By Aderonke Ojo
Nigerian Olympic medallist and performance coach, Amb. Christy Opara, has called for increased investment in girls education, sports and skills acquisition to protect the girl-child from early marriage and empower her to achieve her full potential.
Opara, founder of Soho24 Sports Foundation, made the call during an event organised to commemorate the 2026 International Day of the Girl Child at the Sports Park, Abuja, on Thursday.
The event, held under the theme, “Empowering the Girl-Child Through Sports Development, Education and Performance,” featured discussions on child protection, education, personal development and the dangers of early marriage, alongside a novelty football match.
The National Council of Women Societies (NCWS) team defeated Soho24 Foundation 6-0 in the novelty match.
Opara, in her welcome address, urged parents, teachers and community leaders to prioritise the safety, education and well-being of girls rather than subjecting them to premature adult responsibilities.
“As an Olympian and exercise physiologist, I have spent my entire life studying what makes a true champion, and every champion’s journey begins with a strong foundation.
“Life for a young girl works the same way. Her childhood is precious, and her future is wide open. A girl is not meant to be rushed; she is meant to be nurtured, educated and given the opportunity to shine,” she said.
She warned that early marriage could deprive girls of education and truncate their dreams, urging stakeholders to protect girls by providing them with the necessary support to remain in school.
“Protecting our girls means giving them time, safety and school fees, not wedding dates. When you keep a girl in school, you strengthen the entire community,” Opara said.
She also encouraged the girls to recognise their worth, develop useful skills and grow at their own pace, urging them not to allow societal expectations to limit their ambitions.
According to her, education remains one of the most valuable investments a girl can make in herself, as it promotes independence, confidence and self-reliance.
Speaking with journalists, Opara said the foundation remained committed to girl-child empowerment despite challenges affecting the turnout at the event.
She explained that the foundation had expected about 400 schoolgirls, but disruptions to academic activities, including school strikes, affected participation.
Opara, however, expressed satisfaction with the turnout, describing the programme as a continuous effort to educate and encourage girls.
“This is our second edition, and we have been doing this since 2014. Rome was not built in a day, so we will continue to make progress.
“The girls who attended today are going home with remarkable words of encouragement, and we believe next year’s edition will be better, with more innovations and wider participation,” she said.
Earlier, the National President of NCWS, Edna Azura, commended Soho24 Sports Foundation and its partners for organising what she described as a timely initiative to equip girls with the knowledge and skills needed to protect themselves and make informed decisions.
Azura said girls needed education, protection, awareness and skills acquisition to prevent situations in which they became vulnerable to exploitation.
She noted that the programme had provided participants with valuable information about their rights, bodily autonomy and the importance of seeking help when confronted with abuse or inappropriate behaviour.
According to her, the girls’ active participation in discussions demonstrated that the programme had made a meaningful impact.
Azura also encouraged girls to speak up when their rights were violated and to seek assistance from trusted adults and relevant organisations.
She said NCWS, through its Next Generation arm, remained committed to promoting good values, supporting young girls and helping them overcome challenges.
Azura commended the Federal Government and the First Lady, Sen. Oluremi Tinubu, for their support for women and girls, adding that investing in girls was essential to building a stronger and more prosperous nation.
She also announced that NCWS was supporting the programme by providing exercise books to participating schoolgirls to encourage academic excellence.
In her presentation, Rosemary Effiong, National Coordinator of the Society for Empowerment and Self Reliance (SESER), emphasised the importance of education and skills development in preventing early marriage and empowering girls.
Effiong distinguished between schooling and education, explaining that meaningful learning could take place both within and outside the classroom.
She said girls needed to understand their rights to education, protection, healthcare, dignity and participation in decisions affecting their lives.
Effiong urged parents, schools, community leaders and government institutions to ensure that girls were protected from harmful practices and given opportunities to develop their abilities.
Also speaking, Dorkong Rimdan of the Female Power Menstrual Awareness Initiative (FemPower) stressed the importance of menstrual health education, saying girls needed accurate information about their bodies to grow up confidently and maintain their health.
Rimdan commended Opara for bringing stakeholders together to promote girls’ health, education and development.
Dr Hegan Ihuaku, founder of Emerald Kwesi Kofi Academy, also encouraged girls to speak out against molestation, bullying and other forms of abuse, urging them to seek help through appropriate child-protection channels.
Enemali Ojonogecha, a counsellor at Junior Secondary School, Kado Kuchi, said lessons from the previous edition had continued to inspire students and strengthen school-based girls’ clubs.
She said the programme had encouraged students to dream big, build confidence and speak up whenever they experienced uncomfortable or unsafe situations.
The 2026 International Day of the Girl Child focuses on ending child marriage and investing in girls, with stakeholders at the Abuja event calling for sustained collaboration to protect girls rights and expand opportunities for their development.
