The Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Student Engagement, Hon. Comrade Sunday Asefon, has called for a united national front against bullying in Nigerian schools, declaring it a national emergency that demands immediate, coordinated action.
Asefon made this known while delivering the welcome address at the National Stakeholders Summit on Bullying Prevention and Support, held in Abuja. The summit, themed “Unite Against Bullying: A Multi-Stakeholder Approach to Legislative and Social Change,” brought together educators, policymakers, mental health professionals, legal experts, parents, technology leaders, and student representatives to deliberate on effective strategies to tackle bullying in all its forms.
Speaking on behalf of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR, Asefon described bullying—whether physical, verbal, psychological, or online—as a “destructive force” that undermines mental health, disrupts academic performance, and compromises the safety of learning environments across the country.
> “It is no longer a series of isolated incidents or unfortunate elements of ‘school culture’. It is a national challenge demanding a unified, multi-sectoral response,” he said.
He stressed that the summit was not merely for creating awareness but was a strategic intervention aimed at producing policy-driven, actionable solutions. The event, he noted, marks a turning point where Nigeria declares that “enough is enough.”
“No child should suffer in silence. No parent should fear sending their child to school. No school should ignore cries for help disguised as ‘discipline’ or ‘growing pains’,” Asefon said.
He acknowledged the broad coalition of stakeholders present, including:
Educators who witness bullying in real-time,
Mental health professionals who manage its psychological impact,
Technology leaders tasked with securing digital spaces,
Legal experts developing protective frameworks,
Parents advocating for change, and
Young people, whose lived experiences continue to drive urgency.
Among the summit’s objectives are influencing national policy direction, proposing legislative frameworks, establishing safe reporting systems in schools, and equipping institutions with tools for prevention and support.
Asefon urged stakeholders to champion a cultural shift in Nigerian schools—where empathy, inclusion, and safety are non-negotiable values that underpin learning.
> “Behind every statistic is a child—a child who deserves to feel safe, respected, and heard,” he noted. “Our impact must reflect not in papers or podiums, but in the tears we prevent, the voices we amplify, and the lives we protect.”
He concluded by reiterating the administration’s commitment to ensuring that no child is left unprotected.
“This is not just a summit. It is a national call to action—the beginning of a movement where Nigeria boldly declares: we will no longer tolerate bullying. We will protect. We will support. We will reform.”
On behalf of President Tinubu, Asefon thanked all attendees and declared the summit open, urging all participants to roll up their sleeves and “let the work begin.”
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