She affirmed that under her stewardship, the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs would continue to celebrate the gains while pushing for more enduring reforms.

“We have witnessed an unprecedented increase in budgetary allocations to the Ministry and its Parastatal, the Maryam Babangida National Centre for Women Development, signaling national recognition of the strategic role women and families play in national development.”

The statement reads in parts: “As we celebrate today, let the message be clear: Nigeria belongs to all of us. Our democracy is stronger when it is inclusive. Our future is brighter when no one is left behind. And our calling is higher when it is rooted in justice, dignity, and hope.

“Today, we raise our flag not just to the wind, but to the spirit of freedom. Today, we honour the courage that reclaimed our voice, the ballots that restored our will, and the democracy that now carries the dreams of over 200 million Nigerians; including the women who nurture, the children who hope, the families that build, and the vulnerable who must never be forgotten.

“Nigeria’s Democracy Day is more than a date; it is a declaration. A declaration that never again will silence reign where voices should rise.

That never again will might override right.

That governance must be by the people, for the people, and inclusive of all the people; especially those history too often pushes to the margins.

“On this day, we celebrate not just our past battles, but our present progress. Under the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, Nigeria’s democracy has been renewed with hope, inclusion, and vision. The President’s commitment to building a One Trillion Dollar Economy is not merely economic—it is transformational. It is unlocking doors for Nigerian women in leadership, in enterprise, in innovation, in governance, and across our financial architecture.

” We see women today leading as Chief Executives of major financial institutions, presiding over courtrooms as Justices, shaping futures in universities, and transforming policies in public service. This is no longer symbolic, it is structural. It is a testament to what democracy makes possible when it works for all.

“The Federal Ministry of Women Affairs, under my stewardship, celebrates these gains while pushing for more enduring reforms. We have witnessed an unprecedented increase in budgetary allocations to the Ministry and its Parastatal, the Maryam Babangida National Centre for Women Development, signaling national recognition of the strategic role women and families play in national development.

“We proudly congratulate His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, and Her Excellency, the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, CON, for their inspiring leadership in advancing democracy, inclusion, and compassion. We also salute the leadership of the National Assembly, the State Governors and their spouses, and indeed, all Nigerians; especially the resilient and visionary Nigerian women, whose courage and tenacity continue to fortify the pillars of our democracy. Indeed, it is Women O’Clock in Nigeria, an era of recognition, elevation, and transformation.

“Our work remains anchored in the mandate to protect, empower, and uplift women, children, families, and vulnerable groups. But today’s democracy demands more than protection, it demands participation. We must all become architects of the Nigeria we seek.

” That is why we support the call for the renaming of the Ministry to reflect its expanded and integrated mandate, as the Federal Ministry of Women, Children, Families and Vulnerable Groups. The name must match the vision. The vision must match the need. And the need must guide the mission.

“Nigerian women are not bystanders in our democratic journey—they are defenders of democracy, builders of peace, keepers of resilience. From the marketplaces of Aba to the classrooms of Zaria, from the farms in Nasarawa to the courtrooms in Lagos, women continue to light the path forward.

“Nigerian children, too, are not voiceless. They are the voices of our tomorrow, calling us to build a nation where no child hawks under the sun when they should be learning under a roof, where no girl is robbed of her future through marriage before maturity, and no boy is lured into labour before literacy.

“Our families; the bedrock of any nation, must be supported with policies that secure livelihoods, strengthen care systems, promote mental health, and safeguard dignity.

“On this 2025 Democracy Day, let us recommit. Let us recommit to a democracy that works in the farms and the factories, in the homes and the hospitals, in the classrooms and the council halls. Let us recommit to a democracy where every woman counts, every child matters, every family belongs, and every vulnerable person is seen and served.

” Democracy is not an event; it is a daily covenant. Let us keep it alive, not just with laws, but with love. Not just with policies, but with purpose.

Not just with votes, but with values.

“As we celebrate today, let the message be clear: Nigeria belongs to all of us. Our democracy is stronger when it is inclusive. Our future is brighter when no one is left behind. And our calling is higher when it is rooted in justice, dignity, and hope.”

Thisdaylive.com