Children’s Day: Orelope-Adefulire Urges Leaders to Prioritise Child Welfare, Tackle Illiteracy |LAGOS EYE NEWS

As Nigeria marked the 2025 edition of Children’s Day, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals (SSAP-SDGs), Princess Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, has called on leaders at all levels to intensify efforts towards securing a better future for Nigerian children by addressing illiteracy, promoting peace, and ensuring a safe and enabling environment for every child.

In a statement released by her Special Assistant on Media, Publicity and Strategic Communications, Desmond Utomwen, Orelope-Adefulire emphasised that the well-being of children is central to Nigeria’s development aspirations and the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

“Leaders at all levels must continue to work assiduously to break the shackles of illiteracy, promote peace and make the world a beautiful place for our children to live in. Our children deserve to grow up in a society where their dreams can blossom, their voices are heard, and their rights are protected,” she said.

The presidential aide highlighted that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration is making deliberate and strategic investments to enhance the lives and opportunities of children through its Renewed Hope Agenda. She noted ongoing efforts to improve access to quality education through school rehabilitation, increased basic education funding, and initiatives to boost enrolment particularly for the girl child.

She also outlined the interventions of her office, OSSAP-SDGs, in delivering people-focused projects targeted at vulnerable groups, especially children and adolescents. These include the construction and equipping of over 12,000 model classroom blocks, digital learning centres, and fully functional healthcare facilities in underserved rural communities.

“In line with SDGs 3 and 4, which focus on good health and quality education, OSSAP-SDGs has worked with federal and subnational partners to improve learning conditions, enhance access to primary healthcare for children, and promote hygiene and nutrition in schools,” she added.

Orelope-Adefulire further disclosed that her office is supporting efforts to prevent child abuse, eliminate harmful practices, and equip young people with life skills for future leadership and societal contribution.

While acknowledging progress, she expressed concern that many children in Nigeria continue to face the challenges of poverty, conflict, displacement, and inequality. She stressed the need for stronger multi-sectoral collaboration to support children who are most at risk—particularly out-of-school children, those in IDP camps, and those impacted by insurgency.

“This year’s celebration should serve as a moment of reflection and renewed commitment to those children whose rights and futures remain under threat. We must redouble our efforts to ensure that no child is left behind, regardless of their circumstances,” she urged.

Orelope-Adefulire called on all stakeholders—governments, private sector, religious bodies, civil society organisations, and international partners—to intensify their commitment to child-centred development.

“There can be no meaningful progress without deliberate and sustained investment in the well-being of our children. The future of Nigeria and the achievement of the SDGs depend on how we nurture today’s young generation,” she said.

She also encouraged children across the country to stay hopeful and committed to their education and dreams, assuring them of the government’s strategic plans to create a peaceful, inclusive, and prosperous Nigeria where they can learn, grow, and thrive.