 Just before I begin, I would like to just say, both to His Excellency, the Governor of Kevay, Senator Attipou, that this challenge about my wife is not going to work. Today, we are both supporting our wives today, both of us. So, I must make excuses because I'm not any kind of poet like my wife is. Thank you very much. Excellency, the Governor of Kevay State, Elijah Abubakar, Attipou and Kudu, our host and wife of the Kevay State Governor, Her Excellency Hagia Aysha Abubakudu, members of the National Assembly present, especially Distinguished Senator Smatha Deyemi and Distinguished Senator Olubumi Adetumbi. Her Excellency, the former First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Hagia Maria Bacha. The Ongoing Minister of State for Education, Mr. Chukwemeika Muwajibab. The Malawian Deputy Minister of Education, Mrs. Madalitsu Kambawa-Wirima. Excellencies of the Diplomatic Corps present, Heads of Federal Government Agencies and Parastatals present, members of the Kevay State Executive Council present, fundamental staff of Maupai Foundation and my own dear in-law, Hagia Abubakar Aysha Gaya, who is sitting there, honored guests, ladies and gentlemen. Just let me thank Her Excellency Aysha Attipou Abubakudu and the Maupai Foundation team for their very kind invitation to me to attend this special literacy day. And I think it is fitting for the Maupai Foundation to be the host of an event to mark mass literacy day. This foundation, which in the last 10 years or so, has been led by the passion, the commitment and foresight of Her Excellency Aysha Attipou Abubakudu. Has shown to me perhaps the most important contribution that anyone can make to the lives of thousands of people. And that is education. Man is the sole dynamic in nature. He or she, unlike animals, has talents and abilities to develop himself or herself and also develop their environments. A person, a man or a woman can make chairs from trees, can invent planes, cars, can invent vaccinations to prevent diseases, can do all manner of things to develop a community. It is in Her place or His place to organize commerce, to organize monetary policy, to produce jobs of different levels of sophistication and reward. He or she can perform all of those functions. And these functions are human functions. Only human beings can perform these functions. But they cannot be performed effectively without the benefit of education. So when a country is underdeveloped and it is wiped out by disease, by infant mortality, it is because most of the minds in that country are underdeveloped. It is because most of those who are in that country lack education. The only known way to develop the human mind is education. And the only way, and the only way by which man can live better than any other creature and live up to his God-given responsibility or her God-given responsibility to develop his community, to provide enough for that community, to provide for the children is by education. Education is the ticket to the full enjoyment of all human, civil and socio-political and socioeconomic rights. Education is the only ticket. So when we talk about human rights that have been declared and put into our blows, the only way to access those rights, including economic rights, is by education. So at the most basic level, the ability to read and write, not just in one's own language but in other global languages, is crucial. To be deprived of education is to be deprived of the means of pursuit of a dignified existence where one can fully contest or collaborate with others for the benefits that life offers. So it is so important for us, especially those of us who are policymakers, those of us in civil society, we owe our people a duty to educate them. We owe them that duty. We owe our people a duty to lift their minds to the level where they can benefit maximally from their environment and give benefit to others. Every study, every survey that we have seen confirms that education, especially of women, has a multiplier effect on everything around them. In other words, if you educate a woman, she transforms her environment completely. It usually means a longer lifespan for themselves and for their children. It means that they are less likely to die of communicable diseases since they are more likely to understand best practices in hygiene and sanitation and follow useful material on healthcare. All of these things are possible. Everything is possible if the mind of a human being is educated. Every child has talents. Every child that is born is born with some talents. Born with some abilities. But nothing will happen if they are not educated to express those abilities. So we must commend the work of the Malpal Foundation. They have since 2009 been doing the difficult work of improving access to education and creating acquisition opportunities for the poor and for underprivileged communities. We have heard of the extensive work they have done, especially with nomadic children. They have extensive work they have done in full-only communities everywhere trying to ensure that these children in those communities and even the adults are well educated. Getting disadvantaged out of school children into formal education is a big challenge especially when some cases there are obstacles on account of prevailing culture. Hadja, you have shown especially in the case of girls that by being sensitive and understanding it is possible to somehow cultural beliefs and practices that hinder the education of girls. There are cultural beliefs, there are all sorts of possible obstacles but if we are sensitive to those obstacles, if we understand them and explain them well it is possible to do much much greater work. Everywhere, every one of the zones of our country whether it be free education right now, beginning with the Western region there is first a great deal of resistance, very serious resistance. When we introduced free education in the West there were riots. In fact at some point he lost elections on account of his introduction of free education. But in a few short years everybody began to see the benefits and as they say the rest is history. So there is a lot to be done. We must have the courage of our convictions. If we say girls should be educated we must make sure that we follow through. It may not be popular but it will be popular eventually. What is even more touching? What is more touching for me is that you have included those who are left behind as children and you are now creating new opportunities for them as adults through skills acquisition training and financial aid. I truly believe that the more lives you transform in the communities you serve the more the mindset will shift in those communities towards embracing formal education and for all. I want to commend you and your team for the brave and selfless work you have been doing over the years. And for not giving up and especially for not giving up in the face of many challenges. But I know that behind your great success is the steadfast support of your husband who is excellently and largely at the good of will. And members of your family, and members of your family, especially Maria who has also decided to devote her own time to the work of Maupai it is my prayer for you and your team as you have given so many such joy and hope that the Almighty God will continually give you also joy and fulfillment and will bless you and sustain your work and your service to this country and to humanity. Thank you all very much for listening.