NIGERIA: Shettima Hands Over Office to 14-Year-Old Girl as One-Day Vice President

By Ameenat Hamzat, Lagos, Nigeria 

Vice President Kashim Shettima on Monday temporarily handed over his office to 14-year-old Joy Ogah, a teenage advocate for girl-child education, in a symbolic ceremony aimed at promoting girl-child empowerment and inclusive education in Nigeria.

The event, which took place at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, was organized in collaboration with Plan International, a global non-governmental organization that has supported over 11 million Nigerian children through education, entrepreneurship, and empowerment initiatives.

Speaking during the handover, Vice President Shettima said the symbolic act reflected the Tinubu administration’s continued commitment to ensuring that every Nigerian child, particularly the girl child, has access to quality education and equal opportunities.

He praised the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, as a “symbol of female empowerment,” recalling her contributions to legislative debates during her time in the Senate, especially those promoting the rights and education of girls.

Shettima said: “She (Mrs. Tinubu) has always stood for the empowerment of women and girls, and this administration will continue to advance that vision through education, inclusivity, and social welfare programmes such as the school feeding initiative.”

As the one-day Vice President, Ogah addressed dignitaries and members of the Plan International delegation, calling for greater investment in education, sanitation, and nutrition in schools.

“I may be the Vice President for a day, but the struggles I represent cannot end in a day. They must continue in our policies, our classrooms, our conversations, and our budgets,” Ogah said.

She further emphasized that protecting girls’ rights contributes to national peace and development, saying: “When girls are protected, peace becomes possible.”

The delegation was led by Helen Mfonobong Idiong, the Country Director of Plan International Nigeria, who commended the Federal Government for its ongoing efforts to improve access to education for girls across the country.

Idiong noted that Plan International remains committed to supporting the government’s education and gender equity agenda through advocacy and targeted interventions.