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IBADAN – As Nigeria joined the rest of the world to celebrate World Children’s Day, stakeholders at the Oyo State Child Safeguarding Summit 2025 have called on the state government to adopt a comprehensive Child Protection Policy to ensure the safety and welfare of every child in the state.
The summit, organised by the Haven Initiative for Women and Children, in collaboration with the Oyo State Government, UNICEF and other partners, brought together public and private sector stakeholders to deliberate on strategies for strengthening child safeguarding systems.
One of the guest speakers while speaking on the theme of the event “Strengthening Partnerships: Accelerating Safe & Protective Environment For Children In Oyo State,” Barrister Taiwo Akinlami, a renowned child protection advocate and founder of the Taiwo Akinlami Academy, underscored the urgent need to make children’s safety a collective priority.
Akinlami, who shared his personal story of childhood abuse, emphasised that preserving the innocence and emotional wellbeing of children must be viewed as a fundamental responsibility by parents, institutions and government.
He said, “If we fail to nurture and preserve their childhood, they may become a terror in the future,” he warned.
“I was a victim of child abuse. I lost my virginity at age six and was labelled ‘Evil Boy.’ But when I found courage at 27 and pursued education, I committed my life to ensuring that no child goes through such trauma.”
He called for immediate development and adoption of a statewide Child Protection Policy, adding that the existing Child Rights Law was insufficient in addressing present-day threats to children.
“By this time next year, we should be launching the Oyo State Child Protection Policy. There must be standards, there must be a document, and no one should claim ignorance,” he said.
Executive Secretary of the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency (DSVA), Titilola Vivour-Adeniyi, described child safety as “non-negotiable,” stressing that safeguarding must extend beyond schools to homes, religious institutions and online spaces.
She said, “Threats to children’s safety are rising in schools, the community and digital spaces. Safeguarding is a collective responsibility, not just that of government,” she said.
She praised Oyo State for taking proactive steps and described the summit as a “clear signal” that the state was ready to create a safer environment for every child.
