Empowering A Girl-Child's One Of The Greatest Investments In Life Says Ologba of Ogbland

 

Yomi Durojaye

The Ologba of Ogbaland, HRM, Oba Surv. Abdulateef Oladimeji Egbeyemi said that one of the greatest Investment in life is to empower girls child.

Ologba stated this recently at the distribution of Sanitary pads to female children in one of the schools in Lagos. 

The event held at Yewa Secondary School, Agege Lagos, organised by Olori Foundation. Themed: Sexual Purity & Menstral Hygiene.

Oba Abdulateef said "Today's programme is not merely about the distribution of sanitary pads. It is about education, dignity, confidence, health, and empowerment. It is about ensuring that every girl-child understands her body, embraces womanhood with confidence, and has access to the knowledge and resources necessary to maintain proper personal hygiene.

"My dear daughters, menstruation is a natural and healthy part of life. It is not a source of shame, fear, or embarrassment. Rather, it is a sign of growth and development. Unfortunately, many young girls still suffer from misinformation, stigma, and inadequate access to menstrual hygiene products. As a society, we must continue to break these barriers through education and support.

"As a traditional ruler and father to all within my kingdom, I firmly believe that educating and empowering a girl-child is one of the greatest investments any society can make. An educated girl becomes a confident woman; a confident woman builds a stronger family; and strong families build prosperous communities and nations.

"This programme therefore seeks to Promote awareness on menstrual hygiene and healthy living; Encourage good personal hygiene practices; Build self-confidence among young girls; Reduce absenteeism from school during menstrual periods; Support the overall well-being and academic success of our students.

"To our young students gathered here today, I urge you to listen attentively to the educational session. Ask questions without fear. Knowledge is power, and there is no shame in seeking information that will help you live healthier and happier lives.

"To the boys present here, I encourage you to be supportive, respectful, and understanding toward your female classmates and sisters. Building a compassionate society requires mutual respect and empathy from everyone.

"The Palace of Ologba of Ogba Kingdom remains committed to initiatives that promote education, health, youth development, and community advancement. We shall continue to partner with organizations, government agencies, and well-meaning individuals whose programmes contribute positively to the welfare of our people.

"I commend Olori's Foundation for its vision, compassion, and dedication to the well-being of young girls. May this initiative continue to touch lives and inspire hope in many communities.

As our Yoruba forefathers wisely said:

"Ìwà l'ẹwà ọmọ ènìyàn."

Good character is the true beauty of a person.

And another proverb says:

"Ẹkọ́ ni ìmólẹ̀, ẹni tí ó bá ní ẹkọ́, ó ní ìmọ̀lára ọjọ́ ọ̀la."

Education is light; whoever acquires education gains a brighter future". Ologba concluded.

Earlier, the founder Olori Foundation, Mrs. Lydia Oyasodun  speaking through the Project Manager,  Happy Tanko who provides menstrual hygiene education, told AgegePulse how some female relied on rags and tissue paper for menstrual flow as a teenager.

She highlighted that using inadequate menstrual products led to infections, which were costly to treat, an experience that sparked her desire to address the systemic issues surrounding menstrual health. noting that the programme was a vital menstrual health intervention designed to empower school girls, especially in the rural communities in Lagos, Nigeria.

EKOEXCEL: We’ll Continue Massive Investments in Education Sector - Sanwo-Olu

AgegePulse Magazine

...Lagos Graduates Teachers In Professional And Training Programme

...Gov Promises Car Gifts To Best Primary School Teachers

Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Saturday reaffirmed his administration's plan to transform the educational sector of the State, vowing to increase government's investment for the good of the pupils.

Over 3000 teachers from various schools and education districts across the State converged at De Blue Roof of the Lagos Television, Ikeja where the Governor formally launched the EKOEXCEL, a teachers’ professional development and training programme.

Earlier, primary school teachers went through a 2 weeks training process, organised by the State Universal Basic Education Board (LSUBEB) to increase capacity and develop manpower of teachers in the State.

Sanwo-olu noted that at the end, over 14,000 primary school teachers would have benefited from the initiative while over 500,000 pupils would have been positively impacted.

The Governor said: “I am particularly happy that this programme is holding at a time when all hands are on deck to ensure that the quality of teaching and learning is improved across all our schools in the State.

“As a responsible government, we will continue the massive investment in this sector, with the training and retraining of our teachers, making the sector more ICT compliant, exposing our teachers to international best practices as well as ensuring that our schools become a destination for work and learning.

“We resolved to address these problems through combining innovative technological approach that is scientifically based, with effective training and empowering our teachers in every Local Government to strengthen their capacity and deliver quality education to our children.”

The Governor, in a bid to encourage teachers and make good examples from outstanding ones, said the State Government will identify the best Head Teachers in all the 20 LGs and 37 LCDAs and reward them with a car each.

He noted that his administration is not paying lip service to the repositioning of the educational sector, noting that it is the reason the education ministry got a significantly higher envelope in the 2020 budget.

The Governor also promised that teachers will undergo free sight assessment and reading glasses will be provided for every teacher that requires it to be able to discharge their duties effectively.

EKOEXCEL, which is Excellence in Child Learning and Education Programme is a Lagos State primary education transformation initiative.

With the EKOEXCEL Programme, over 14,000 Head Teachers and teachers will be moved from analogue to digital teaching, using tablets and updated curriculum. Over 3,000 primary school teachers from 300 public primary schools have been captured under the Pilot Scheme.

An initiative of the Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu administration, the EKOEXCEL is aimed at developing a highly-skilled teaching workforce by training, supporting and motivating Lagos State teachers to succeed in the classroom of tomorrow and enhance the State Basic Education curriculum thereby empowering children to compete effectively in the world of work.

The programme will equip teachers with skills to deliver value, empower pupils with requisite knowledge to improve education and help in sustaining the growth of Lagos State as a leading knowledge driven city and economy in the world.