When Yagba women rallied their community for girl-child education

ON October 30 this year, Nigeria joined other countries in commemorating the International Day of the Girl Child, with the theme: The Power of the Adolescent Girl: Vision for 2030. Most remarkable of the event was the revelation by UNICEF that 60 per cent of the 10.5 million children out-of-school children in Nigeria were girls.

With funding from the United Kingdom Department for International Development, five participating states provided counterpart fund to kickstart the Girls’ Education Project, with a target that the Girls’ Education Project Phase 3 would achieve one million enrolment of girls into school by the end of 2020. According to UNICEF, the project is currently running in Bauchi, Katsina, Niger, Sokoto and Zamfara states.

It is against this backdrop of the bid to transform the narrative of girl-child education and enhance the living standard among women in Oranre community of Yagba East Local Government Area that the Secretary to Kogi State Government, Mrs Folashade Arike Ayoade has led a group of prominent men and women within and outside the state capital to embark on a collaborative effort on the girl child, especially within their communities. The occasion was the Women’s Day celebration by members of the South-East Yagba Development Association (SEYDA) while affording the group the opportunity to raise awareness for its cause.

In line with their commitment towards changing the fortune of the girl-child in its rural community, the group also used the occasion to launch its N50 million community developments and Educational Enhancement Fund. Hundreds of South East Yagba indigenes from different communities in the state and beyond converged on Oranre, Yagba East LG to celebrate this historic event.

The community, which is serene and beautifully tucked into the busy highway to Yagba, Oranre is literally known for its culture of hospitality and historical heritage. It was indeed one celebration the people of the area would not forget in a hurry, as it brought together members of the community in Nigeria and the Diaspora, especially those based in Lokoja and its environs. They were joined by their kith and kin, as well as a string of other well-wishers and tourists from far and wide.

Among those that graced the event were members of Kogi State House of Assembly, Honourable Musa Jimoh Omiata; Administrator of Yagba East LGA, Honourable Rasaq Ijagbemi Ashiru; Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Bolanle Amupitan (Special Guest of Honour); The Olukotun of Ife-Olukotun, Oba Mohammed Shuaib (Royal father of the day); Oba of Oranre, Oba Aliu Olusegun (Chief Host); Leader, South East Yagba, Chief Sunmonu Asani (Grand Patron SEYDA/SEYDAW); Matron SEYDAW, a legal practitioner. V.F. Awomolo (SAN); chairman of SEYDA, Ambassador Sola Enikanolaiye; Yeye Oba of Ogbom, Olori M. B. Orebiyi (mother of the day); host and president, SEYDAW/Women Leader, Chief Ebunolomo Joel (JP), among others.

Oranre is known for its historical heritage and in view of this is the fact that there were tremendous opportunities for investments in the tourism sector in the country. If those historical endowments are being adequately harnessed, Oranre has the potential of becoming a tourism hub that can attract infrastructural development to the community and as well open the community to the international scene.

As one approached the venue of the event, one  is first greeted by the array of colours that adorned every available space of the venue which also happen to be the community’s health care centre. From the scores of colourful cultural attires of both men and women of the community, to the gaily display by dancers from the various groups, the audience were treated to hours of raw African culture which included the showcasing of age-long professions people of the community are known for.

The annual celebration serves as a platform as well as an avenue for Oranre women from far and near to celebrate themselves, socialise, relieve themselves from the tension of work in the cities, rub minds on key issues affecting the development of girl-child in the community as well as provide solution to the immediate needs of women in the community.

• Stop violating women’s rights

Shedding light on the event, the women leader and president of South-East Yagba Development Association (SEYDA), women wing, Mrs. Ebun Joel described SEYDA as a voluntary, non-political, non-religious, non-governmental and non-profit group and more as a socio-cultural group that is made up of all interested women in the district either by birth or by marriage. She added that the association which was established in 2001 was basically tailored at rendering humanitarian services with particular emphasis on supporting women and the girl-child in the community. The body, she noted,  became a wing of the main body of SEYDA few years ago on the advice from the grand patron who wanted everyone to work together in one accord without rancor.

While speaking on the projects carried out by SEYDA, Mrs Joel stated that the group has carried out a lot of developmental programme in the district ranging from payment of WAEC fees for the girls, provision of school materials, hospital equipment, sensitization of the populace on HIV and to create a second chance for teenage or young mothers to access new opportunities that could improve their lives and the society at large.

According to her, the group had planned to offset WAEC fees of 15 secondary school girls but for the swift response of one of the major stakeholders in the community, in person of Elder Leke Abejide who promised to take up the support for the girls and also all the SSIII students in the whole of Yagba land. Notwithstanding, she added that the women wing was now looking into other areas through which they can render support to the girls.

While appreciating the royal fathers, grand patrons and members of the community for their unfailing support towards the growth and development of women in the community, she used the opportunity to appeal to the state government among other things to help hasten the work on the bad roads in Yagba, enhance security across the community, and support in turning around the fortunes of the educational sector of the community in view of its key role in providing manpower needs of the people.

In his message, Governor Yahaya Bello said the state government was committed to the wellbeing of its citizens with special emphasis on girl-child education. Represented by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Mrs Folashade Arike Ayoade, he further enjoined the people of the community to be proactive to the development of the land by cherishing and promoting their cultural heritage, just as he urged the women not to relent in their efforts at bringing development to the community.

Earlier in his remarks, the chief host and member of the Kogi State House of Assembly, Honourable Musa Jimoh Omaita, thanked the women for being proactive towards the girl-child education and sensitization of girls towards becoming women of substance in future. He assured the women that the government of the day was poised towards achieving it promises hence its resolve to ensure all ongoing project that were temporarily suspended would soon be revisited for completion.

In his goodwill message, chairman, South-East Yagba Development Association, Ambassador Sola Enikanolaiye noted that the occasion was significant for creating a platform for projecting the unity, vision and strong commitment of the women to the advancement of peace and development agenda of the East -Yagba (Oke-Oyi) district. He added that the occasion was also a reflection of the collective efforts  of the womenfolk to take the lead in the promotion of education as an instrument of social transformation of the community with particular emphasis on the girl-child and the under-privileged.

While congratulating the executive council of the women wing, he promised the unflinching supports of the umbrella body under his watch. He added that he was working and pooling resources together as part of efforts to ensure that all stakeholders join hands in taking the area to greater heights politically, socially and economically in the years ahead. Other dignitaries at the occasion were AlhajiIsiaq Ajibola, TSC Chairman and former Managing Director,Daily Trust; Honouroable Toba Adebayo, Hon. Mrs. Olamide Adesoro, and philanthropist, Leke Abejide.  Another major highlight of the event was the launch of the N50 million educational endowment funds, health walk and a lecture delivered by Mrs. F.G Fagbemi with the theme: Be independent, Get empowered, cultural dance, and presentation of investiture certificate to some notable sons and daughters of SEYDA.