In a powerful gesture of inclusion and youth empowerment, Vice President Kashim Shettima on Monday ceded his office to 14-year-old Joy Ogah, a teenage advocate for girl-child education, though only for a day.
The News Chronicle gathered that the symbolic act, held at the Presidential Villa, highlighted the Tinubu administration’s commitment to education and gender equality.
As “Vice President for a Day,” Ogah delivered a passionate address calling for inclusive education, protection of girls’ rights, and provision of basic school amenities such as sanitation and nutrition.
“When girls are protected, peace becomes possible,” she declared to resounding applause.
Ogah continued;
“I may be Vice President for a day, but the struggles I represent cannot end in a day. They must live on in our policies, our classrooms, our conversations, and our budgets.”
Vice President Shettima commended her courage and reaffirmed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s commitment to improving access to education, citing ongoing programs like the national school feeding scheme. He also praised First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu as a symbol of women’s empowerment and an early champion of girl-child education during her years in the Senate.
The event, organized in collaboration with PLAN International, brought together education advocates led by Helen Mfonobong Idiong. The organization has supported over 11 million Nigerian children through programs focused on education and entrepreneurship.
Ogah’s one-day stint as Vice President left a lasting impression a reminder that empowering girls is not just a symbolic gesture but an investment in Nigeria’s future.
