By Rasaq
The Women Commission of the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC) successfully celebrated the 2026 International Day of the Girl Child on October 10, 2026, in Lagos. The event aligned with Olympic Solidarity principles and focused heavily on girl-child empowerment and sports development.
With the Theme: “Her Voice, Her Future: Investing in Girls Through Education and Sports”, the event had top women in sports icons, rolemodels, female athletes, coaches and female students from schools in attendance at the OlympAfrica Centre, Amuwo-Odofin, Lagos.
Speaking at the event, the Nigeria Taekwondo Federation (NTF), President ‘Grand Master’ Tayo Popoola, told The Sun, “We’re celebrating the girl child because we recognise their importance. How would the world be without them? The Nigerian Olympics Committee believes in the girl child; they are happy to be celebrated, and we believe we can do more by giving them greater exposure to support their careers. However, I find it somewhat sad that many girls at the event couldn’t identify a sport they are interested in. This points to an issue. We have much work ahead, as such events reveal the challenges faced by the girl child.”
Likewise, Professor Florence Bola stated, “Many girl children don’t realise their importance to society. We are using this event to raise awareness and help them understand they are equal to their male peers.
“We have expanded the sensitisation campaign across all geo-political zones, emphasising the importance of allowing girls to participate in sports of their choice, with no limits. Sports is now a thriving industry, so let girls play and enjoy it.”
Mrs. Kemi Ogundaisi, Project Officer and Secretary of the Women’s Commission of the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC), added, “The Women’s Commission worldwide celebrates the girl child.
We all know that the girl grows up to be a woman, then a mother. It is essential to encourage and empower girls to participate in sports, as they can build careers in it.”
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