By Michael Ovat -Awka
The Executive Chairman of Idemili South Local Government Area of Anambra State, Hon. Oluchukwu John Ilogbenu has highlighted the importance of protecting the rights of the girl child and expanding access to education and skills development to help young people realise their potential.
He made this known on Wednesday during the 2026 International Day of the Girl Child celebration at the Council Headquarters, Ojoto. The event brought together pupils and students from schools across Idemili South under the theme, “End Child Marriage and Invest in Girls’ Rights.”
Addressing the participants, Mayor Ilogbenu warned that child marriage deprives girls of their childhood, disrupts their education and limits their ability to make informed decisions about their future. He encouraged them to remain focused on their studies, pursue their ambitions and speak up against abuse, harassment or pressure to marry before they are ready, while assuring that the Local Government Secretariat remained open to girls seeking help and protection.
Moving beyond advocacy, the Mayor announced plans to install computers in schools across the LGA and provide free training for students ahead of next year’s senior secondary examinations. The initiative, under his Idemili South Rising agenda, is aimed at improving access to technology and strengthening students’ educational opportunities.
The Deputy Mayor, Hon. Mrs. Ifeyinwa Ejiofor, called on councillors to identify and support vulnerable girls in their wards, while encouraging the students to recognise their worth and remain committed to their education. Similarly, the resource person, Dr. Chioma Nwosu, represented by Mrs. Okigbo Onyinye Anthonia, identified financial hardship and certain traditional beliefs as barriers to girls’ education and urged stakeholders to work together to address them.
The importance of nurturing girls’ ambitions was reflected in the remarks of Miss Igbo Benedict Chidimma, an SS1 student of Community Secondary School, Nnokwa, who pledged to take her studies seriously and pursue her dream of becoming a surgeon.
The celebration also featured a cultural dance performance by students of Madonna International Secondary School, Nnobi.
The event served as a reminder that protecting and empowering every girl in Idemili South requires sustained collaboration among government, families, schools and communities to ensure her safety, education and opportunity to fulfil her potential.
