International Day of the Girl Child: Tawa Alli Pushes Education, Skills Acquisition for Oyo Girls

Wife of Oyo State APC governorship candidate, Senator Sharafadeen Alli, Chief (Mrs.) Tawakalt Sharafadeen Alli, has stressed the need to invest in girls’ education, skills acquisition and mentorship, declaring that empowering the girl child is critical to building stronger families and securing the future of society.

Tawa Alli, who was the guest speaker at the 2026 International Day of the Girl Child celebration organised by the Femi Showenimo Foundation in Ibadan on Sunday, October 11, said girls should be recognised not merely as future leaders but also as important contributors to society today.

Speaking at the programme themed “Omidan,” she maintained that educating a girl goes beyond securing a certificate, describing education as a powerful tool for building confidence, expanding opportunities and equipping young people to influence their communities positively.

“You matter. Your dreams matter. Your education matters. Your voice matters. Your future matters,” she told the girls, urging them to take their education seriously, acquire useful skills and pursue their ambitions without allowing societal expectations to limit their potential.

She also called for concerted efforts to protect girls from child marriage, violence, discrimination and poverty, warning that no child should have her dreams prematurely interrupted by circumstances beyond her control.

According to her, every girl deserves the opportunity to remain in school, develop her talents, enjoy her childhood and make informed choices about her future.

Tawa Alli emphasised that education must be complemented by practical skills, particularly in science, technology, digital innovation, entrepreneurship, communication and critical thinking, to prepare girls for a rapidly changing world.

She disclosed that education and skills acquisition had remained important aspects of her husband’s developmental initiatives as a senator, expressing optimism that such efforts would be expanded if he is elected governor of Oyo State in 2027.

The APC governorship candidate’s wife argued that public policies and leadership commitments must translate into better schools, safer communities, vocational training and wider opportunities for young people across the state.

She stressed that a girl’s geographical location should never determine the scale of her ambition, noting that young people in Ibadan, Oke-Ogun, Ogbomoso, Ibarapa and other parts of Oyo State deserve equal opportunities to learn, grow and succeed.

Moving beyond the celebration, Tawa Alli urged stakeholders to support practical interventions, including scholarships, learning materials, digital access, science and technology facilities, mentorship programmes and safe learning environments for girls.

She equally appealed to parents to listen to their daughters, encourage their ambitions and help them discover their abilities, while urging teachers to continue inspiring young girls to believe in themselves and pursue excellence.

Addressing the girls directly, she advised them to read widely, learn useful skills, choose their friends carefully, protect their dignity and remain determined in the face of challenges.

She, however, reminded them that ambition must be guided by good character, humility, compassion and respect for others.

Tawa Alli also called for structured mentorship programmes that would connect girls with accomplished women in medicine, engineering, entrepreneurship, science, technology and public service, saying such encounters could help young people see what they could achieve.

She commended the Femi Showenimo Foundation for providing a platform to celebrate and empower girls, urging the organisers and other stakeholders to transform the Omidan initiative from an annual event into a sustained movement for girls’ education, protection and development.

“When we invest in a girl, we invest in a generation,” she declared, adding that protecting girls and expanding their opportunities would give society greater reasons to hope.

She urged parents, teachers, traditional rulers, community leaders and other stakeholders to work together to ensure that every girl has access to education, dignity, protection and the opportunity to fulfil her potential.