NAWOJ Anambra Celebrates International Day of the Girl Child, Calls for Empowerment and Leadership Development
By Chizoba Njaka
The gathering attracted students from numerous schools across Awka and its environs, including Girls Secondary School, Community Secondary School, State Model School, and several others, reflecting wide community engagement.
In a keynote presentation titled "Grooming the Girl Child for Success," the Commissioner for Special Duties, Rt Hon Beverly Ikpeazu-Nkemdiche, shared profound insights from her experience as a determined and disciplined mother.
She commended NAWOJ’s leadership for organizing the event and extended heartfelt encouragement to all attendees.
Emphasizing the critical role of nurturing girls in national development, she stated, “When you are nurturing a girl child, you are nurturing a nation,” praying for boldness, strength, and excellence in their pursuits.
Ikpeazu-Nkemdiche urged the girls to be intentional about their personal growth, drawing from her academic journey to highlight the necessity of discipline and focus. She stressed the importance of grooming, neatness, and self-respect, cautioning against immodesty and inappropriate attire as a matter of dignity.
She further underscored emotional and psychological grooming, advocating for mental wellbeing alongside physical appearance. Addressing societal challenges, she lamented the undervaluation of girls and praised their exceptional potential. She also warned against distractions, particularly the unrestricted use of smartphones, which can undermine focus and academic progress.
The Commissioner encouraged openness, advising girls to seek support from trusted adults to avoid emotional distress, and warned about peer pressure and secrecy, advocating for strong moral values and character development. She also called on teachers to actively support students’ emotional wellbeing and encouraged collaboration between parents and educators.
In response to a student’s question about who to confide in when parents are unavailable, Ikpeazu-Nkemdiche advised turning to trustworthy teachers or relatives. This practical guidance reinforced the message of seeking reliable support systems.
In her remark, the Chairperson of the occasion, Professor Stella Okunna, inspired the attendees by urging girls to believe in themselves despite cultural biases within Igbo society.
She affirmed that the era when girls were marginalized has passed and encouraged them to seize every beneficial opportunity while avoiding distractions.
Also in her keynote address, Professor Nkechi Ikediugwu, Chairman of the Post Primary Schools Service Commission (PPSSC), commended the governor’s educational reforms. Presenting a paper tagged, “Career Guide for a Promising Future in Leadership Roles,” she advised the girls to maintain clear visions and unwavering focus toward achieving their goals.
Professor Ikediugwu emphasized education as the foundation of women’s empowerment and leadership, encouraging participation in the governor’s vocational training programs to develop both academic and practical skills for economic independence.
She cautioned against shortcuts such as examination malpractice and urged the girls to embrace every learning opportunity to prepare for future leadership roles.
Noting the importance of cultural heritage, she encouraged proficiency in the Igbo language and acknowledged the mother's influence on leadership qualities. she remarked, “The girl child is not a problem; she is a problem solver,” inspiring perseverance amid challenges.
Earlier in her opening speech, the Chairperson , NAWOJ, Anambra State Chapter, Comrade Tochukwu Ifejika, highlighted that the girl child represents strength, hope, and limitless possibilities adding that this year’s celebration were articulated as amplifying girls’ voices, promoting self-advocacy, and encouraging stakeholders to create supportive environments fostering girl child education, protection, and leadership.
Comrade Ifejika also issued a call to action for parents, educators, policymakers, and the media to persistently champion the rights and advancement of the girl child, emphasizing that empowering girls today is essential for building a just, inclusive, and sustainable future for all.
The event served as a powerful platform reaffirming the commitment of community leaders, educators, and advocates to the development and empowerment of girls, emphasizing the critical role they play on the frontline of societal challenges and progress.