Wife of the Lagos State Governor, Dr. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, has called for greater investment in extracurricular programmes for young girls, stressing that activities such as the Girl Guides movement provide life skills and survival abilities that formal classroom education alone cannot offer.
She made the call during the Campfire Barbeque organised by the Olave Baden Powell Society, Nigerian Chapter, held at Bridge House School in Ikoyi, Lagos.
The event brought together Brownies, Girl Guides, and Rangers from different schools in a celebration focused on leadership, creativity, teamwork, and personal development.
Speaking at the programme, Dr. Sanwo-Olu, who described herself as a former Brownie and Senior Girl Guide, said her participation in the movement during childhood played a major role in shaping her understanding of leadership, resilience, networking, and teamwork.
According to her, many children today struggle to function independently outside structured adult supervision, a challenge she linked partly to the decline of youth development programmes and extracurricular activities in schools.
She noted that organisations like the Girl Guides movement have existed in Nigeria for over a century and continue to equip girls with practical survival skills, confidence, and the ability to adapt to different situations.
National Coordinator of the Olave Baden Powell Society, Mrs. Feyisola Abiru, described the campfire gathering as an intentional platform to assess the impact of the organisation’s support for the Nigerian Girl Guides Association.
She said guiding activities have contributed significantly to building confidence and adaptability among participants.
Abiru explained that although traditional campfires are usually held at night, organisers adjusted the format to an afternoon event in response to current realities in the country, describing the decision itself as a lesson in creativity and resilience.
She also urged the Federal Ministry of Education and state commissioners for education to explore ways of integrating the values of guiding into the school curriculum.
According to her, the movement once had a strong presence in schools across Nigeria before gradually declining in visibility.
She further addressed misconceptions surrounding the organisation’s religious identity, clarifying that the movement is open to girls from all faiths and is fundamentally centred on character development and humanity.
Country Ambassador for the Olave Baden Powell Society, Folashade Ogunnaike, emphasised the importance of global exposure for Nigerian girls, noting that many young girls possess great potential but require opportunities for international development and engagement.
Also speaking, the National Commissioner of the Nigerian Girl Guides Association, Deaconess Rhoda Thomas, described the event as a creative adaptation of the traditional campfire experience, adding that it successfully captured the spirit of the programme despite the absence of an open flame.
She disclosed that while membership of the association has grown significantly, participation levels still fall below targets set by the World Board relative to Nigeria’s large female youth population.
Thomas identified volunteer recruitment as one of the organisation’s most pressing challenges, explaining that the sustainability of training programmes depends heavily on having enough guiders willing to work in schools, churches, and local communities.
She dismissed claims that the movement has lost relevance among younger generations, pointing out that Nigerian Girl Guides currently participate in volunteer programmes at international world centres for periods ranging from three to six months.
Activities featured at the event included Adire tie-dye sessions, a Paint and Sip booth, and a Waste-to-Reusable initiative focused on recycling plastic bottles, reflecting the organisation’s commitment to environmental sustainability and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
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