By Francis Ajuonuma
The National Association of Seadogs (NAS) has cautioned that Nigeria’s persistent failure to prioritise girls’ rights and gender equity undermines the nation’s human development, insisting that human rights must be treated as “everyday essentials” rather than ceremonial talking points.
Speaking at an event organised by the Enugu chapter of NAS to commemorate World Human Rights Day, the chapter’s Cap’n, Mr Oseloka Egbuchiem, criticised society’s tendency to celebrate girls’ rights rhetorically while doing little to create systems that genuinely protect or empower them.
He argued that although educating the girl child is widely acknowledged as a catalyst for national development, entrenched inequalities continue to deprive many girls of meaningful opportunities.
Egbuchiem stressed that gender equity remains neglected mainly in practice, noting that it is not enough to merely enlighten girls about their rights while society fails to offer the level playing field required for them to exercise those rights.
He described this gap between advocacy and reality as a significant impediment to sustainable community growth.
During an interactive engagement with students and teachers of Solid Base Secondary School, Enugu, NAS emphasised that early education on gender rights is crucial to dismantling harmful social conditioning before it becomes entrenched.
The session underscored the argument that progress is impossible when boys and girls are raised to see each other as competitors rather than allies in development.
Guest speaker and counsellor, Mrs Onyinye Chux-Orji, criticised cultural norms that pit genders against one another, stressing that true equality lies not in offering identical experiences but in guaranteeing equal access to opportunities.
She reiterated that gender justice should not be misconstrued as a battle between boys and girls, but as a collective responsibility with benefits that ripple across families and societies.
The school’s proprietress, Mrs Tessy Igweani, acknowledged that the discussion exposes gaps that Nigerian educational institutions must urgently address.
She described the programme as timely, aligned with the school’s emphasis on character and learning.
She pledged that the institution would ensure students adhere to their commitments, especially the boys’ declaration to uphold respect for their female peers.
Overall, NAS used the platform to highlight the widening disconnect between Nigeria’s public proclamations on girls’ rights and the concrete changes required to make gender equality a lived reality.
