EX Chief Judge, Others Make Case For Girl Child Empowerment Rather Than Sympathy

By Olu.Babalola, Ibadan

The former Chief Judge of Oyo State, Emeritus Justice Adeniji Bolajoko has reiterated her call on parents and guardians to place priority attention on the education of their female children stressing that her own empowerment by her parents made it possible for her to get to the apex of her career at the bench.

Adeniji said this in Ibadan during the Annual Sustainable Development Stakeholders Conference of the Centre for Religious Cooperation and Tolerance in collaboration with Shafaudeen In Islam Worldwide,Wakajaye,Ibadan

Other speakers during the one week programme are Agbaakin of Ibadan,Chief Lekan Alabi, Arch Bishop Emeritus Ayo Ladigbolu, the Zonal Director of NTA,Ibafan Network Centre Jennifer Famosinpe, Alhaji W.Gbadamosi,the Special Adviser for the governor on Physical planning ,Professor Sabit Ariyo Olagpke JP ,the Chief Host and others

Justice Adeniji pleaded “I charge you parents to train your female children very well either by empowering them academically or enrolling them in vocational training to enable them stand on their own.

The former State Chief Judge noted there was hardly any discipline where women could not be found at the top like men because of the investment on them by their parents emphasising”go to the judiciary ,the media ,engineering and others adding that the empowerment given to her by her parents helped her survived 27 years of widowhood.

She referred to women like late Professor Dora Akunyili of NAFDAC,Dr.Okonjo Iweala ,Dr.Stella Odua and others adding that without sound education,they would not have been reference points

The Zonal Director of NTA Jennifer who spoke on Empowering the girl _child and womanhood said “,rather than sympathizing with girl child on the enormous challenges facing her,what we need to do is to understand the various barriers and hurdles which the society has fostered on her as she matures to adulthood.

“We must emphatize with the girl child by ensuring that She is empowered through education to stand for herself to contribute to her self development of the, society.She added.

Also speaking on ,”Promoting inclusive society empathy not sympathy, Gbadamosi stated that the concept of inclusive design was to remove the barriers that create separations to enable every one to participate independently in everyday activities.

The Chief Host Professor Olagoke in his welcome address titled “Promoting inclusive society,empathy not sympathy,” assured that a communique that would be issued at the end of the discourse would serve a better purpose for the society.