To champion girl-child empowerment, Vice President Kashim Shettima vacated his seat for a teenage girl for a day during an official event, a symbolic gesture underscoring the government’s commitment to advancing gender inclusion and youth representation.
The teenage girl, Joy Ogah, took the Vice President’s chair amid cheers, embodying the aspirations of millions of young Nigerian girls who dream of leadership in a society still grappling with gender bias and educational inequality.
The event took place during a courtesy visit by representatives of Plan International to the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Tuesday.
The delegation, led by the organisation’s Director of Programme, Quality and Innovation, Helen Idiong, was received by Shettima as part of the group’s “Girls Takeover” campaign, a global initiative that encourages young girls to step into leadership roles and challenge social barriers.
Speaking during the visit, the Vice President said the administration of President Bola Tinubu remains deeply committed to creating equal opportunities for women and girls through education, social inclusion, and leadership development.
“President Tinubu’s vision is one where every Nigerian child, regardless of gender, can access quality education and dream without limits,” Shettima said.
“We cannot talk about national development without the active participation of our women and girls.”
He also praised First Lady Oluremi Tinubu for her long-standing advocacy for women’s empowerment, describing her as “a living example of how education can transform girls into changemakers and leaders.”
Shettima then invited Joy Ogah to sit in his chair, symbolically passing the mantle of leadership for the day.
Also speaking, the teenager, visibly moved by the moment, used her brief time in the Vice President’s seat to call for stronger government action on girl-child rights and access to education.
“Nigerian girls can achieve anything if given the right opportunities,” Ogah said confidently. “We must prioritise safe schools, equal access to learning, and nutrition for every child, because when girls are educated, nations thrive.”
She expressed concern over the rising number of out-of-school children, noting that girls constitute over 60 per cent of the 10.5 million Nigerian children currently denied formal education.
“This seat may be mine only for a day,” she added, “but the message it carries must live on, that girls deserve a voice, a chance, and a place at the decision-making table.”
The symbolic event, part of Plan International’s global advocacy for gender equality, underscored the administration’s pledge to empower girls and nurture the next generation of female leaders in Nigeria.
