Former Minister of Education and co-founder of Transparency International, Obiageli Ezekwesili, has issued a strongly worded open letter targeting President Bola Tinubu, state governors and federal lawmakers, urging them to refrain from issuing what she described as “ghost-written platitudes” to mark Children’s Day.
In a post shared on X, Ezekwesili warned political leaders against publicly celebrating Nigerian children on May 27, arguing that such gestures amount to hypocrisy in the face of widespread insecurity, poverty and school abductions affecting minors across the country.
“Do not dare open your mouths on May 27 to wish Nigerian children a ‘Happy Children’s Day,’”she wrote, adding that officials should avoid “standing in front of cameras… to perform a tenderness you have never extended to the millions of Nigerian children you have abandoned.”
Key Highlights:
- Obiageli Ezekwesili publicly urged President Bola Tinubu, governors, and lawmakers not to issue Children’s Day goodwill messages, arguing that such statements are hypocritical given the hardships facing Nigerian children.
- In an open letter shared on X, she accused political leaders of abandoning millions of children while engaging in ceremonial displays of concern during national celebrations.
- Ezekwesili highlighted the impact of school abductions and insecurity, citing reports that at least 1,799 students have been kidnapped in major incidents since the abduction of the Chibok girls.
- She also pointed to the crisis of out-of-school children, claiming that around 19 million Nigerian children remain outside the education system due to insecurity, poverty, and other social challenges.
- Her comments sparked mixed reactions on social media, with many Nigerians supporting her criticism of governance failures, while others debated her assessment of the government’s handling of child welfare and security issues.
She particularly criticised the political elite for what she described as routine ceremonial messaging that ignores the realities facing children in conflict-affected and impoverished communities.
According to her, such messages are “dishonouring” to victims of mass school kidnappings, including students abducted in Oyo State and other incidents recorded in recent years.
She claimed that at least 1,799 students have been seized across major abduction incidents since Chibok, and hundreds more affected in recent years, citing figures attributed to human rights organisations.
Ezekwesili also said millions of Nigerian children remain out of school due to insecurity, poverty and social conditions, arguing that the education system and child welfare structures have collapsed under state neglect.
Read also:
- Nigeria’s Out-of-School Children Crisis: WAANSA, GEADI demand state of emergency ahead of UNPoA BMS 9 Meeting in New York
- Kano focused on reaching zero-dose children as it marks 2026 Africa Vaccination Week
- Man kills 7 of his children, an 8th child in a Louisiana mass shooting
“You are wishing ‘Happy Children’s Day’ to around 19 million Nigerian children… who do not attend school due to the threat of kidnappings, poverty and cultural factors,” she wrote.
She further accused the political class of offering “hypocritical” goodwill messages while failing to address malnutrition, poor healthcare delivery, and what she described as state-enabled hardship affecting children nationwide.
Her comments quickly gained traction on social media platform X, where users expressed mixed reactions, with many echoing concerns about insecurity and governance failures in the country.
