Invest in Girl-Child Education to Reduce Poverty, Promote Well-Being of Families- Prof. Sokoya

By Tofunmi Adebayo

In a powerful call to action, Prof. Grace Sokoya, an esteemed scholar in the Department of Home Science and Management, College of Food Science and Human Ecology (COLFHEC), as well as the Agricultural Media Resources and Extension Centre (AMREC), at the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), has advocated for substantial investment in girl-child education as an essential measure to reduce poverty among women and enhance psychological well-being within families.

Prof. Sokoya disclosed this while delivering the University’s 94th Inaugural Lecture today, October 30, 2024, at the Oluwafemi Balogun Ceremonial Building, titled “Afrocentric and Gendered-Constructions of Psychological Well-Being in Families: The Sojourn of a Gender Scholar.”

Prof. Sokoya, a Gender Scholar underscored the transformative power of education, explaining that educated girls and women are better equipped to advocate for their rights, make informed health decisions, and contribute meaningfully to society. She stated further that educated women tend to invest in their families, thereby breaking cycles of poverty. “Farm families need consistent enlightenment on the importance of girl-child education,” she emphasised, urging Agricultural Extension workers to integrate awareness campaigns into their outreach programmes.

A globally recognised authority in Gender and Family Studies, Prof. Sokoya also highlighted the need for increased support for AMREC-FUNAAB to empower Agricultural Extension personnel. She noted that by adopting gender-sensitive, inclusive approaches, AMREC could mitigate generational gender stereotypes and foster a culture of shared decision-making that strengthens psychological well-being in farm families, stressing that “Resources are essential for us to reach farm families and fulfil our responsibilities.”

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Formerly the Director of the Students Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES), Prof. Sokoya further advocated for collaborative government and NGO efforts to empower women and youths through skills training, entrepreneurship, culturally relevant education, adult literacy, and cooperative groups. She highlighted the importance of micro-financing to support income-generating vocations and fulfil societal needs.

Addressing mental health disparities, Prof. Sokoya noted that women are more prone to internalising disorders such as depression and anxiety, while externalising disorders are more prevalent among men. She advised women not to internalise stress but to find healthy outlets for expression. “Story-telling is therapeutic and can benefit our mental health. Take care of yourselves, eat well, rest, and strive to live long, fulfilling lives,” she urged. Prof. Sokoya also encouraged men to show compassion and understanding to the women in their lives, fostering environments where they can speak openly.

A passionate advocate for intentional parenting, Prof. Sokoya underscored the urgent need to raise boys with a sense of gender sensitivity, responsibility, and respect for women, addressing a longstanding imbalance in societal expectations. She remarked, “Families and communities have focused primarily on training girls to be nurturing, yet boys also need intentional guidance to become empathetic men and supportive husbands and fathers.”

Earlier, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Babatunde Kehinde, who was represented by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic), Prof. Olukayode Akinyemi, commended Prof. Sokoya’s pioneering contributions, noting her role as Chairperson of the FUNAAB Gender Policy Drafting Committee in 2014 and her impactful tenure as Director of SIWES.

He appreciated her work with the Family Resources and Youth Foundation (FRYFOUND) International, which was dedicated to family and youth development, underscoring her lasting influence on gender policy and advocacy at FUNAAB and beyond.