The wife of the Chairman of Oyigbo Local Government Area, Dr. Linda Nkeiru Akara Nwaogu, has called for greater protection of the rights of the girl child, urging parents and stakeholders to prioritise education, healthcare, equal opportunities and personal development.
She made the call during the council’s commemoration of the International Day of the Girl Child at the council secretariat, under the theme, “End Child Marriage and Invest in Girls’ Rights.”
Nwaogu stressed that every girl deserves to live with dignity, develop her talents and pursue her aspirations without fear of abuse, discrimination or exploitation.
“You are valuable, you are intelligent, you are beautiful. You have a voice, you have a purpose, you have a future,” she told the girls, urging them to study hard, dream big, choose their friends wisely and speak confidently.
She also called on parents to protect their daughters, listen to their concerns and support their ambitions, noting that investing in girls was essential to the nation’s future.
Speaking on the topic, “The Girl Child: Her Right, Her Voice and Her Future,” the Desk Officer for Out-of-School Children at the Rivers State Universal Basic Education Board (RSUBEB), Dr. Ebieyi Philomena Nwibani, urged parents to empower girls to understand their rights, express themselves confidently and take responsibility for their future.
Nwibani emphasised the importance of emotional intelligence, effective communication and open conversations between mothers and daughters, adding that girls could achieve great things when given equal opportunities.
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Similarly, the wife of the former Oyigbo Caretaker Committee Chairman, Deaconess Joy Inagbo Oyegorom, highlighted the dangers of child marriage, including interrupted education, health complications and emotional distress.
She urged parents to allow their daughters to complete their education and support their dreams, stressing that girls should not be regarded as a burden but as individuals with the potential to contribute meaningfully to society.
Oyegorom also called on teachers and community stakeholders to sustain efforts to protect girls and promote education as a key strategy for ending child marriage.
In her remarks, the Vice Chairman of Oyigbo LGA, Hon. Juliana Ngozi Okorie, thanked Nwaogu, the speakers, and other stakeholders for their contributions, urging the girls to remain focused and learn from their teachers and parents.
The event featured presentations and discussions by pupils and students from various public and private schools, who demonstrated their understanding of the theme through their contributions.
Outstanding participants received prizes in recognition of their performances, while all girls in attendance received gifts, including sanitary pads and exercise books.
The programme also featured interactive sessions and prayers for the welfare and future of the girl child.
The commemoration reinforced the need for collective action by government, parents, schools and community leaders to end child marriage, protect girls’ rights and ensure that every girl has access to education, safety and opportunities to fulfil her potential.
