PEN Nigeria Urges Collaborative Efforts To Secure Future Of The Girl Child 

LAGOS – The United Nations declared October 11, 2024, the International Day of the Girl Child with the theme, “Girls’ Vision for the Future” to draw attention to the need to address the challenges girls face and to promote their empowerment as well as the fulfillment of their human right – the right to a safe, educated and healthy life not only during their critical formative years but also as they mature into adulthood as women. The UN believes that with the right support, resources and opportunities, the potential of the world’s 1.1 billion girls is limitless, noting that when the girls lead, the impact is immediate and wide reaching – families, communities and economies are stronger and our future brighter. 

It was in the light of the foregoing that the Nigerian Centre of PEN International (PEN Nigeria) in conjunction with the Department of English Education of Lagos State University of Education (LASUED), Oto/Ijanikin, on Friday, October 11, 2024, marked the 2024 International Day of the Girl Child at LASUED International Secondary School, Oto/Ijanikin, Lagos. 

Speaking on the essence of the Girl Child Day celebration, the President of PEN Nigeria, Dr. Folu Agoi, explained that there is need to create awareness about the challenges especially the socioeconomic, cultural and criminal tendencies that militate against the development of the girl child to attain their full potential with a view to finding solution to them. 

Dr. Agoi said the solution to the problems lies with every individual since government seemed to be too busy politicking to think of taking care of the citizens. 

“I think the solution will begin with the individual efforts, not with the government. The first thing is to have respect for the girl child.” 

He said respect is of utmost importance because “if you respect someone you won’t pull the person down. You won’t want to mess him or her up; neither would you want to exploit the person.” Dr. Agoi said, “The girl child is honourable; you know something about the female gender being tender and impressionistic. These are some of the things some people might want to exploit, and then the socio-economic situation in our country that put some problems on their path and so they become vulnerable such that anybody who flashes some cash their way can sway them from their focus.” 

He advised, “If you see the girl child to be vulnerable, what you should do is not to exploit them but allow them to grow and achieve their life expectations.” 

He noted some ways cultural practices and criminal tendencies especially in some parts of Nigeria work against the growth of the girl child. 

“Some communities even perceive the education of the girl child as a waste. For instance, a prominent Nigerian once said in a foreign land that his wife’s place belongs to the kitchen and the other room which is very derogatory. Such a person will consider the education of the girl child as a waste because in his mindset the girl child is going to end up in the kitchen or in the bedroom or the other room. Such people will not have respect or any interest in developing the girl child outside the home environment. That mindset is one of the things we are going to work on and see every component of the society as a piece of humanity that should be encouraged and supported to grow and develop knowing that development of every individual will actually impact on the development of the community. Government can then take it from there,” Dr. Agoi said. 

Addressing the students of the ACOED International School, Oto/ Ijanikin, who came in their numbers for the celebration, Halima Abdulazeez, a writer, poet and Secretary, Women Writers Committee of PEN Nigeria, urged the girl child to be aware of not only their talents and values but also to honour and respect them and stick to them, no matter the challenges they may face in life. 

She told them to realise that sometimes challenges will come their way which is normal in life but that they should not lose focus when they come but move ahead and make their world stand still by bringing their talents to bear. 

The poet/writer also advised the girl child to always strive to be part of the solutions to the problems of the world and not to be part of the problem. She urged them to face their studies as Malala said one pen, one teacher, one student’ will make the world a better pla ce. “You should take your studies seriously and make sure your dreams come true. And in line with the theme of this year’s celebration, you should see your vision as a mental picture of a preferred future so that you should have it photographed in your memory and through that constantly remind yourselves of where you are coming from and where you hope to be. I make example of myself. I used to have this psyche in the eyes of my future. Although it is not always easy, sometimes it looks like a fantasy but at the same time, you need to keep focused on it. You need to picture your future and when you do, you see it manifesting. The example of it is seeing me at the podium today. It was one of the visions I was having 40 years ago and it has come to life today,” she told them. 

Abdulazeez wished that all the girls that participated in this year of the girl child would bring that dream to fruition as she did that day. 

On his part, another speaker, Mr. S.K. Jesugbolunmi, an educationist, advised all stakeholders to make the girl child to know that she is a life project that must be patiently and carefully finished. 

Jesugbolunmi noted that no matter what teaching one may give to the girl child if she is not allowed to practise, she will not be able to practicalise whatever she was taught, insisting that understanding without application is useless. “So we must make them realise that they are the life project. We should be able to empower the girl child; give them support to support themselves,” he advised. 

He also advised stakeholders to look at their character and ensure it leads them to success. 

“The global stage is set: that is why we are having a day like this to remind them, ‘You are very important.’ They are growing; they should prepare themselves to the stage of celebration and not to be caged by the rage of self-indulgence,” he said. 

Jesugbounmi advised the girl child to have a life album, to keep her results there and often ask herself, ‘with these results, am I making progress or am I stagnating?’ 

“You should have the picture of what you want to be. A child who wants to be a lawyer should have a picture of a lawyer in the album. Discuss with parents to meet real lawyers. Arrange during holidays to go Lawyers’ offices,” he said. 

He urged filmmakers and book writers to make films and write books that are engaging to the children, not just for entertainment. He also advised parents to have time for the children, lamenting that many children do not understand their parents because they are always not available. 

He also advised government to take interest in the development leadership skills of the youth for they are the strength of the nation. 

Mrs. Omolauo Yusuf, who represented the Head of Department of English, told the girls that they are special children and enjoined them to aspire to be something in life. She told them that the chairman of the Governing Council of the institution and the vice-chancellor of the university are women. 

Mrs. Yusuf told the children, “A girl child is a very important child; a special child. For you to be a girl child, it means God has specially chosen you to lead. There is nothing that you give to a girl child that she will not multiply.” 

There was a sterling performance of poetry by Clementina Edore Owumi (a.k.a.) the Solutionist, which was educative for the children. The children also performed beautifully in their rendition of poetry and answered intelligently all the questions posed to them on the occasion. 

All hands must therefore be on deck to find solutions to the problems limiting the girl child to secure a future in which every girl can fulfill her potential.