Her Ability Hub has toured all the 19 public schools in Somolu in a bid to drive home its vision to empower and emancipate the minds of young school girls to live their dreams.
The tour which was themed, ‘Shattering the class ceiling’, was held for four days in different locations across the local council and had students get copies of the founder’s book, ‘Omoh’ centred on inspiring the girl child, the students also got mentored and given step by step rules to achieving set goals.
Omoayena Odunbaku, the founder of Her Ability Hub and girl empowerment advocate in her speech said, “I grew up in this neighbourhood and despite the fact that I didn’t attend a public school, most of my friends did. We played together in this neighbourhood, however, most of them didn’t turn out well.
“When I turned 40 I wrote my book and while my childhood friends were interviewed, we realised, it wasn’t a lack of will, but they were misguided at some point. So, while we try to give back to society, one of the things we realised is the empowerment of the mind. We want to emancipate their minds to know they can achieve anything.”
Odunbaku, a doctorate degree holder in Urban and Regional Planning counselled the girl child to endeavour to dream and learn to preserve in life.
“My trajectory is a mixed one; I repeated JAMB, I wasn’t the best in class, but here I am today as a role model, so you can be role models too tomorrow. If you can dream it, you can achieve it, there is no limit. Put in the effort, focus and the sky is your starting point. “The girl child is the backbone of every society and when she is empowered, it reduces poverty and delinquencies,” she noted.
Furthermore, she reiterated that society leans on the shoulders of the girl child and the woman reminding her that it is counting on her and she should never fail.
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McWilliams Nwaogu, a facilitator at the session with the students and legal practitioner, said, “Empowering the mind of the girl child is important. If the girl child is educated and she knows there is no limit to her success, the home is already settled.
“The law profession, for instance, is no longer a male-dominated profession; female judges are springing everywhere doing great. Some of these women when they speak in court you could get intimidated. The girl child has a lot of opportunities, she only needs to be focused on her goals and the sky is her limit.”
Olasumbo Anifowose, another facilitator and human resource consultant, while speaking on how the girl child can thrive in a society noted that there are not enough platforms that encourage the female child.
“From a young age we don’t really get opportunities and I didn’t have options to be honest. I only looked up to teachers in school, but as you step into the career world, you have mentors who will probably take interest in you or you are assigned to one that will guide and shape you.
“If you look at the society today, there is so much decay hence we need to encourage the girl child that they can become who they want to be, even if not through academics, there are vocational skills a lot of young ladies are thriving in and it is mind-blowing,” Anifowose said.
Emmason Treasure, a student of Eva Adelaja Junior School, expressed her delight in being at the event, stating that the event had taught her to believe in herself.
“I learnt to believe in myself to improve my self-esteem. I also learned to get a mentor who can support me and my dreams besides reading my books. I am told the essence of acquiring skills, reducing friends and keeping a small circle which will help me get focused,” she said.
Among the 19 schools visited by the foundation include Baptist Junior Grammar; Bariga Junior Grammar; Gbagada Comprehensive Junior School; Gbagada Girls Junior Secondary; Igbobi Junior High; Oduduwa Comprehensive Junior Grammar and St. Luke’s Junior Grammar Schools.
Others are Ajayi Crowther Memorial Senior Secondary; Angus Memorial Senior Grammar School; Baptist Senior Grammar; C.M.S Girls Senior Grammar; Gbagada Senior Grammar; Jagunmolu Girls Senior Grammar; Lanre Awolokun Senior Grammar; Somolu Senior High and Arch. Deacon Adelaja Senior High Schools.
