Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, the wife of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State, has said the state would adopt entertainment tools to preach the gospel of responsible family planning.

Mrs Sanwo-Olu, a medical doctor, said since people are more at home with entertainment like soap operas and sports, it would not be out of place to “speak the language they understand,” as a way of driving participation.

She added that social media influencers such as celebrities and entertainers will be co-opted in massive media campaigns.

The first lady made this known in her address as a special guest at the 2021 commemoration of World Contraceptive Day held in Lagos.

According to her, “Family planning prevents birth-related complications for both mother and child and has the long-term benefits of empowering women and reducing poverty.”

She also added that women should only have the number of children they can cater for, saying it is an effective way to tackle the challenges triggered by the growing population in the state.

“Families that have the number of children they can afford to train are able to devote more resources to providing them with adequate food, education, clothing, shelter and other necessities,” she said, adding that; “There is no gainsaying that family planning enables women to pursue their educational and career aspirations, acquire more wealth, and in the long run, contribute to socio-economic development of their immediate communities.”

She said, “Despite the benefits of family planning, it is disheartening to know that for many women, the right to decide when or whether to have children is being hindered by lack of access to safe and modern methods of contraceptives.”

See more details from the event where Mrs Sanwo-Olu spoke here.