Osun State First Lady, Mrs. Titilola Adeleke, has promised to use her office to fight the menace of child labour in the state.
Mrs. Adeleke made the promise in Osogbo during the 2025 World Day Against Child Labour organised by Accel Africa Project for five communities in Ife North, Ife South and Obokun Local Government Areas of the state.
Represented by the Director, Gender Affairs, Ministry of Women Affairs, Children and Social Welfare, Mrs. Lola Adewale, the First Lady said the state government is working to ensure the full implementation of the laws and policies against child violence.
“In Osun, we have laws and policies that frown at violence against children. The office of the First Lady, in collaboration with the Ministry of Women Affairs, Children and Social Affairs, has been going around schools to sensitize against sexual and gender-based violence and also ensure the elimination of child labour.”
Mrs Adewale while decrying the menace of child labour, said “I want to appreciate the organisers of this programme because what we see every day in the society on child labour is nothing to write home about but we are trying our best to ensure that the menace against children and women generally is eradicated.”
She appealed to parents to protect their children and ensure that they are not subjected to child labour.
“To our parents, we’ve had series of meetings with them and we’ve trained and sensitise them on why they should always protect their children and not subject them to child labour,” she added.
Earlier, the project officer, Accel Africa Project, Lydia Eke, said children in the five communities lacked access to quality education.
Eke noted that the issue of child labor has reduced significantly, calling on stakeholders to ensure the total eradication of the menace.
“The reoccurring gaps we noticed in these five communities is their schools. A lot of these communities don’t have good school structures; some have schools without teachers. Sometimes, children in these communities, after finishing their primary school, have to go to another community for their secondary school education, and most parents do not want that.
“These communities have developed community action plans towards the elimination of child labor in their communities, and these plans have already been presented to the state government for its support. I want to urge the state government to assist the communities in their action plans.”
She emphasized the success of the ACCEL Africa project, which began with a pilot in Ibala community and has now expanded to five communities in three local governments (Ife South, Ife North, and Obokun).
According to her, the project has significantly improved school infrastructure, increased enrollment, empowered families economically, and fostered grassroots vigilance through Community Child Labour Monitoring Committees (CCLMCs).
Noting that the fight against child labour must become embedded in their systems, communities, and consciousness, Mrs. Ekeh asserted, “It is not a singular responsibility; it is a shared endeavor,” calling for a united approach involving all sectors of society.
Hon. Eluwole Sunday Adedipo, Commissioner for Education, celebrated Osun’s recent educational achievements, including international awards won by Osun students and the state’s rise in national exam rankings.
He credited these milestones to improved school environments, security partnerships, and renewed investment in education under Governor Ademola Adeleke.
Adedipo stressed that education has undergone significant improvement and necessary changes to address the issues faced in schools, recognizing that a collaborative effort is essential for progress. “Education is expensive, and we cannot achieve our goals alone. A collective effort is required from all sectors,” he urged.
He also recognized the existing gaps in the education system, including inadequate school infrastructure and a lack of qualified teachers, which pose challenges for families in the region.
