Alausa made the call on Wednesday in Abuja during the maiden edition of the Kid’s Dialogue Series organised by the Federal Ministry of Education in collaboration with the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) and the Centre for Well-being and Integrated Nutritious Solutions (C-WINS).

The event, held at Government Science Secondary School, Pyakasa, Abuja, was themed: “Empowering Young Voices to Shape Health, Learning and Well-being in Nigeria.”

Addressing students drawn from various schools across the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), the minister stressed that good health remains the foundation for effective learning, productivity and leadership.

“If you don’t have health, you don’t have a life. You are the future of this nation and we have to start right by keeping you healthy. The most important person in keeping you healthy is you,” Alausa said.

He described vaccination as one of the most effective tools for preventing life-threatening diseases and encouraged students to ensure they are fully immunised.

“You should ask your parents and teachers, am I up to date with my vaccination?” he said.

According to the minister, advances in healthcare have made vaccines such as the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine effective in preventing certain cancers, while vaccines against measles and polio continue to save millions of children from serious illnesses.

Alausa noted that keeping children healthy is essential to achieving national development goals and building a future generation of productive citizens. He also commended parents and teachers for their role in nurturing children and guiding them towards achieving their potential.

Also speaking at the event, the Executive Director of the NPHCDA, Dr Muyi Aina, urged students to become ambassadors of healthy living within their schools and communities.

“As you learn, it is important that you also practise healthy behaviours, get your vaccinations, maintain good hygiene and eat nutritious food,” Aina said.

He noted that the dialogue series underscored the importance of engaging young people in conversations about health and well-being from an early age.

“We need to catch them young and set them on the path of health. For you to become healthy, productive adults, you need both education and good health,” he added.

During the interactive session, students raised questions on immunisation, mental health and general well-being.

Responding to a question on trauma and depression, Alausa said recovery is possible through open communication and professional support.

He encouraged children experiencing emotional challenges to speak with trusted individuals and seek help from mental health professionals when necessary.

The minister also advised students whose parents are reluctant about vaccination to discuss the importance of immunisation with them and seek support from teachers, stressing that vaccines remain critical in protecting children against life-threatening diseases.

The post Alausa urges Nigerian students to embrace healthy living and vaccination first appeared on The Times of Abuja.

The initiative builds on the company’s “Cancel the school trip” campaign, first introduced in Kazakhstan in April 2026.

Following strong public engagement and positive feedback, inDrive plans to expand the project to other countries where it operates, including Nigeria.

The campaign addresses what experts describe as one of the most widespread yet underreported challenges facing young people worldwide.

According to UNICEF, millions of children experience bullying regularly, but many never disclose their experiences to adults.

Research cited by inDrive shows that about 17 percent of teenagers aged 11 to 15 in Kazakhstan experience bullying at least once every month, affecting hundreds of thousands of students.

As part of the initiative, users taking morning rides to school received a push notification asking if they wanted to cancel the trip after the ride had already begun.

Although the message appeared to be a technical error, it was designed to prompt parents to reflect on their children’s emotional state and encourage conversations about their daily experiences.

The company stressed that the campaign is not intended to discourage school attendance. Rather, it seeks to motivate parents to engage more deeply with their children and identify potential signs of distress before problems escalate.

“We need to talk to children more often. Not just ask ‘How are you?’, but genuinely notice their emotional state, mood and changes in behaviour.

Sometimes, even a short conversation can help identify a problem a child may be afraid to talk about,” said Timothy Oladimeji, country lead for inDrive Nigeria.

A key symbol of the campaign is the back seat of a car, which organisers describe as a unique environment where parents and children can talk without distractions.

According to the company, everyday moments such as school journeys can become valuable opportunities for children to express concerns and feel supported.

Beyond the digital campaign, inDrive installed car seat-shaped displays across shopping malls and major intersections in Almaty, Kazakhstan, to draw public attention to the issue.

The company also developed an online resource platform in collaboration with child psychologists. The platform provides guidance for parents on recognising signs of bullying, initiating difficult conversations, and supporting children through emotional challenges.

As part of the broader campaign, a roundtable discussion brought together psychologists, parents, influencers and creative industry professionals to examine the evolving nature of bullying and explore ways to strengthen trust between adults and young people.

Participants discussed why bullying often remains hidden and highlighted the importance of creating safe environments where children feel comfortable sharing their experiences.

Psychologist Kseniya Lych, who participated in the discussion, said traditional questions often fail to generate meaningful responses from children because they tend to answer automatically.

She recommended the use of imaginative and open-ended prompts to encourage more honest conversations and reduce emotional barriers.

The initiative has received positive reactions from parents, mental health professionals and members of the public, prompting inDrive to consider adapting the campaign for additional markets.

“We see that bullying is an equally painful issue across different countries and cultures. That is why we want to develop this initiative internationally and launch similar projects in other inDrive markets,” said Yevgeniy Gavrilchenko, creative lead at inLab by inDrive and co-author of the project.

“For us, it is important not only to raise awareness about the problem, but also to help parents pay closer attention to their children’s emotional well-being and start conversations in time.”

The company said the campaign reinforces a simple but important message: addressing bullying begins with everyday engagement between parents and children. By creating opportunities for open dialogue, families can help ensure that children feel heard, supported and protected when facing difficult experiences.

The post inDrive launches anti-bullying campaign, plans expansion to Nigeria first appeared on The Times of Abuja.

Adetuberu spoke in Ibadan, Oyo state capital, at the annual relationship talk group conference with the theme “WOMEN: The Cynosure of Vulnerability.”

She said vulnerability should be seen as a strength that fosters trust and deeper connections, urging women to stop tolerating recurring abuse and instead seek help.

She cautioned against normalising abusive behaviour, noting that excuses such as “he has anger issues” or “he’s trying to manage the situation” only perpetuate harm.

“We are the story. We are the beauty, the pain, the courage, and the fire. Vulnerability is not our weakness; it is our weapon,” the marriage counsellor said.

“Don’t devalue yourself — it is not a sign of weakness, rather a sign of strength. Life is too short to be a casualty of war. Oppression leads to depression; therefore, be careful with your health.”

Adetuberu encouraged women to learn from mistakes and see rejection as an opportunity for growth rather than defeat.

Victoria Ademola-Idowu advised women to avoid toxic relationships, warning that prolonged exposure could trigger depression.

The convener of the group, Ebunoluwa Lawson, said the conference seeks to change the narrative for Nigerian women by promoting vulnerability as a positive trait.

“Our vulnerability as women is not a limitation, but a beacon of emotional strength and deep connection to our world,” Lawson said.

Lawson added that the group provides a safe space for open conversations on key relationship issues such as communication, trust, intimacy, and conflict resolution.

She urged women to be authentic and supportive of one another in building a community where everyone can thrive.

The event also featured the decoration of Ademola Babalola, Oyo state chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), as patron of the group.

The post Relationship expert urges women to speak out against abuse first appeared on The Times of Abuja.