By Peter Dansu The Badagry Local Government Secretariat was filled with excitement on Tuesday, October 14, 2025, as the First Lady of Badag...
By Peter Dansu
The Badagry Local Government Secretariat was filled with excitement on Tuesday, October 14, 2025, as the First Lady of Badagry Local Government, Chief (Mrs.) Elizabeth Oluwatoyin Hunpe, in collaboration with the Badagry Local Government Council, hosted a vibrant event to commemorate the 2025 International Day of the Girl Child.
This year’s global theme, “The Girl I Am, The Change I Lead: Girls on the Frontlines of Crisis,” highlighted the power, leadership, and resilience of girls, especially in difficult circumstances.
The programme drew students and pupils from schools across Badagry and Badagry West, as well as youth groups, educators, community leaders, and representatives of non-governmental organizations. It featured a lineup of activities including motivational talks, cultural performances, panel discussions, and interactive workshops aimed at inspiring girls to embrace leadership and strive for excellence.
In her opening remarks, Mrs. Hunpe stressed the importance of creating an enabling environment where girls can thrive as leaders, innovators, and agents of positive change. She called on parents, educators, and government authorities to take deliberate steps to support and amplify the voices of girls in their communities.
“Every girl deserves the chance to lead at home, in school, and in society. Our responsibility as adults is to support and nurture that potential,” she said.
Guest speakers, including Mrs. Atinuke Taiwo, Ex-officio of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Badagry Chapter, and representatives of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), delivered inspiring sessions that focused on the importance of education and empowerment for the girl child. They encouraged the students to see themselves as essential contributors to national growth and to be motivated by women who have excelled in various fields.
More than 300 schoolchildren attended the event and were presented with special gift packs from the First Lady. In a highlight moment, three students were appointed as Ambassadors of the Office of the First Lady in recognition of their outstanding cultural dance performance in the Ogu language.
The event was further enlivened by cultural displays and artistic presentations from the students, which beautifully captured the spirit of leadership and resilience that the day sought to promote.
Officials of the Badagry Local Government commended Mrs. Hunpe for her unwavering commitment to women and youth empowerment, reaffirming the council’s support for initiatives that enhance the education, health, safety, and leadership of the girl child.
As the celebration came to an end, participants echoed a collective call to action — urging all stakeholders to support girl-led initiatives, close gender gaps, and ensure that girls across Badagry are not only seen and heard, but given the platform and support to lead.
The event left every attendee inspired and reinforced Badagry’s growing commitment to raising a generation of confident, educated, and visionary young women prepared to drive positive change in their communities and beyond.
No comments