Across Nigeria, women leaders and advocates have urged girls to rise, speak, and lead the change they wish to see. Their message echoed during the 2025 International Day of the Girl Child celebrations, themed “The Girl I Am, The Change I Lead: Girls on the Frontlines of Crisis.”
In Abuja, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central, told young women that identity and courage must come before ambition.
The senator, who returned to the Senate on October 7 after a six-month suspension, spoke at an event tagged “An Evening with Senator Natasha.”
“It’s important to identify the girl that I am,” she said. “Society defines and shapes us from childhood, and we’re rarely given the chance to think for ourselves. Before you figure out your career or the change you want to make, you must first know who you are.”
She condemned the cultural conditioning that teaches girls to endure shame and silence rather than speak up.
“Women have been raised to take the shame, wear the blame, and zip their mouths shut. But that ends with us. We must be bold, audacious, and fearless—to break barriers and climb higher mountains.”
Her message resonated with over 50 young women from across the country who attended the mentorship and empowerment session.
Among them was anti-human trafficking advocate Yakubu Oyiza Hope, who shared her journey from abduction and violence to advocacy. Participants described the gathering as “eye-opening and transformative,” urging Senator Natasha to create a formal mentorship network.
Renewed Calls for Investment in Girls’ Education and Leadership
In Rivers State, Dr (Mrs) Winnieenu Mbakpone, wife of the Tai Local Government chairman, called for stronger investment in girls’ education, healthcare, and leadership.
Speaking at Gbene Giniwa Hall, Saakpenwa, she stressed that communities must work together to build girls’ futures.
“This day shines a light on the unique challenges girls face across the world,” she said. “It reminds us of our collective duty to empower them through access to education, healthcare, and opportunities that enable them to thrive.”
She donated toiletries, books, and cash gifts to support girls and their guardians. Council chairman Mbakpone Okpe encouraged the girls to hold fast to discipline and faith, calling them “the foundation stones of success.”
Justice Lemea Ngbor, in her keynote, urged them to “embrace leadership and see themselves as agents of transformation.”
How many more girls could rise if each community made such effort a yearly tradition?
Kaduna Group Calls for Enforcement of Child Rights Act
In Kaduna, the Women Advocacy and Voter Education Nigeria (WAVEN) appealed for stronger national action against gender bias and child abuse.
Its founder, Comrade Maryam Gali, led an outreach at Government Secondary School, Ungwan Boro, where hundreds of female students received sanitary pads, books, pens, and cash.
“Gender inequality remains deep-seated in our society,” Gali said. “It starts from our homes, is reinforced in schools, and even extends to religious institutions. These biases continue to undermine girls’ confidence and limit their opportunities to lead.”
She lamented that although the Child Rights Act of 2003 exists, poor implementation allows early marriage and educational deprivation to persist in many states.
“Many states have yet to fully enforce the Act,” she said. “That is why child marriage and denial of education continue to plague our girls.”
She called on traditional and religious leaders to help dismantle norms that silence girls’ voices. One beneficiary, Miss Perseverance Sunday, a Senior Secondary School 2 student, expressed gratitude.
“We are encouraged to work harder and reminded that we can achieve great things if we stay focused.”
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