Gov. Dapo Abiodun of Ogun has reiterated its commitment to building an education system that nurtured the mind, the body and spirit of every child in the state.
Abiodun , represented by his Deputy, Noimot Salako-Oyedele stated this during the year 2025 Children’s Day Celebration in Abeokuta on Tuesday.
The programme organised by the office of the First Lady in collaboration with the State Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development has as its theme “Stand up, speak up, building a Bully Free generation”.
The governor noted that mechanisms had been put in place to checkmate all forms of Bullying in its schools.
He charged children in the state to shun all forms of Bullying and report the same to their teachers, guardians, trusted adults as well as their parents to promote a saner Society.
The governor said that Bullying was a serious issue that must be discussed openly so as to find a lasting solution to end the trends.
” Bullying could be any repeated action, whether through words, behavior or otherwise, that caused pain, fear or humiliation to someone else, be it Physical, mental or emotional.
” It is important for those present to take the message home, go back home and deliberate on the inherent dangers of Bullying.
” Bullying should never be tolerated, but the underlying issues must also be addressed,” he said.
Abiodun charged the Ministry of Women Affairs and that of Education to strengthen all efforts through school policies, advocacy, legal enforcement and public Education to eradicate bullying from schools and communities.
He called on parents, faith leaders, youth mentors, traditional institutions and every adult in the state to join hands together with the government to raise strong, happy and emotionally balanced children.
The Speaker, Ogun Assembly, Oludaisi Elemide, implored children to be good ambassadors to themselves, community, State and society at large.
In her welcome address, Hon. Motunrayo Adeleye, felicitated with the children on their day, saying Gov. Abiodun led administration was committed to building children who were full of confidence, intelligence and creativity to become global models and not bullied to lose focus in achieving their set goals.
Adeleye noted that through Policy reform, proactive engagement and support of major stakeholders, bullying would be a thing of the past in the nation.
She described bullying as a silent saboteur of dreams and a smuggler of scars into souls, urging children to speak up when bullied at any time
She said that the state Government would also ensure that no child remained vulnerable or voiceless as their energy must be directed from destruction to development.
