In the year 2010 or thereabouts, I became fascinated by the life of Nelson Mandela and I set out to read everything Mandela had written, everything written about him, every speech he had given and every speech given about him and watch every motion picture about him.10 years on, it has been extremely rewarding and humbling.

So I do not share Mandela’s quotes. I share it’s essense and context. Here is one of my most favourite of his quotes:

‘Education is the great engine of personal development. It is through education that the daughter of a peasant can become a doctor, that the son of a mine worker can become the head of the mine, that a child of farm workers can become the president of a great nation…’

Until Nigeria gets education right, we will get nothing right.

Before COVID-19, 13.5 million Nigerian children were recorded to be out of school. Due to COVID-19, UNICEF says 46 million Nigerian children do not have access to education. Adding adult education, the figure rises to over 80 million Nigerians without access to education today.

Yet, if education must serve its role of liberation in Nigeria, women have inevitable roles to play. For them to effectively play this role, they need unique direction, which will birth unique perspectives for the change we seek in the educational sector.

To do justice to the foregoing concern, we bring to the Women Working with Children Conference 2020 an eminent educationist, erudite discussant, forward thinking woman, highly respected and regarded within and outside Nigeria to give global insight to this subject matter.

Distinguished women, I present to you highly esteemed Dr. Mrs.  Modupe ADEFESO-OLATEJU, a woman you surely need to listen to and thank us later.

Register here http://bit.ly/Wowwithchildren to join the conference and kindly also help us spread the news within your network.

See you above the waters dearly beloved woman.

I am Taiwo AKINLAMI