A teenager, Joy Ogah, made history by symbolically taking over the seat of Vice President Kashim Shettima for a day, using the moment to campaign for the rights and education of Nigerian girls.
The event, organised by PLAN International, took place at the Presidential Villa on Monday. According to a statement from the Office of the Vice President, the delegation was led by Helen Mfonobong Idiong, the organisation’s Director of Programme, Quality, and Innovation.
Speaking from the Vice President’s chair, Ogah drew attention to the education crisis facing millions of Nigerian children, stressing that more than 10.5 million are currently out of school — with girls accounting for over 60 percent of that number.
“We must invest in education that is safe and inclusive for every child in Nigeria,” she said. “Every girl deserves a classroom, a choice, dignity, and not silence.”
Ogah also appealed to the government to ensure free sanitary products in schools, access to clean water, adequate nutrition, and improved learning environments for all children.
“When girls are protected, peace becomes possible,” she added. “I may be Vice President for a day, but the struggles I represent cannot end in a day. They must continue in our policies, classrooms, conversations, and budgets.”
Vice President Shettima commended Ogah’s courage and reaffirmed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s commitment to advancing girl-child education and inclusive learning nationwide.
“We will continue our partnership with PLAN International to strengthen girl-child education. In President Tinubu, you have an ally you can believe in,” Shettima assured.
Recent reports indicate increasing advocacy for gender equity in education. On October 20, 2025, several organisations called on federal and state governments to boost investments in mentorship, sensitisation, and the elimination of gender bias in schools.
Earlier in September, the Federal Government launched the Renewed Hope Social Impact Interventions (RH-SII774) initiative, targeting over 10 million women across all 774 local government areas through livelihood grants, digital inclusion, and clean energy programmes.
Government efforts such as the Student Loans Act, increased education funding, and ongoing workshops on inclusive education underscore Nigeria’s growing institutional commitment to educational equality — a goal passionately echoed in Joy Ogah’s symbolic leadership moment as “Vice President for a Day.”
