Ogun First Lady Commemorates International Girl Child Day, Crowns Girl child 2021

The need for continued support of the girl child by providing accelerated digital platforms for learning, earning and connecting has again been brought to fore. 

First Lady and wife of the Ogun state Governor, Mrs. Bamidele Abiodun reiterated this at the commemoration of the 2021 International Day of the Girl Child organized by her Pet Project, Ajose Foundation and the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, held at the Valley View Auditorium, Oke Igbein, Abeokuta.

The First Lady expressed her pleasure at the ability of the State to join the rest of the world to strengthen it's commitment to creating avenues for more solutions to gender inequality under the theme: "Digital Generation, Our Generation".

She said "You all know that the girl child is very dear to me and every opportunity to support, encourage and champion their cause will always be a priority. This year, with the theme: Digital Generation, Our Generation, we are joining the global community to strengthen our commitment to creating avenues for more solutions to gender inequality".

She added that "Bridging the gender digital divide goes beyond having a computer lab in your school. It also means that more girls should be able to have a personal computer with access to tech related skills and jobs. Today, courtesy of our esteemed sponsors and partners. Some of our girls will be recipients of some devices to help them continue on their   path to greatness. With more partners and donors, we can reach many more girls over the few months and years. You girls have made me immensely proud with your brilliant presentations and I want you to keep soaring higher".

Mrs. Abiodun said she  engaged with partners and donors to establish the first tech lab under Ajose Foundation in Ilisan Remo with plan to building more, over the coming months explaining that the labs were fully equipped with computers, internet access and other learning aids to help our students pursue their dreams without inhibition.

In his welcome address, Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Prof. Abayomi Arigbabu appreciated Mrs. Abiodun for championing the cause of the girl child in the state through her various initiatives and gestures.

He highlighted salient issues that bordered on the girl child to include inaccessibility to school education, gender based violence, female genital mutilation and a host of others.

  

He urged parents, organizations, individuals, schools to assist in lending a voice to the girl child and help to nurture them into responsible future leaders, advising the girls to face their studies and utilize the digital platforms they were exposed to, to their advantage.

The resource persons, Mrs. Abiola Adeboye of Nineteen Youth Foundation lectured the girls on hygiene while Princess Feyikemi Egbeyemi lectured them on turning waste to wealth to earn and support their themselves and their parents through the business.

The program had in attendance, girls drawn from secondary public schools across the four divisions of the state and featured among others, cultural display, music choreography and speaking competition.  

The first position in the speaking competition was taken by Miss Irechukwu Rebecca, SS3 student of Remo Divisional High School and was crowned by the First Lady as the "Girl  Child of 2021" with a gift of a laptop. Winners of the second and third positions also received the gift of a laptop each while the fourth and fifth positions winners got iPad each and every girl at the event got educational and cash  prizes.

   

Also present at the event were members of Spouses of Ogun State Functionaries Association, Female Permanent Secretaries and invited dignitaries among others.