By Aisha Gambo

In Gabari village, Kufena, Zaria Local Government Area of Kaduna State, young Halira Nuhu (not real name) is hawking “Fura da Nono”, a meal made from cow milk and millet, during school hours.

Nuhu dreams of becoming a doctor, but her condition would not allow her to accomplish that dream.

In her village, boys’ education is prioritised, while girls are sent to hawk or married off early.

At 12, Nuhu was given out in marriage to her cousin.

This, indeed, reflects the reality of many girls in her community.

“I was married off at the age of 12, I’m now 15 and I have one son; in my tradition parents choose spouses for their children and girl child education is not prioritised, we go hawking.

“I attended only primary school and stopped because my father was not financially stable; so, my mother said I should hawk before a befitting spouse is chosen for me,” she said.

Similarly, Saude Maude (not real name), a resident of Hanwa, Zaria, got married at the age of 13.

As an orphan who lost her father while she was still a baby, Maude could not finish secondary school due to poverty.

“It was my mother who took care of me and she couldn’t pay for my school fees after JSS 3. So when I got a suitor, I was married off; I was devastated but there was nothing I could do,” she laments.

According to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), about 7.6 million girls in Nigeria are out of school, including 3.9 million at the primary level and 3.7 million in junior secondary school.

UNICEF further reports that more than half of girls of basic education age are not enrolled.

Evidence from various studies also indicates significant dropout rates between primary and junior secondary levels.

Experts, however, attribute this trend to a combination of factors, including poverty, early marriage, unintended pregnancy, gender-based violence, limited awareness, and inadequate parental support.

Consequently, these challenges continue to restrict many girls’ access to education and contribute to higher dropout rates, especially as they transition from primary to secondary school.

A report by Save the Children says 78 per cent of girls in the northern region of Nigeria are married before the age of 18, while 44 per cent of girls are married before their 18th birthday across the country.

In Kaduna State, the School Census Report revealed that 25 per cent of adolescent girls dropped out of school due to factors such as early marriage, insecurity, poverty, among others.

In response to this development, the Kaduna State Government developed an Education Policy in 2019, which made provision for Second Chance Education (SCE).

The state also developed a 10-year Education Sector Plan (ESP), named Kaduna State 2019–2029 Education Sector Strategic Plan.

The plan is a comprehensive and strategic framework developed with the support of development partners to guide the planning, implementation, and evaluation of education policies and programmes.

The Director of Planning, Kaduna State Ministry of Education, Salisu Lawal, stated that SCE is being implemented with support from development partners like the Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE) for girls who dropped out due to marriage or pregnancy.

Recently, Kaduna State validated the Gender in Education Policy to tackle structural barriers such as safety, access, and retention that disproportionately affect girls.

The policy is aimed at addressing the specific needs of male and female learners across different age groups and communities.

Notably, the initiative goes beyond general assumptions about gender and instead focuses on how education can be delivered effectively to different categories of learners.

Second Chance Education is one component of the broader policy, which supports adolescent married girls and mothers with learning materials, uniforms, and conditional cash transfers to motivate the girls and their families.

Zainab Maina-Lukat, the Technical Assistant on Education Systems Strengthening, AGILE project, said the policy was designed to address inequalities and barriers within the education sector.

She said the policy proposes practical solutions to support young mothers and female teachers, including the establishment of early childhood care centres within schools to enable them continue their education or careers.

According to her, the policy recognises that learners face different challenges depending on their age, gender, and circumstances.

The policy also highlights disparities in academic progression, especially in science education.

While about half of girls in private schools transition into science streams, the figure is significantly lower in public schools.

Albeit these challenges, being married and giving birth did not stop Nuhu and Maude, who dropped out of school due to tradition and poverty, from pursuing their dreams.

Nuhu has now returned to school and is in JSS one through the SCE supported by AGILE.

Her husband and father gave their consent for her to continue her education after a mobilising officer enlightened them on the programme.

“My father is excited that I am going back to school and my husband supported me with uniform and learning materials,” she says.

However, the major challenge Nuhu faces is balancing married life and education.

As a nursing mother with the zeal to learn, she has to keep her 11-month-old baby at her in-laws’ place before going to school.

“Nobody will take care of my baby when I’m in class and I want to concentrate, so I have to keep him with them,” she said.

Transportation from her husband’s house to school is another challenge.

Nevertheless, Nuhu wakes up early and treks for 40 minutes to get to school.

Returning to school has given her a sense of responsibility.

She regrets marrying early, saying she still feels she is not ripe for marriage at 15.

She now hopes to become a girl child advocate, where she will sensitise and empower young girls to complete at least Senior Secondary School before marriage.

Likewise, Maude, now 17 with two children, has returned to school and is in SS1, dreaming of becoming a journalist.

She said she would work hard to ensure her children get better education before marriage.

Ummi Bukar, the Programme Director, Participatory Communication for Gender Development Initiative (PAGED Initiative), says extending Nigeria’s Universal Basic Education (UBE) policy to 12 years would improve access to secondary education, especially for girls.

“Extending the policy to senior secondary education would ensure that girls remain in school longer and emerge as more productive members of society.

“It is not enough to create programmes; they must reflect the realities of the target group. Many young mothers cannot return to school because there are no support systems such as childcare or flexible learning hours,” she says.

She, therefore, called for stronger enforcement of existing laws, increased investment in education, and inclusive policies that address the diverse realities across states.

In conclusion, as married adolescent girls like Nuhu and Maude return to the classroom, it is necessary that they receive the support systems required to thrive. (NAN)

By Abiemwense Moru

A young man survived a sudden health crisis only because his liver failure was detected early—proving that awareness and timely intervention save lives.

Health experts have raised serious concerns about low awareness of liver diseases, warning that these conditions remain silent killers and are increasingly becoming a major global health burden affecting millions worldwide.

In commemoration of World Liver Day on April 19, medical professionals noted that the 2026 event received far less attention than major global campaigns like HIV awareness.

Experts argue this lack of visibility reduces the effectiveness of awareness campaigns.

Consequently, it limits public understanding of liver health, early warning signs, and preventive measures that could significantly lower disease rates and mortality.

Consultant gastroenterologist and hepatologist Dr Kolawole Akande warned that the limited attention given to liver health initiatives restricted their ability to influence behaviour and promote preventive healthcare practices among communities nationwide.

He noted that World Liver Day was created to highlight the importance of liver health and encourage early detection and treatment of liver-related diseases before they progressed into severe, life-threatening conditions.

However, he said insufficient awareness continued to slow progress in combating diseases such as hepatitis, fatty liver disease, cirrhosis, and liver cancer, which collectively contributed to high morbidity and mortality rates globally.

According to him, the liver is one of the body’s most vital organs, responsible for nearly five hundred essential functions daily, including detoxification, metabolism regulation, and storage of nutrients necessary for sustaining life and health.

He said that in spite of its importance, many individuals only became aware of liver disease when it had advanced significantly, making treatment more difficult and reducing survival chances due to delayed diagnosis and intervention.

Akande emphasised that liver diseases often developed silently without noticeable symptoms, underscoring the importance of routine medical check-ups in identifying early-stage damage before it becomes severe or irreversible over time.

He said that early-stage liver damage could be reversed if detected promptly, but late diagnosis significantly limited treatment options and increased the likelihood of complications and death among affected individuals.

Akande stressed that policymakers and healthcare providers must actively promote healthy behaviours, including regular exercise and balanced diets, to prevent lifestyle-related liver diseases and improve overall public health outcomes sustainably.

Akande called for expanded vaccination programmes, improved screening systems, and increased access to treatment services as essential measures to combat hepatitis and reduce its widespread impact on populations.

He warned that many individuals were living with hepatitis without knowing their status, increasing their personal health risks while also contributing to the continued spread of infection within communities and across generations.

Globally, liver diseases accounted for at least 2 million deaths each year, yet many of these deaths are preventable through early detection, vaccination, improved awareness, and adoption of healthier lifestyle practices.

Akande emphasised that prevention efforts should begin with children, particularly through the administration of the hepatitis B vaccine at birth, which played a crucial role in reducing infection rates early in life.

According to him, hepatitis B is the most common cause of liver disease in Nigeria, in spite of being preventable through vaccination, highlighting the urgent need to improve immunisation coverage across the country.

Akande said that after receiving the birth dose, children must complete the full immunisation schedule to ensure long-term protection against hepatitis B and related liver complications later in life.

He also advised adults to undergo screening and vaccination, especially those born before hepatitis B vaccination became part of routine immunisation schedules, as they remained at higher risk of undetected infection.

According to him, adults who test negative should receive vaccination, noting that vaccines are widely available and relatively affordable, making prevention accessible for many individuals across different socioeconomic groups.

Akande underscored the need for stronger government and institutional support to improve awareness campaigns and ensure that liver health education reaches diverse populations across urban and rural communities effectively.

He called for collaboration among public health authorities, healthcare providers, and community organisations to educate citizens about liver disease prevention, early detection, and the importance of maintaining healthy lifestyles consistently.

Akande reiterated that prevention remained more effective than treatment.

Similarly, a general practitioner, Dr Jonathan Esegine, urged individuals to take proactive steps toward protecting their liver health, stressing that increased awareness could significantly reduce the global burden of liver disease.

Esegine advised adopting a balanced, plant-based diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and healthy fats, which supported liver function and reduced the risk of developing chronic health conditions over time.

He also recommended maintaining a healthy weight through regular physical activity, as exercise played a crucial role in preventing fatty liver disease and improving overall metabolic health and wellbeing.

Health experts say the theme for World Liver Day 2026, “Solid Habits, Strong Liver,” emphasises that liver health is shaped by daily lifestyle choices, reinforcing the importance of consistent healthy behaviours over time.

They say adopting healthy habits offers a powerful, collective defense against liver disease, improving long-term health and easing the global impact of chronic liver conditions.(NAN)

By Joan Odafe

In the quiet farmlands of Chibok in northeastern Nigeria, the steady rhythm of women cracking groundnuts and sorting harvests now carries a meaning deeper than livelihood.

For the mothers whose daughters were abducted during the 2014 school attack by terrorists, the work has become both survival and healing.

What began as a response to grief has gradually grown into a small but meaningful enterprise, one rooted in farming, peanut processing and the determination of mothers to rebuild their lives and secure a future for their children.

Their story is documented in the film, ‘Mothers of Chibok’, by Nigerian filmmaker, Joel Kachi Benson, which moves beyond the moment of the abduction to focus on the everyday lives of the women who continue to live with its consequences.

In the film, the camera lingers on the rhythm of daily labour: women tending farms, negotiating land prices, planting corn and groundnuts, and later selling the groundnuts that have become central to their community enterprise.

One scene captures a mother negotiating to rent farmland. The landowner initially demands N100,000 but after persistent bargaining the woman brings the price down to N35,000, a small victory that reflects her determination to keep farming in spite of financial hardship.

Groundnuts have become the backbone of their livelihood. After harvest, the women sort, roast and process the peanuts, adding value before they are sold.

The enterprise not only sustains their farming activities but also provides income to support their families and pay school fees for their children.

Scenes in the documentary show women sitting together in courtyards and fields, cracking shells and drying harvests under the sun.

The work is demanding but it carries a quiet sense of solidarity among the mothers.

For many of them, motherhood remains the strongest source of motivation.

In one scene, a mother sits with her children during a home lesson, gently encouraging them through their reading.

“Myself well done. Try it another day. Mango and banana for Mau,” she sings as a reward for a lesson completed.

In spite of the trauma that reshaped their lives, education remains central in the community.

The mothers continue to send their children to school, determined that fear will not define the future of the next generation.

The film also captures moments that reveal the emotional weight many of the women still carry.

In one poignant sequence, a mother receives a phone call informing her that her daughter has been rescued and will soon return home.

Earlier in the film, she had been shown carefully arranging her daughter’s clothes, preserving them as if preparing for the day she will come back.

Elsewhere, another mother breaks down after learning that her daughter was not among those rescued.

Through these moments, the documentary presents the mothers not as symbols of tragedy but as women navigating grief, hope and everyday survival.

Benson said the film took about three years to complete, allowing the production team to build trust within the community and document realities that rarely make headlines.

“When you spend time, you see things,” he said.

The producer explained that the intention of the film was to shift attention toward the strength and resilience of the women rather than presenting them solely through the lens of tragedy.

“The idea was to show them as strong, resilient women who are rebuilding their lives and supporting their families,” he said.

Beyond the film, the mothers’ groundnut enterprise is gradually reaching wider markets.

Their products are now available at a few outlets, including ‘The Gather House’, a concept store that showcases women-owned African brands and products with strong community stories.

By connecting the Chibok women’s produce to urban consumers, the initiative is helping transform their small-scale processing into a sustainable livelihood.

For the mothers, every bag of processed peanuts sold represents more than income. It reflects their determination to rebuild stability for their families and create economic security for their children.

Their story carries particular resonance during moments such as International Women’s Day and Mother’s Day, occasions that celebrate women’s strength and the enduring power of motherhood.

In Chibok, those ideals are lived daily in the fields and courtyards where the women work.

Through farming, enterprise and collective resilience, the Mothers of Chibok are gradually transforming a painful chapter of history into a story of dignity, survival and hope. (NAN)