Information commissioners and top officials from across Nigeria’s Southwest states have committed to transforming public communication strategies to better protect children’s rights and advance gender equity, following a high-level advocacy meeting in Lagos.
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The two-day summit, hosted jointly by the Oyo State Government and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), brought together senior officials from the six Southwest states to develop evidence-based approaches for driving social and behavioural change in their communities.
The meeting, themed “Scaling Results for Children Through Evidence-Based Social and Behavioural Change,” was held at Orchid Hotel, Ikota-Lekki, and focused on leveraging strategic communication to improve outcomes in nutrition, water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), and immunisation programmes.
Oyo State Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Prince Dotun Oyelade, stated that success would be measured by tangible outcomes rather than policies alone. “Well-nourished children, access to clean water and protection from vaccine-preventable diseases” should be the ultimate goals, he stated.
“The wellbeing of women and children through three fundamental pillars of public health – nutrition, water sanitation and hygiene (WASH), and immunisation – are interlinked and vital to the survival, growth, and development of our communities,” Oyelade explained in his keynote address.
The commissioner stressed the critical role of communication in public health interventions, noting that “our communities can only benefit from nutrition programmes if they are aware of them. Clean water and sanitation will only be effective when people understand and adopt good hygiene practices. Immunisation will only reach its full potential if families trust and accept it.”
UNICEF’s Chief of Social and Behaviour Change, Abuja, Kshitiy Joshi, challenged participants to rethink communication as a transformational tool. “The world is changing every day,” he declared, noting the need for data-driven, people-centred communication that shapes public attitudes and behaviours.
“We must go beyond awareness to action—addressing deeply rooted norms, influencing behaviours, and ensuring that no child is left behind,” Joshi stated, highlighting the crucial role of information ministries in shaping public discourse at scale.
The Permanent Secretary of Oyo State’s Ministry of Information and Orientation, Rotimi Babalola, represented by Director of Press and Public Relations, Bukola Bakare, outlined the meeting’s core objective: ensuring every child “survives, thrives, and grows up in a safe and nurturing environment.”
Babalola emphasised essential family practices as “simple yet powerful actions,” including exclusive breastfeeding, handwashing with soap, proper home care for illnesses, and timely immunisations. “These practices, when consistently adopted, save lives and lay the foundation for a productive and healthy life,” he said.
Representatives from all six Southwest states participated in the summit. Osun State Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Barrister Kolapo Alimi; Ogun State Special Adviser on Media and Communication, Hon. Kayode Akinmade; Ekiti State Permanent Secretary for Information, Prince Olusesan Alabi; Lagos State Permanent Secretary for Information and Strategy, Mr. Olunde Sogunle; and Ondo State Administrative Secretary for Information and Orientation, Mr. Olanrewaju Akarakiri, all delivered goodwill messages.
The state representatives praised UNICEF as “a trusted partner in progress” whose interventions have significantly impacted Southwest communities. They reaffirmed their states’ commitment to partnering with UNICEF on future initiatives aimed at improving the lives of children and vulnerable populations across the region.
The meeting represents a coordinated regional approach to children’s advocacy, with participating states agreeing to implement evidence-based communication strategies and strengthen community engagement on critical health and social issues affecting women and children.
Oyelade concluded by urging participants to “be bold in ideas, open to collaboration, and relentless in their commitment to service. Together, we can build a healthier, more resilient future for all.”
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