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Nigeria joined the rest of the world in commemorating the International Day of the Girl Child at the University of Lagos (UNILAG), where a convergence of students, thought leaders, and advocates reaffirmed the global call to liberate, educate, and empower the girl child beyond cultural limitations.
The event gathered various secondary schools alongside undergraduates and young leaders.
Convener of the conference, Mrs. Lechi Eke, Founder of Finished Works Enterprises, described the 2025 edition as a continuation of a divine mission that began nearly two decades ago. She recounted a defining dream she had in 2006, which led her to write the novel “The Girls Are Not to Blame.” In that dream, she saw a girl questioning the narrative that her only purpose was to marry, bear children, and disappear into domestic silence.
“We were made to believe growing up that our fathers would take care of us, and then husbands would take over. So, there was no responsibility on us,” she said. “But the real responsibility is on the woman. We are not meant to be seen and not heard. We are born to lead and to contribute.” Her voice rose with conviction, “It is not about just getting married and staying in the kitchen forever. The girl child must find her God-given purpose.”
Eke reminded the audience that as far back as 1948, the United Nations had declared education a fundamental human right, yet girls in many parts of the world still lack access. “They are pushed into early marriages, forced labour, sexual exploitation, trafficked, used as house helps, denied education, and silenced by culture, religion, and poverty,” she said. “Finished Works exists to break that chain. We will keep girls in school. We will train them in digital skills, secure financial aid, and demand capital punishment for sexual violations.”
She declared that the mindset must change. The girl child is not a burden. She is not meant to beg. She is not a supporting character in someone else’s story, she is a nation builder. “The society must protect, respect, educate, and empower her. The girl child is domesticated in nature, yes, but she carries divine purpose.”
There was a spirited drama presentation by the National Association of Students of English and Literary Studies (NASELS), dramatizing the struggles of the girl child from silencing and forced domesticity to her ultimate discovery of identity and purpose. This set the emotional tone for the day. Spoken word performances followed, with passionate young voices challenging societal norms and reimagining the future of the African girl. Winners from the competition walked away with prizes, but more importantly, with a platform and a voice.
The first keynote speaker, Dr. Favour Okafor, a federal agency director, delivered a stirring message themed “Said The Girl I Am.” She challenged girls to see themselves not as disadvantaged, but as divinely designed powerhouses.
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“To be a girl is not the problem,” she said powerfully. “The problem is when the girl does not know her worth. Celebrate your gender. When you honour who you are, low self-esteem dies. You have a right to live, to quality education, to Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. You have the right to make decisions that concern your life.”
She urged girls to be intentional about purpose. Change, she insisted, is conceived in the mind before it happens in society. “You can lead change in your family, in your community, and internationally. But you must have a mentor, set measurable goals, and evaluate your progress. There is no end to what you can become.”
The second guest speaker, Patience Obehi Enharo, an energy and sustainability professional in Nigeria’s oil and gas industry, focused on mindset and self-determination. She declared that what a girl sees and believes is what she will become.
“You must dare to dream, and dream big,” she charged. “Write down your vision for the next 10, 20, 30 years. Set SMART goals, specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time-bound. Be excellent at what you do. Never settle for mediocrity. Integrity will take you farther than certificates.”
She emphasized that Africa already has female presidents, global CEOs, innovators, scientists, proof that gender is no limitation. “But mindset is the gatekeeper. The world will only place a limit on you if you accept it.”
Her closing words were a battle cry “Do not wait for permission. Chart your own course.”
As the event came to a close, one truth echoed across the halls of UNILAG: the era of silence is over. The girl child is not waiting to be saved, she is awakening to her power. Not tomorrow. Now.
