By Ade Oyeyemi
The Ondo State Government has introduced a Girl Child Ambassador Initiative aimed at tackling child marriage, sexual exploitation and other harmful practices affecting girls across the state.
The programme was unveiled on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, during the state’s commemoration of the International Day of the Girl Child. A total of 80 students were selected as ambassadors to promote the campaign in their schools and communities.
Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, represented by the Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Prof. Igbekele Ajibefun, said the initiative was designed to protect girls’ rights and equip them to make informed decisions about their education, safety and future.
He described the annual celebration as an opportunity to renew efforts towards the education, protection and development of girls, noting that education was essential to preparing them for leadership and helping them realise their ambitions.
The governor said his administration had invested in education through infrastructure development, the provision of well-equipped laboratories and the recruitment of more than 2,000 teachers in the previous year.
He added that scholarship schemes and the payment of West African Examinations Council examination fees were among the measures introduced to improve access to education in the state.
Aiyedatiwa urged students to remain committed to their studies and avoid distractions, stressing that quality education would provide them with the knowledge and skills required to excel in their chosen careers.
He also encouraged girls to pursue leadership positions and contribute to governance, professional development and national growth.
The governor congratulated the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Dr Seun Bosede Osamaye, and her team for initiating the programme.
Speaking at the event, Osamaye said the initiative reflected the commitment of the Aiyedatiwa administration and the governor’s wife, Mrs Oluwaseun Aiyedatiwa, to helping girls become confident, responsible and fulfilled women.
She explained that the selected ambassadors would be trained to educate their peers on personal safety, self-confidence, positive values and the protection of girls’ rights.
According to her, the programme was intended to sustain the campaign beyond the annual celebration by taking its messages directly to schools and communities across Ondo State.
Osamaye maintained that every girl deserved access to education, protection and equal opportunities to fulfil her potential without discrimination or exposure to harmful practices.
She warned that child marriage could interrupt girls’ education and expose them to physical and emotional harm. She also urged girls who felt threatened or unsafe to speak out and seek assistance from trusted adults and relevant authorities.
The commissioner advocated abstinence before marriage as part of the initiative’s values-based approach, alongside education on body safety, personal boundaries, responsible decision-making and protection against sexual coercion and exploitation.
She called on parents, teachers, traditional rulers, religious leaders and other stakeholders to work together to create safer environments for girls.
The initiative is built around a five-part message known as the 5 Paths Creed: “My Voice, My Strength”; “My Body, My Asset”; “No to Sex Before Marriage”; “No to Child Marriage”; and “Yes to a Life of Purpose”.
Osamaye charged the newly appointed ambassadors to lead by example and encourage their peers to reject child marriage and sexual exploitation.
In her keynote address, Princess Linda Olabisi Adanri, who spoke on the theme, “Protecting and Empowering the Girl Child”, called for collective action to address discrimination, abuse, barriers to education and child marriage.
She urged the government to strengthen child protection mechanisms and enforce relevant laws, while calling on parents, traditional rulers, religious leaders and communities to reject practices that endanger girls.
Adanri also encouraged girls to speak confidently, report abuse, develop their talents and pursue their ambitions through education, discipline and determination.
She urged parents and teachers to listen to girls, take their concerns seriously and provide opportunities for them to develop leadership skills.
In separate goodwill messages, the Chairmen of the Ondo State Teaching Service Commission, Dr Daisi Olushola Oke, and the State Universal Basic Education Board, Princess Brown Ademulegun, described education as a critical tool for preventing child marriage and empowering girls.
They said early marriage could disrupt girls’ schooling, threaten their well-being and restrict their future prospects.
The officials called on government agencies, parents, traditional rulers, religious leaders and civil society organisations to collaborate in protecting girls’ rights and ending child marriage.
They added that investment in girls’ education would strengthen families, build prosperous communities and contribute to national development, urging parents to keep their daughters in school rather than expose them to early marriage.
Similarly, the Iralepo of Isikan, Oba Oluwagbenga Ojo, urged girls to believe in their abilities, noting that they could become governors, doctors, engineers, scientists and other professionals if given the necessary education and support.
The traditional ruler called on parents and the government to invest in girls’ education, protect them from abuse and provide equal opportunities for them to achieve their potential.
He also advised the students to remain focused, disciplined and committed to their studies while upholding their dignity and self-respect.
Other speakers addressed different aspects of the 5 Paths Creed. The Speaker of the Third Ondo State Children’s Parliament, Rt. Joy Hon. Poroye, spoke on “My Voice, My Strength”, while Comrade Janet Akindejoye addressed “My Body, My Asset” and “Yes to a Life of Purpose”.
Pharm. Ojo, Head of Operations at APIN Public Health Initiatives, spoke on “No to Sex Before Marriage”, while the Chief Executive Officer of Restoration of Dignity of Womanhood, Mrs Olabisi Omolona, addressed “No to Child Marriage”.
In his closing remarks, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, Senior High Chief Kayode Kolawole, thanked the governor and his wife for their commitment to the welfare of women and girls in the state.
He also commended Osamaye, relevant ministries and other stakeholders for supporting the initiative, urging them to turn the messages of the celebration into practical measures that would improve girls’ lives.
The event was attended by representatives of government ministries and agencies, traditional institutions, civil society organisations and other stakeholders.
The organisers said 120 secondary schools participated in the programme, while 80 girls were selected as ambassadors, with two students representing each of the 40 schools from which the ambassadors were drawn.
