No Child Will Be Left Out of School.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has vowed to remain committed to ensuring no child is left out of School. He gave this assurance at the Organisation of African First Ladies for Development (OAFLAD) Nigeria’s campaign launch, “WeAreEqual,” themed, “Education as a Powerful Tool for Change: No Girl Left Behind,” hosted by the wife of the President, the first lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Sen Oluremi Tinubu.
While addressing the distinguished audience of First Ladies from across Africa, government officials and members of the diplomatic corps, the renewed hope advocate, President Tinubu highlighted the critical role of education in fostering gender equity and providing equal opportunities for all.
President Tinubu commended the efforts of African first ladies in advancing gender equality and lauded the initiatives undertaken in various African nations to empower women and girls. In his words, “I salute the commitment and dedication of the African First Ladies, as members of OAFLAD, to advance gender equality and narrow the gender gap in opportunities and appointments across the African continent. He underscored the importance of creating inclusive educational opportunities for all children, particularly emphasising the significance of supporting the girl child.
Congratulating the first ladies, Tinubu said, “I am aware that this campaign has been successfully launched in 15 other African countries, focusing on health, education, economic empowerment and gender based violence. I am also delighted to learn of all the various initiatives that you have embarked upon in your respective countries. I celebrate you all. his campaign, spearheaded by your excellences, holds significant importance for us in Africa. I, therefore, congratulate you all. He also particularly congratulate his wife, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, the First Lady of Nigeria, for chosen education as a primary tool to champion this campaign nationwide.
He praised the reintroduction of the alternative high school for girls in Nigeria by the First Lady, a programme aimed at offering a second chance for young girls to pursue their education and contribute meaningfully to national development.
Tinubu emphasised the transformative power of education, citing it as a cornerstone for national progress and prosperity. He called for concerted efforts to eliminate structural inequalities that hinder women’s advancement and stressed the need for policies that promote women’s rights, education, and economic empowerment.
He said: “It is noteworthy that the launch of this laudable campaign in Nigeria came with the reintroduction of the alternative high school for girls by the First Lady. This initiative offers a second chance to young girls who have dropped out of school to further their education and fulfil their dreams and aspirations and become a very important contributor to the development of our nation.
In her remarks, the Nigerian First Lady, Mrs Oluremi Tinubu explained that the #WeAreEqual campaign is a year-long, continent-wide initiative, led by OAFLAD. She added that the campaign, which she describes as significant, unites African First Ladies, partners, and allies in their collective effort to advance gender equity and bridge the gender gap throughout the continent.
Mrs. Tinubu added that the campaign was focused on four main pillars, namely health, gender-based violence, education and economic empowerment, to rally stakeholders and call for action around each of these key issues. In her words, “To promote the “#WeAreEqual” campaign in Nigeria, I have decided to use education as a tool, while also not neglecting other pillars of the campaign, many of which are also being championed under the scope of the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI), which is led by my office to complement the efforts of the administration of Mr. President.”
The President concluded his speech by asking the African First Ladies to feel free to ask him of anything that would make it possible for every child to access education, saying, “If there’s anything you want me to contribute, I’m ready and available.”
