Malala takes 26th birthday celebrations to Nigeria, advocates support for girl-child education

Malala

 

By Aminat Aminu & Folarin Owobibi

Pakistani female education activist and the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize laureate at the Malala Yousafzai has urged Nigerian government and education stakeholders to invest more in the country’s education sector.

Malala made the call whe she visited Nigeria to commemorate her 26th birthday, adding that girls education is important here, and most important is the girl child education as it will determine the future of Nigeria.

Malala said: ” I am here in Nigeria to celebrate my 26th birthday. Since my UN speech at age 16, I have been going around the world meeting girls from different parts of the world and raising awareness about the issues that girls face.

“We know that there are more than 120million girls who do not have access to education right now and just as people spoke out about my education, I want them to think about the education of other girls as well.

“In Nigeria, I’m here because girls education is important here. It will determine the future of Nigeria. So, I am here because I want to bring attention to those issues. I am here to speak as well and share my thoughts with the communalities, and also lucky that I was able to meet girls in Abuja.

Malala revealed that she was able to meet incredible girls, visit their schools and also meet education activists during her visits to Borno state in the northeastern part of the country, noting that, it is the work of the education activists, girls and civil society and government that gives hope for better future for education of all children, especially girls.

She further express her environment saying: ” I was very lucky that I had the meeting with the vice president and he gave us his time; he gave us his support.

“I would ask here in Nigeria that all governments of states, all party members make commitment to ensure that every child in Nigeria has access to a complete education, which includes senior secondary education as well; that every child has access to free and quality education and the second I ask is that we make full financial commitment to ensure that no child is left behind in this country.”

She explained that having been to Nigeria three times,
her recent visit has shown how much has changed in terms of government’s commitment of government, civil society and education activists and the determination of girls in furtherance of education in Nigeria.

” I came here in 2014 to show solidarity to the Chibok girls who had been abducted and I was able to meet their parents as well. I came here again in 2017 and I saw more of the work that activists are doing and I met girls. I’m here again and I have seen how much has changed in the past few years and it is because of the commitment of government officials and also the work of the civil society and education activists and the determination of girls. I was able to meet girls and hear from them directly how they are standing up for their rights.

“They are not remaining silent. They want a better education; they want quality education for themselves. So, that is what gives me hope and that is what brings me to Nigeria and I think that tells us that the future of Nigeria is bright if you give girls a chance and if you invest in their education.”

Speaking on Malala’s visit,
Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, Amina Mohammed emphasised that her visit
is not just an inspiration call to the government, but also the rest of society, especially as it is extremely important for the new administration who is passionate about eduction begins its journey of the next four years.

“Ten years ago, Malala made her speech at the UN. She is the UN Peace Messenger. This time around you decided on her 10-year anniversary she wanted to make the advocacy for education here in this country. We have large number of out-of-school children.

“We know that the quality of education is not what every child should have in this country and an advocacy to an administration that is coming in; that believes in education is an important timing.

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“So, her voice, her inspiration, not just to government, but the rest of society, to governors that we met yesterday, is extremely important as this administration begins its journey of the next four years.”