Daniel Otera
Sixteen-year-old Ramlat Ahmed has made history in Gombe State after being inaugurated as the new Speaker of the Children’s Parliament, signalling a renewed commitment to child participation in governance following a two-year legislative vacuum.
The Journal Nigeria gathered that the inauguration of the seventh assembly of the Gombe State Children’s Parliament was held on Monday at the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, drawing child rights advocates, government officials, and legislative officers.
Ahmed, a Senior Secondary School Two student of Ilimi School, was elected alongside 14-year-old Christopher Ngale as Deputy Speaker and ten other principal officers.
For the state, this assembly represents a revival. “Since 2022, the state has not had a functioning Children’s Parliament,” Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Modi Shelpidi, disclosed at the ceremony.
“This assembly will go a long way in advancing not only children’s rights but also broader issues concerning women.”
The Children’s Parliament initiative, first introduced in Nigeria through the National Assembly in 2003, aims to provide young people with a platform to learn about democracy and participate in shaping policies affecting them. However, not all states have consistently sustained it. Gombe’s revival marks a rare commitment among northern states.
The Principal Legislative Officer of the Gombe State House of Assembly, Aminu Aliyu, urged the young lawmakers to view themselves as ambassadors for children across the state.
“You must carry yourselves in a manner that reflects the responsibilities of your offices,” he told the new parliamentarians.
Legislators, including Gabriel Galadima, Chairman of the House Committee on Women Affairs, pledged to offer mentorship.
“We are committed to teaching the children the rudiments of lawmaking,” Galadima said.
This renewed focus on youth engagement coincides with legislative progress in the state.
The Journal learned that Gombe has recently domesticated both the Child Rights Act and the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Law making it one of the northern states actively implementing legal protections for minors and women.
Commissioner for Women Affairs, Asma’u Iganus, lauded Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya’s role in this progress.
“The Governor’s assent to the Child Protection Law and VAPP Law is a clear demonstration of his passion and fatherly concern for children,” she remarked.
As part of activities to mark the 2025 Children’s Day celebrations, Iganus led officials on outreach visits to orphanages across the state including Al-Guh Orphanage, Da’awah Orphanage, Gombe House of Hope, and Destiny Kids Orphanage where relief materials were distributed.
The inauguration of the Children’s Parliament comes at a time when Gombe is grappling with severe child-related challenges. According to the 2022 Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) Report by the National Bureau of Statistics, over 95% of children in Gombe State live in multidimensional poverty, lacking access to basic education, healthcare, and adequate nutrition. The state also continues to record high rates of out-of-school children, early marriage, and child abuse, prompting urgent calls for more inclusive child protection policies.
While largely ceremonial, Children’s Parliaments in Nigeria are increasingly recognised as vital platforms for civic education, leadership grooming, and child advocacy. In recent years, states such as Lagos, Ekiti, and Cross River have revived their own parliaments, linking them with school clubs, legislative simulations, and child rights campaigns.
Experts say that mainstreaming these platforms is crucial, especially in northern Nigeria where child protection challenges persist. With nearly 1 in 3 girls in Nigeria married before the age of 18, according to UNICEF, initiatives that amplify young voices like that of Ahmed could become instrumental in shaping inclusive and responsive policies.
The Journal gathered that the seventh assembly will meet quarterly and will be supported by officials of the state ministry and the House of Assembly.
