Emmanuel Ugwu-Nwogo in Umuahia
A nongovernmental organisation, Protect the Precious Foundation(PPF) has elicited the support of prominent advocates of women rights in its tireless advocacy to give voice to the girl child in Abia.
The PPF advocacy was supported y the wife of Abia State Governor, Mrs. Priscilla Chidinma Otti, renowned social activist and Co-Convener of the BringBackOurGirls Movemen, Mrs. Aisha Yesufu, and nollywood star, Hilda Dokubo. They were on hand at the 2025 edition of the Girls Summit held in Umuahia to educate, enlighten and encourage Abia school girls to be bold and resolute in resisting any violation of their rights.
The PPF has, for four years running, engaged in championing the rights and empowermemt of the girl child by giving them strong voice to speak out when faced with abuse and any form of rights violations.
Speaking at the 2025 edition of the Girls Summit organised by PPF in Umuahia, Wife of Abia State Governor, Mrs Priscilla Chidinma expressed delight “to be part of this incredible movement”.
She described herself as “a champion and advocate for the rights and empowerment of the girl child” hence her decision to collaborate with the “remarkable team behind the PPF.
Mrs. Otti, who was represented by the wife of the Abia Deputy Governor, Mrs. Adaeze Emetu, lauded the PPF founder, Ambassador Nora Okafor, for making her organisation to “stand as a beacon of hope, dedicated to championing the rights and dignity of the girl child”.
“With a vision to safeguard her integrity and a mission to empower her with knowledge of her identity, you tirelessly work to address the myriad challenges she faces”.
“I applaud your visionary initiative to establish school clubs, a noble endeavor aimed at mentoring and guiding secondary school girls, empowering them with the wisdom, confidence, and resilience needed to navigate life’s challenges and seize opportunities”.
The Abia first lady noted the actuvities of PPF align with her vision and support for the girl child, adding that “in Abia State, we hold the empowerment of the girl child in the highest esteem, recognizing it as a sacred trust”.
She stated that her office champions the rights of the girl child “with firm dedication, and promote their welfare with unrelenting passion”.
Mrs. Otti said that both her office and humanitarian pet project, Safe Tent Care Initiative have remained “steadfast in our commitment to unlocking the boundless potential of our girls, for we believe that they are the embodiment of hope and promise”.
According to her, “the girl child is indeed a treasure, and we continue to invest in her future through access to quality education, scholarships, and skills training, empowering her to shine brightly and shape the destiny of our great state”.
She exhorted the over 1,500 girls at the summit, drawn from secondary schools across Abia, urging them to hold on to their dreams and should not be distracted
“You are defined by your strength, your courage, and your determination. You are defined by your voice, your spirit, and your heart. So, I leave you with this: Find your voice. Use it boldly. Speak up fearlessly. And never, ever let anyone silence you,” Mrs. Otti said.
In her keynote address, Hilda Dokubo stressed the need the Nigerian society and government in particular, to start doing enough to checkmate the issue of abuse of the girl child.
She said that not until the authorities “begin to treat abusers as the criminals that they are, we will keep going through this over and over”.
“If you treat criminals with kids’ gloves, they’re going to keep acting like that. Stuffs like rape and abandonment, or depriving a woman after she’s been bereaved of her husband, are things that should be unforgivable by law”.
Mrs. Yesufu, in her presentation, made the girls to understand the need for them to own their voices and develop the resilience to overcome hurdles and find spaces to excel.
“Over the years, we haven’t done well with our girls and our women folk, and the country is actually bleeding because of that,” she said.
Yesufu used her personal life experiences to teach the girls how to overcome stereotypes, body, shaming, contrived limitations, among other barriers, urged the girls not to look back in pursuing their goals.
Earlier, the Lead Person, PPF, Nora Okafor explained that the fourth edition of the Girls Summit themed “Finding your voice” was aimed at giving the girl child clarity of voice,
courage, and confidence.
“We want every girl regardless of background or circumstance to be bold enough to speak when abused, brave enough to ask for help when overwhelmed, and empowered enough to dream beyond limitations”.
To further encourage girls to speak out when faced with abuse, the PPF has introduced the Mentor- the- mentee Initiative in schools, which was formally launched by the Abia Governor’s wife.
Okafor explained that the project would make the girls “know that they are not alone in school, at home, or in society. Whether they are facing challenges, threats, or simply need guidance, someone is walking this journey with them”.
She urged girls not to be intimidated or feel shy to speak out, saying, “your voice matters. It is powerful. It is valid. And it is time the world hears it”.
Leave a comment