By Bunmi Yekini
Sixty students from Lagos State University (LASU), University of Lagos (UNILAG), Lagos State University of Education (LASUED), and Lagos State University of Technology (LASUTED) have been inducted as Ambassadors of the Safe School Declaration (SSD). This initiative supports the ongoing campaign by the Consortium to create a safe, secure, and violence-free learning environment for all students in the country.
The induction ceremony took place during the Public Hearing on the need for legal teamwork and resource plans for Safe Schools in Nigeria, held on July 17 at the Faculty of Law, University of Lagos, (UNILAG).
Dr. Abiola Afolabi, Director of the Center for Human Rights at UNILAG, commended the students for stepping forward to serve as Ambassadors. “One of the things that we have done in the Human Rights Clinic is to identify sixty students across the school who can become ambassadors for the safety and security of schools. UNILAG took a bold step in piloting this because it has not happened in any school,” she said. “The students at the Human Rights Center and Clinic were eager to know what they can do to ensure that this is not just a campaign but to ensure that safety and security of schools become a culture.”
In 2023, an online campaign was initiated as part of the Safe Schools Declaration (SSD) project, aiming for a million signatures to demand the implementation of the SSD in Nigeria. Dr. Afolabi explained that the campaign gained momentum following an incident in Kaduna. “The signature becomes something that we need to increase, especially when the incident happened in Kaduna. Students and others said there was a need to launch a campaign to push the president to take more steps and ensure that schools are safe and secure, free from violence,” she said.
“We plan today to induct the students who have volunteered. Each of these sixty students raised fifty signatures before becoming ambassadors. If you have sixty students per school, and each gives fifty signatures, that would be three thousand signatures across all the schools in this country. That’s a huge contribution,” Dr. Afolabi concluded.
Prof. Abigail Ogwezzy, Director of the Institute of Continuing Education (ICE), emphasized the importance of addressing vulnerabilities in schools. “Today you are safe; it’s not you today, but it can be anybody. Nobody knew that one day in Nigeria, children would go to school and not come back. It could be anybody’s child. It’s a collective responsibility to push this and ensure that the government adopts and implements a policy of safety, security, and violence-free schools. Immediate actions are needed to secure schools, and the government must domesticate the Safe Schools Declaration as law,” she said.
The Public Hearing was organized in collaboration with other partners and the students of the Faculty of Law at UNILAG as part of this year’s World Youth Skills Day, celebrated on July 15. In his welcome remarks, Mr. Emmanuel Babatola, President of the Human Rights Clinic at UNILAG, highlighted the importance of the public hearing. “As students first and subsequently as human rights champions, when the opportunity to advocate for this cause arose, we knew we had to grab it. Issues arising from the policy are fundamental to our rights as students to education. Our collaboration with the West Africa Network For Peacebuilding (WANEP) and Women Advocacy for Research and Documentation Center (WARD-C) is vital,” he said. “Together, we’re focusing on advocating for a legal framework, developing resource plans, building awareness, and ensuring accountability. Today’s hearing is a pivotal step towards securing educational environments for every child in Nigeria.
The World Youth Skills Day recognizes the potential of young people as catalysts for change and contributors to a prosperous and sustainable future for all. This year’s theme is “Youth Skills for Ease and Development.”
Read Also: Stakeholders Call for Legal Framework for Safe School Declaration
Gloria Adegboye, one of the new inductees, and a member of the Human Rights Clinic, spoke on the relevance of this year’s Youth Skills Day to the Safe School Project. “That’s why our initiative is crucial. With 60 dedicated ambassadors and over 2000 signups, we are united in our quest for a safe and supportive learning environment. Our collective efforts will ensure that every student has access to quality education, free from threat, violence, and discrimination,” she said. “Let us continue to work together to create a brighter future for African youth—a future where we can thrive, grow, and reach our full potential.”
As part of the events marking the day, Two students showcase their skills in Speed Painting and a Rendition.
The Speedpainter, Araireoluwa Oladire, ànd the Performer, Akintiwo Oluwatomi popularly known as OnlyTomi are both students of the Department of Creative Arts, UNILAG.
Araireoluwa, at the end of the both performance, explained to the audience what the painting depict, “What we have here is a painting depicting the travails of youth. I used a female figure because females are often oppressed and abused. This represents the youth and how our safety is in our hands, striving for a better life free from pain.”
Reacting to the students’ creative work, the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Prof. Ayodele Victoria Atsenuwa, expressed her excitement. “You people have wowed me. I hope this has been recorded because I can also speak for my Vice-Chancellor. She would want to see what her students have done. Thank you for this creative concept of messaging right in front of us.”
The event also featured a panel discussion with Deputy Vice Chancellor Prof. Ayodele Victoria Atsenuwa, Director of ICE Prof. Abigail Ogwezzy, representative of the Commissioner of Police CP Aderonke Mustapha Fayoade, ACP Jaiye Oba, and Baale Ishaga, Makinde Adesola, J.P., as panelists.
They shared insights on the current situation and what can be done to ensure a safe and secure learning environment.