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Today is world’s population Day and I join the the United Nations in raising awareness about the prevalence of adolescent pregnancy. Every year around the world around the world 16 million girls under 18 years of age give birth yearly. 19 out of every 100 girls in developing countries give birth before 18 and 3 of theses girls are below the age of 15. Adolescent women face greater risks in pregnancy and are more likely than adult women to suffer obstetric fistula, to be disabled or to die during child birth there is urgent need to develop messages and resources to the education, health and well-being of adolescence girls in Nigeria and other parts of the world.

In Nigeria today, much more than before very young girls are sexually active than ever before. It is beyond religion, ethnic group, state of origin married or unmarried. Stories have been told of  young girls who get pregnant while in school and die while trying to abort the pregnancy in order to continue their education, Newspapers carry stories of young girls locked up in a factory, ‘producing’ babies for some men and women who will in turn pay cash for the baby and what ever happens later to the babies…..only God can tell and, if the girl dies while trying giving birth……that’s the end of her! today and tomorrow, we hear stories of rape…. in the crisis areas of Nigerian,  militants rape girls, the supposed “peace keepers”,  the soldiers rape young girls and no one wants to talk about it because the word ‘rape’ is dirty and the ‘act of rape’ itself is as clean and fresh as white handkerchief. The stigma itself is worse then, who do we run to?


I wonder why it is a crime for a young girl to be educated on her sexuality……some people say it is ‘dirty education’, others say “if you tell her, she’ll start thinking about it” and such thinking should be avoided. Oh guys tell me something! As for me, she has every right to know shikena!
And then, I hate it when I have to visit health facilities sometimes, because then I see lots of very young pregnant girls…..I see unproductive set of girls, I see poverty, I see illiteracy and but then I see hope. They hope that they still have a future, that the baby in the womb is safe and will be delivered. and then I also remember those who can’t even afford to visit the health facilities because the society will not accept the baby or they can’t afford the ‘luxury’ at the health facility or they don’t even know yet that they are pregnant……yes, this happens, the unimaginable happens!

In the silence of our hearts, let us remember today, millions of adolescents who contribute to the world’s population every minute. let’s pray for them, let us think for them today and finally let us act towards them. Adolescent pregnancy stories are real let us identify ourselves with these stories and make them our stories.

For Joyce, Helen, Joy and Amina and other young girls who are pregnant adolescents this post is for you. I  identify with you.