It was a gathering to celebrate the attainment of the female gender in different areas of life, ranging from the academic, to political, to the military and paramilitary and the business world at the Olagunsoye Oyinlola Auditorium of the Osun State University, Osogbo when the National Association of Osun State Students (NAOSS) observed the international day of the girl child with the theme She Inspires Her: Success Stories of Successful Women on Wednesday October 11, 2023.
Keynote speaker and Vice Chancellor, Federal University of Technology, Akure, FUTA Professor Adenike Oladiji in her admonition charged the girl child to be confident, firm and friendly saying her approach to life matters at the tender age. According to her, the girl child gets exposed to leadership skills and responsibility early in life than her male counterpart.
According to her, "The peculiarities of the girl child starts early in life from hair plaiting, to dressing, to menstrual issue each with its pains. She grows early into maturity with different responsibilities. As early as age seven (7), the girl child starts taking responsibilities such that when parents, especially mothers are going out they transfer home keeping assignment to her. The girl child backs her younger ones, do house chores and also learn multi- tasking while her male counterpart plays around and also comes back home to meet food."
She said such early life skills should make the girl child stand out in the future if she doesn't give up.
Adding that too many 'don't' have caused development barriers for her in the past, she encouraged the girl child to grab available opportunities in unaggressive manner and also acquire knowledge, skills, including self-defence skills. "When I say self-defence skills, I mean be assertive, be proactive and stand your ground by proving your worth where and when necessary."
Professor Oladiji whose success story started very early in life as a Manager at the Kwara State Brewery, Ilorin at age 22 said she was determined to make it early in life and that prompted her to do her Master's degree early, having realized it was a prerequisite to rise early at the Brewery then.
Admonishing the girl child further, she pleaded with them not to limit themselves by giving undue excuses because excuses, whether of child nurturing may debar other women in getting opportunities. She said, "When your employer discovers you give too many excuses, hiring more girls into such organisation may be difficult or impossible."
She closed her remarks with an encouragement to the girl child to look for good mentors that will groom them into success, adding that they should prepare themselves for leadership roles by been humble, firm, smart and friendly. "To lead excellently well and successful, have the fear of God in mind, respect your leaders and know when to say yes or no politely," the Vice Chancellor said.
Speaking earlier, the wife of Ooni of Ife, Her Regal Majesty, Olori (Dr) Temitope Enitan-Ogunwusi called on the girl child to have an identity and be focused for the future.
Sharing her testimony, she said long ago she set her mind up for leadership, dreaming and daring what ordinarily looked impossible. She encouraged the girl child to always think positively and powerfully. "Think positively and powerfully. Take risks, positive risks so as to attain your set goals in life."
Speaking relatedly, the Vice Chancellor, Osun State University, Osogbo, Professor Clement Adebooye called on the girl child to design and arrange herself such that nothing will distort her thoughts. He added that the female gender is vulnerable to so many ills in the society, but encouraged them not to yield to such but be determined and learn to emulate the good examples around. He advised them not to allow momentary pleasures ruin their lives and future.
In a brief remark, the President, NAOSS, Adeoye Kazeem said the events was organized to celebrate the uniqueness of the girl child and the need to address the challenges she faces with the intention of empowering them for life fulfilment. He said "it is pertinent to acknowledge the importance, power and potential of the girl child by encouraging the opening up of more opportunities for her through resounding government policies and implementation of such policies and to educate the society on the need to put in place equal treatment for the girl child like her male counterpart."
The Chief Host at the occasion and wife of the Osun State Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke, Her Excellency, Chief (Mrs) Titilola Adeleke admonished the girl child to strive to be the best in life endeavors. She urged students present to emulate the exemplary lives of those paraded at the event.
Royal mothers present at the event were the Olori Ooni of Ife, Her Regal Majesty, Olori Dr Temitope Enitan-Ogunwusi, Her Royal Majesty, Olori Abosede Funmilayo Oyedotun, Olori Orangun of Ila Orangun while Special Guests of honour included the wife of the Deputy Governor, Osun State, Deaconess Olusola Adewusi, wife of the Speaker, Princess Egbedun, and wives of other Principal officers of Osun State.
