The Secretary of the Grassroots Development Journalists Association of Nigeria (GDJAN) and Coordinator of the Global Girl-Child Mentorship & Exposure Initiative (GGMEI), Mrs. Ramat Alade, on Saturday hosted members of GGMEI to an interactive mentorship session at the Students’ Union Building, University of Ibadan.
The session, organized under the Heritage of Virtue: Global Girl-Child Mentorship & Exposure Initiative (GGMEI) — a project of the NITO Sports Foundation for Women and Youth Empowerment — was part of a series of pre-launch empowerment and mentorship programmes scheduled ahead of the official unveiling of the GGMEI project next year.
Speaking during the session, Mrs. Alade shared her personal life experiences, narrating her journey from teenage years to motherhood, and how perseverance, discipline, and faith helped her overcome several life challenges.
“Many of the women you look up to today also faced great difficulties in their early years,” she said. “These challenges may not always be financial — they could be health-related, family-based, or even spiritual. The key is perseverance, endurance, and faith in God. With these, no mountain will be too high for you to climb.”
She emphasized the need for young girls to embrace decency in appearance , noting that the way a lady presents herself speaks volumes about her values and self-respect.
“Decent dressing means dressing modestly, appropriately, and respectfully,” she explained. “It reflects good values, cultural or religious beliefs, and personal identity. It also boosts self-esteem, discourages unwanted attention, and demonstrates good upbringing and morals.”
Mrs. Alade further highlighted that decent dressing is not a sign of backwardness or lack of fashion sense but a symbol of self-worth and class.
“There’s a misconception that dressing decently is old-fashioned. That’s not true. Modesty can be stylish — it doesn’t limit freedom; rather, it empowers better choices. Decent dressing promotes elegance, dignity, and confidence,” she said.
She also discussed the broader benefits of decent dressing, explaining that it fosters mental peace, builds a professional image, reduces peer pressure to follow harmful trends, and enhances focus on education and personal development.
Addressing parents, schools, and communities, Mrs. Alade called for a collective effort in promoting moral values and modesty among girls.
“Parents and communities play a vital role in ensuring decency among young girls,” she stated. “They should be role models, set reasonable standards, and reward modesty and good conduct. Schools and religious bodies, too, must teach values, not just enforce rules.”
Concluding her mentorship talk, Mrs. Alade urged the girls to always present themselves in a manner that commands respect.
“Dress the way you want to be addressed,” she advised. “Decent dressing is not just about fashion — it’s a reflection of character and inner values. It earns you lasting respect, self-worth, and dignity. Remember, modesty is the beauty of a woman, and dignity is her crown.”
The mentorship session ended with an interactive discussion where the girls expressed appreciation for the opportunity to learn from Mrs. Alade’s wisdom and experiences. Many described the talk as “eye-opening and transformative,” reaffirming GGMEI’s mission to nurture virtue, confidence, and purpose among young girls across Africa.
