AFamily law expert from the Faculty of Law at the University of Ibadan, Professor Osifunke Ekundayo, has called for the provision of free, accessible, and quality primary education for all children in Nigeria.

The appeal was made during the university’s 580th Inaugural Lecture titled, “Right Not Privilege: No Child Should Be Left Behind,” delivered at Trenchard Hall of the institution.

In her address, Professor Ekundayo highlighted the plight of millions of Nigerian children who are denied their right to education, describing it as a “national emergency.”

Using personal experiences and legal research, she emphasised that education is not only a human right but also essential for accessing other rights.

She recounted two significant encounters from 2011 that motivated her advocacy, adding that the first involved a ten-year-old girl named Lola, who could not attend school due to the cost of materials.

The second was a six-year-old boy named Peter, who felt “pursued” from school over unpaid fees, highlighting the violence of exclusion.

Despite existing laws like the Universal Basic Education Act of 2004, Professor Ekundayo pointed out that education in Nigeria is not justiciable, saying it cannot be enforced in court.

She criticised the lack of legal binding in promises for free education, stating, “This is the tragic paradox. Nigeria has the highest number of out-of-school children globally, estimated at 10.2 million.”

Professor Ekundayo identified barriers such as poverty, inadequate infrastructure, and insufficient funding, which hinder access to education.”

She called for legislative reform to enforce education as a substantive right under the Constitution and referenced recent judicial rulings that recognize the enforceability of education rights.

She, however, urged for constitutional reform, increased funding, and stronger partnerships to ensure that education is free, compulsory, and justiciable.