr. Danfo to talk to the children about safety. Our organisation believes road safety is everyone’s business including children who are also victims of road crises. We believe in catching them young. You will not understand the impacts of this kind of training. The long run is that these children will become advocates of safety,” Uzoma noted.

For a parent, Mrs. Patricia Chibueze, whose two children attended the training: “I bought two of my daughters here for the art exhibition. My first daughter has a craving for art, and I thought this will be an opportunity to engage her and her sister who will not only engage in what she likes but also learn about safety. I am also happy you people brought the FRSC officers to speak to the children,” Mrs. Chibueze said.