ABUJA – The Minister of Education, Malam Ibrahim Shekarau, has congratulated Pakistani teenage education activist Malala Yousafzai for winning the Nobel Peace Prize.
The Special Adviser, Media to the Minister, Dr Nnamdi Olebara, said on behalf of his boss, that Malala represented the new face of hope for the upcoming generation.
Malala, 17, survived an assassination attempt two years ago for campaigning for education in her native north-western Pakistan and against the Taliban bombing of schools in the tribal region.
In July, she visited Nigeria to demand the release of no fewer than 200 schoolgirls kidnapped by Boko Haram terrorists since April 14.
Shekarau said: “Malala is determined, courageous and irrepressible in her quest to better the lots of girl-child and her education. [eap_ad_2] “She has shown no limit in pursuits; she has sacrificed a lot in charting a new course for the girl-child and her rights.
“Having come to Nigeria to identify with the kidnapped Chibok girls, we, in the Education sector , stand with her and congratulate her for becoming the youngest person so far to win the Nobel Peace Prize.
“We wish her well in her future endeavours.’’
Muhammad Ashraf Saleem, the High Commissioner of Pakistan in Nigeria, said it was symbolic that Yousafzai, a Pakistani citizen, shared the Nobel prize award with a child rights activist, Kailash Satyarthi, of India.
“Mr Satyarthi worked for the rights of the children, we welcome this award and it is a great thing for India-Pakistani relationship.
“For Malala, it was a well deserved award, Pakistani nationals are happy and we are very proud of her,’’ he said.
The Anglican Bishop of Ngbo in Ebonyi, the Rt. Rev Christian Ebisike, said the award “is a source of great encouragement and inspiration for all who are working for peace world over.
“The world needs more peacemakers than terrorists and war-mongers.
“Many children and people have been killed in violent attacks in Syria, Iraq, Nigeria and Mali and every voice ringing out to plead and work for peace should be encouraged.’’
The Nobel Prize is worth 1.1 million dollars and it will be presented in Oslo on Dec. 10, the anniversary of the death of Swedish industrialist Alfred Nobel, who founded the award in his 1895 will. (NAN) [eap_ad_3]
