Taraba State Governor, Colonel Agbu Kefas (Rtd.), has backed efforts to promote inclusive education and support children with diverse learning needs.
He made this known at the launch of Solution Nest Education Initiative (SNEI) and the unveiling of its book, See the Child First, in Abuja on Saturday.
Kefas, reflecting on his family’s failure to recognise his younger daughter’s needs while she was growing up, described the initiative as important and expressed interest in partnering with its organisers.
He said every child deserved to be understood, respected and given the opportunity to thrive, stressing that inclusion must go beyond classroom admission to include trained teachers, appropriate learning support and a genuine sense of belonging.
Drawing on Mark 10:13–16, where Jesus welcomed children whom His disciples had tried to turn away, the governor urged families, schools and public institutions to accommodate children who learn, develop or communicate differently.
He linked the initiative’s message to Taraba State’s commitment to free education, noting that access to schooling must be accompanied by support tailored to each child’s needs.
The President of the Association of African Institutions (AANI), Obi Okafor, described the launch as a call for Nigeria to recognise children beyond labels and perceived limitations.
He said SNEI’s mission to promote inclusive education and establish responsive support systems required the involvement of parents, educators, communities and institutions.
Okafor noted that the choice of 10 October, which coincides with World Mental Health Day, highlighted the need to treat children’s emotional and developmental wellbeing as a shared public responsibility.
He described the message of See the Child First as a national value that should guide how children are understood and supported.
The initiator of SNEI, Henrietta Ikediashi, said her work with children with special needs had demonstrated the importance of equipping teachers and caregivers to respond appropriately to individual learning needs.
She recounted the case of a six-year-old boy who experienced mistreatment at a private school, saying the incident strengthened her conviction that safeguarding, teacher training and understanding must be central to children’s education.
Ikediashi said the initiative had developed a training programme to equip educators with the skills needed to support children more effectively.
She emphasised the principle of “connection before correction”, explaining that behaviours such as screaming, running or becoming silent could communicate needs that adults must learn to understand.
Public Awareness
She outlined plans for public awareness campaigns, nationwide training, an international conference in Abuja, a Solution Nest Therapy Centre and a specialised school.
The initiative also plans to use therapeutic media, including music, pictures and sound, to support children at home, in classrooms and in centres.
In her welcome address, SNEI trustee Olufunke Amos said the organisation would promote inclusive education through practical interventions, professional development, advocacy, strategic partnerships and sustainable support systems.
Guided by its motto, “Belonging Starts Here”,she called for shared responsibility among families, schools, communities, governments and the private sector.
The launch, held at Hall C, TY Buratai Block, Nigerian Army Resource Centre, Asokoro District, Abuja, highlighted the initiative’s central message that children’s dignity and potential must guide how their learning needs are understood and supported.
“Before we judge, let us understand first. Before we exclude, let us enable. And before we see a label, let us see the child,” Kefas said.
