For some children, the excitement of returning to school is often mixed with the anxiety of whether they have the basic materials needed to begin another academic year.
But for about 20 pupils of Ikosi-Isheri Primary School in Lagos, the countdown to the 2026/2027 academic session came with something extra — gifts, encouragement and a reminder that someone believes in their future.
That was the message behind a back-to-school intervention led by Eno Tomiwa Idungafa, one of the contestants in the forthcoming Miss Universe Nigeria pageant, in collaboration with the Mayoress of Ikosi-Isheri Local Council Development Area (LCDA), Princess Samiat Abolanle Bada.
The initiative, held on Wednesday, September 9, 2026, was more than a simple presentation of school items. It was a carefully conceived effort to combine immediate support with the longer-term empowerment of young people.
For Idungafa, giving back to society does not have to begin with grand gestures.
Sometimes, she believes, it begins with identifying a need and responding to it with a willing heart.
The children’s excitement was unmistakable as they received their gifts. Their smiles and expressions of gratitude captured the significance of what, to others, might appear to be a modest intervention but, to the beneficiaries, represented encouragement as they prepared to return to school.
Yet, Idungafa was not content with simply putting school materials in the hands of the children.
The programme also featured a practical, hands-on skills workshop for children within the LCDA, introducing them to needle-and-thread crafts.
That second component perhaps best captures the philosophy behind Idungafa’s advocacy: education should not be confined to classrooms, textbooks, universities or academic certificates.
A Political Science graduate, with a Master’s degree in International Relations from the University of Greenwich in London and an MBA, Idungafa brings an unconventional perspective to the question of education and opportunity.
Her belief is that every child deserves the chance to discover what they are good at — and, more importantly, the opportunity to develop that talent.
For one child, the path may lead to a university degree.
For another, it could be fashion design.
For another, technology, interior design, music, art or a trade.
The destination may differ, but the need for knowledge, mentorship, exposure and encouragement remains the same.
It is a philosophy shaped partly by Idungafa’s own journey.
Born in Akwa Ibom State, she previously worked with Nigeria’s National Assembly before moving into investment advisory and pursuing further academic development abroad.
Her experiences in Nigeria and the United Kingdom have exposed her to different educational and professional environments, reinforcing her conviction that potential alone is not enough.
Talent, she argues, is not rare. Opportunity is.
And when talent meets a lack of opportunity, the consequences can be devastating.
Young people who could have become innovators, entrepreneurs, designers, artists, professionals or community leaders can instead find themselves trapped by frustration, uncertainty and a lack of direction.
That is why Idungafa’s advocacy places such emphasis on widening access to education and skills for all genders.
Her intervention at Ikosi Primary School was therefore not merely about helping children return to school.
It was about planting a seed.
It was about telling a child that their circumstances today do not have to define their tomorrow.
It was also about showing that education can take many forms and that practical skills can be just as important in helping young people build independent and productive lives.
Addressing the pupils, Idungafa urged them to take their education seriously, while encouraging them to remain humble, kind and supportive of one another.
Her message was complemented by that of Princess Bada, who, despite her busy schedule, made time to identify with the children and support the initiative.
The Mayoress reminded the pupils that education remains one of the most important keys to achieving success in life.
She also cautioned them against social vices that could derail their future and bring shame to their families.
For the children, however, the day’s lesson was perhaps simpler.
Someone cared.
Someone showed up.
Someone invested in them.
As Idungafa prepares to return to the Miss Universe Nigeria stage this September, she is carrying an advocacy that goes beyond beauty, glamour and competition.
Her platform is rooted in a question that is both simple and profound: What happens when young people are given the opportunity to become what they have the potential to be?
Her answer is reflected in the faces of the Ikosi pupils — that opportunity can create confidence, hope and possibility.
And sometimes, creating that possibility begins with something as simple as a school gift, a needle, a thread and someone willing to say:
Your future matters.