By Michael Jegede
Last year September, the wife of the governor of Cross River State, Senator Baseey Edet Otu, Her Excellency, Rev Eyoanwan Otu, launched the Rev Eyoanwan Otu Girls in STEM – Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics – Project in fulfilment of her desire to empower young girls to break barriers for the future.
Fundamentally, the project aimed at engaging and educating secondary school girls in STEM, to make lasting impact on their lives, is said to have been designed to trigger interest, curiosity and enthusiasm for the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics among young female students.
At the flag-off ceremony of the Rev Eyoanwan Otu Girls in STEM Project in September 2023, a scheme said to be in tandem with the plans of the Bassey Otu-led administration to make Cross River a technology hub, the state’s first lady was quoted as saying: “This initiative embodies my commitment to empowering the brilliant and capable young girls of our state to break barriers, shatter ceilings, and forge a path towards a brighter future.
“In today’s world, science, technology, engineering and mathematics, collectively known as STEM, have become the driving forces of progress. These fields hold the keys to innovation, development, and prosperity. It is our responsibility to ensure that our young people are not left behind rather equipped with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to excel in STEM.”
Imploring parents to endeavour to boost the morale of their female children to pick interest in science and technology related professions, she restated her husband’s determination to create opportunities for young girls in Cross River State to thrive alongside others in the advanced countries of the world.
The wife of the governor added, “As part of our ‘People First’ Agenda, my husband and I aim to create an inclusive ecosystem where girls can dream big and pursue their passions in STEM without hesitation. By investing in their education, we are investing in the future of our state, a future defined by innovation, progress, and equal opportunities for all.”
Founder of the Guru Innovation Hub, Mr. Oyo Effiom, a major partner of the Girls in STEM Project, was reported to have said that of prime importance in the scheme was the training to be given to the girls to exposed them to the various career choices available in the areas of science and technology.
Noting that the training programme was meant to benefit young girls across the 18 local government areas of Cross River State, Effiom averred, “We believe in quality control and ensuring we simplify the content of the training for the participants in view of their age. One unique thing we observed in the project was that 70 per cent of the girls were touching the laptop for the first time. We are hoping to close the gaps using this training.”
One year after it was launched, the Rev Eyoanwan Otu Girls in STEM Project has succeeded in training over 3,000 girls largely between the ages of 12 and 18 across the three senatorial districts of the state, equipping them with important skills in gaming, coding, robotics and programming.
In a report captioned ‘One Year of Rev Eyoanwan Otu Girls in STEM Project: A Transformative Journey for Cross River’s Future,’ written by the Rev Eyoanwan Otu Girls in STEM Project team, it was indicated that the project was launched as “an ambitious initiative to inspire and empower young girls from the rivers of Bakassi to the hills of Obanliku of Cross River State to embrace STEM fields. Now, a year later, the project’s impact has been both profound and far-reaching, with over 3,000 girls trained across the state’s three senatorial districts, equipped with critical skills in gaming, robotics, coding, and programming.
The team said, “The project’s inception came at a crucial time when the world was witnessing an increasing demand for STEM professionals, yet a persistent gender gap remained in Nigeria, nay Cross River. Recognizing this gap, Rev. Otu, the wife of the governor of Cross River State, launched this initiative to address the imbalance and offer young girls the tools and opportunities to pursue STEM careers. What began as a vision to spark interest in STEM has now evolved into a full-fledged movement, propelling young girls towards a future brimming with possibilities.”
The report added, “The curriculum, which focuses on basic computing, coding, robotics, and gaming, has been tailored to meet the needs and interests of young girls, helping them to develop not only technical skills but also problem-solving proficiencies, critical thinking, and creativity. These skills are essential in the 21st-century workforce, positioning participants to excel in fields that will define the future of global economies.
“The project has been more than just about skills; it has also emphasized mentorship and career guidance. Facilitators and educators from Guru Innovation Hub, a leading technology cluster in the state, have been instrumental to nurturing the girls’ potential, providing them with the knowledge and support to visualize long-term careers in STEM. This mentorship has made the program holistic, ensuring that it’s not just about learning but about shaping futures.”
The report also revealed that “the project has awarded scholarships to exceptional students, further underlining the commitment to long-term educational empowerment.
It enthused, “These scholarships, offered to those who excel in the SSCE exams and show clear intent to pursue STEM careers, act as a springboard for greater opportunities, ensuring that financial barriers do not limit the future of Cross River’s bright female young minds.”
It further noted that “as the world continues to move towards a digital and technology-driven future, the Girls in STEM project is playing a pivotal role in preparing Cross River’s youth for the opportunities and challenges ahead. By fostering interest in STEM at a young age, the program is creating a pipeline of talent that will contribute to Nigeria’s technological and economic development. The state’s government, led by Governor Bassey Elder Otu, through its ‘People’s First’ initiative, has been steadfast in supporting this vision, ensuring that the youth are equipped with the necessary tools to thrive in an ever-evolving landscape.”
The report maintained that “the first year of the Rev. Eyoanwan Otu Girls in STEM Project has been nothing short of transformative. Through dedication, vision, and an unwavering commitment to empowering young girls, the project has laid the foundation for a future where Cross River’s youth are equipped with the skills and confidence to thrive in STEM fields. As we look ahead, the continued success of this initiative will undoubtedly contribute to a brighter, more inclusive, and technologically advanced future for Cross River State.
“Rev. Otu’s passion for education, gender equality, and technological advancement stands as a beacon of hope, inspiring a new generation of female innovators, leaders, and change-makers in Cross River, Nigeria and beyond.
“As the Rev. Eyoanwan Otu Girls in STEM Project embarks on its second year, the momentum is only set to grow. Plans are already in place to expand the scope of the project, with a Girls in STEM Reunion Boot Camp, which started in 2024 scheduled again for 2025. This boot camp will not only serve as a refresher for past participants, but will also introduce new concepts and technologies, ensuring that the girls stay updated with the latest developments in the STEM world. More scholarships and opportunities for advanced learning are also on the horizon, providing a continuous pathway for these young women to achieve their full potential.”
The wife of the governor of Cross River State has been widely commended for initiating the Girls in STEM Project and her several intervention and empowerment programmes geared towards supporting her husband in the delivery of the dividends of democracy to the doorsteps of Cross Riverians.
A grassroot politician and one-time councillor of Akparabong ward in Ikom Local Givernment Area of Cross River State, Hon Edo Owan, said the Project has been a huge success, while asserting that it was “well-conceived and timely.”
Owan, one of the frontline aspirants in the race for the the All Progressives Congress, APC, chairmanship ticket for Ikom Local Government Area in the upcoming council poll, where Pastor (Mrs) Mercy Nsor emerged as the consensus candidate, remarked, “The Girls in STEM Project initiated by the wife of the governor, Rev Mrs Otu, is well conceived and timely too, especially in this era of digitalization. So far, the success has been unprecedented and I believe the impact of the project will be highly felt in a few more years.
“I want to commend her and her Girls in STEM Project team for the good work so far and encourage them to do more. Her Excellency honestly deserve commendation for coming up with such a laudable and remarkable initiative that would go a long way in bringing technological advancement to our dear state.”
Some of the other admirable intervention efforts of the Cross River First Lady, via the Humanity Without Border Empowerment Initiative, HUWBEI, include the distribution of school materials to 5,000 children in the Back-to-School Programme, provision of delivery kits to 1,000 expectant mothers, free medical outreach and scholarship to medical students, distribution of medical equipment to primary and secondary tertiary health facilities, provision of support to persons living with disabilities, offering of financial grants/support to widows and empowerment of female farmers in Cross River State.
Mrs Otu, the humanity-first advocate, has been a strong pillar of support to the governor, joining hands with him to give Cross River people the best of governance. She has since becoming the Cross River First Lady, made significant impact on the lives of Cross Riverians in the provision of quality healthcare, social welfare, agriculture and education through her intervention programmes. On October 12, she launched a state-wide campaign for the administration of vaccine against measles gratis, aimed at covering 95 per cent of children in Cross River State.
•Jegede, a journalist, writes from the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja.
