Ogun State Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Hon. Adijat Adeleye-Oladapo says young girls need to uphold moral values and imbibe noble character to boost their self-confidence.

Adeleye-Oladapo said this in Abeokuta while addressing some female students from different public secondary schools in the State, at an event organised by the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), Ogun State Chapter with the theme: "Bibiire" (Noble Character), to mark the 2022 International Day of the Girl Child.

The Commissioner stated that the society demands meaningful contribution of the girl child to development, noting that the roles of family members, particularly mothers and women would go a long way in shaping their attitudes and behaviour in the future.

She said ‘Bibiire’ was about values that must not be lost irrespective of any situation individuals find themselves, admonishing the girl child to be assertive, confident, respectful and diligent.

Adeleye-Oladapo added that, “the roles of mothers and women in the family are one of the effective ways to teach moral values, especially to the girl child”, urging parents to be good role models to the younger generations and instill the virtues in them at a very tender age.

In his remarks, her counterpart in the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, Prof. Abayomi Arigbabu said the essence of the Day was to create awareness on the relevance of the girl child, pointing out that children's education and course of study, irrespective of their gender should be paramount to parents.

Prof. Arigbabu who applauded NAWOJ for commemorating the Day, said it was a wake-up call for organisations, and governments to promote humanity.

Speaking, a Cultural Icon in the State, Princess Adejoke Ewaede enjoined girls to shun social vices that could disrupt their destiny, and have a mindset of how useful they were to society and immediate family, advising them to map out strategies that would steer them towards being good citizens.

Earlier in her address, the Chairperson of NAWOJ, Comrade Modupeola Sobunkonla said the Association was committed to raise a voice for the voiceless and teach cultural values to the girl child to make them proud mothers in future.