AGILE to oldsters: Shun early marriage, spend money on girl-child schooling

Parents and guardians have been referred to as upon to de-emphasise early marriage and provides their girl-child equal alternative because the boy-child to aspire and harness her potentials.

A woman youngster is an asset to the society that shouldn’t be toyed with however reasonably inspired to attain her potentials, which if compelled into an early marriage, is able to shortening her horizon.

Enugu state coordinator of Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE), a Non-Government Organisation (NGO), Dr. Ebele Georgina Chukwu Onuora, made the enchantment in an tackle on the 2026 International Day Of The Girl Child, held on the International Conference Centre (ICC) Enugu on Thursday.

Speaking on the theme of the celebration: “End Child Marriage and Invest in Girls’ Rights,” Onuora referred to as on mother and father to not follow the outdated tradition of early marriage however to provide their lady youngster alternative to aspire and obtain her set expertise.

Onuora nevertheless, acknowledged that marriage is sweet however that it should not be on the altar of chopping their youngster’s schooling brief earlier than maturity.

“Today, now we have gathered not merely to rejoice our ladies, however to confront a critical challenge that threatens their future: youngster marriage. We are additionally right here to reaffirm our collective dedication to investing in ladies’ schooling, well being, safety, empowerment and total growth.

“Marriage is a beautiful institution, but it should not become a shortcut that robs a child of her childhood. Marriage requires maturity, responsibility and informed consent. Childhood, on the other hand, requires protection, education, guidance and the freedom to grow,” she stated.

She reasoned that for kids to be referred to as future leaders or leaders of tomorrow, they should be ready for the management which an early marriage is able to halting.

“Distinguished women and gents, let me start with a easy query: If we are saying that kids are the leaders of tomorrow, why can we typically rush to make our ladies wives earlier than they’ve the chance to grow to be the leaders, professionals and nation-builders of tomorrow?

“A girl who should be learning algebra should not be forced to calculate the cost of running a household. A girl who should be writing her examinations should not be compelled to prepare for marriage. And a girl who dreams of becoming a doctor, an engineer, a teacher, an entrepreneur or even a governor should not have her dreams terminated by a decision she was too young to make,” she stated, including that each alternative to aspire to better heights ought to be given to the lady youngster.

The AGILE coordinator, stressing the significance of sound schooling for all kids, particularly the ladies, referred to as on group and spiritual leaders to rise to the event to dissuade early marriage.

“To our conventional rulers, group leaders and spiritual leaders, your voices carry monumental affect. When you converse, communities hear. When you advocate for women’ schooling and safety, households take discover. When you stand towards youngster marriage, you assist to alter attitudes and shield generations but unborn.

“Let us work together to make our communities places where a girl is celebrated for passing her examinations, encouraged when she discovers her talents and supported when she aspires to achieve great things,” she stated.

Acknowledging that tradition ought to be preserved, she insisted that it should not be a hindrance to the way forward for a woman youngster.

“As Africans, and significantly as Nigerians, we’re pleased with our wealthy cultural heritage. Our traditions train us respect for elders, accountability to the household, communal residing and the preservation of our values. These are virtues value defending.

“However, tradition is strongest when it protects the susceptible, promotes human dignity and provides each member of society the chance to thrive. We should subsequently distinguish between cultural values that construct our communities and practices that will deny kids their elementary rights.

“Our forefathers valued education, character, hard work and the preservation of family honour. We must build on these positive values. We can preserve our culture without sacrificing the future of our daughters,” she stated.

Prominent personalities who graced the event aligned with the organisation that lady schooling is essential.

She urged mother and father to provide their lady kids the chance to grow to be what they want to be in life.

Chairman, Ezeagu Traditional Rulers Council, Enugu state, Igwe Emmanuel Anichebe; Chairman of PPSMB, Enugu, Rev. Fr. Chinedu Ngbodile; Prof. Ben Etiaba and Nze Akachukwu, agreed that given the chance, the lady youngster could possibly be a governor, president, physician, lawyer, journalist or scientist.

Highlights of the event was a debate between two Green and Smart Schools from Owo Campus and Maryland Campus which centred on whether or not early marriage ought to be most well-liked to secondary college schooling in addition to pantomime and different leisure that enlivened the event.