Dr Nimi Ekere: Addressing Child Sexual Abuse through Books

Dr Nimi Ekere is an amazon whose passion for solving societal issues affecting children has continued to grow in leaps and bounds. Over the years, she has attracted recognition and accolades for her unflinching roles as a leading child advocate, author, speaker, coach, parenting enthusiast, teacher and humanitarian. 

As reflected in her four best-selling books that address child sexual abuse with practical remedies, Ekere enlightens children, pre-teenagers, teenagers and parents on all they need to know about combating the menace. 

The books are Some Parts Are Special, Setting Boundaries, Sparkles At Dawn, and Into The Light. These books are in different academic curricula of government-run primary and secondary schools across Nigeria. 

Consequently, one of her books is part of the  Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) also known as Junior WAEC in Rivers State. 

Ekere is undeniably a strong proponent of effective and intentional parenting and convenes different programmes and conferences that promote child rights and protection. She has also been featured in many panels and conferences across the globe to this effect. 

The graduate of Medicine and Surgery from the University of Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria is best described as a Consultant Family Physician.

She had her residency training at the Family Medicine Department of the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital where she later became the Chief Resident Physician handling both academic and administrative duties. 

She was also involved in the training and supervision of junior residents and did this effectively and efficiently. 

Ekere is a Fellow of the National Postgraduate Medical College of Family Physicians with an interest in Adolescent Health. She currently works as a Consultant Family Physician at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital ( LASUTH). 

The author is also a Fellow of the Institute of Management Consultants and a Certified Management Consultant. She is a Certified Management Specialist with distinction in Time Management from the London Graduate School. 

She has practised medicine in urban and rural areas for almost two decades. She has endeared herself to her patients through her dedication to duties, empathy and love for people, especially children, adolescents, and the less privileged. 

She is the founder of Smileandshine Children’s Foundation, a non-profit organisation aimed at preventing child sexual abuse, providing the needed help and support, and emergency care and treatment with adequate follow-up and rehabilitation of victims (children). 

In rural communities in Nigeria, her campaign against child abuse has inspired social security and a lease of hope for many children with unbelievable realities. 

Her child advocacy has been featured multiple times on various mainstream media outlets including the BBC. 

She has organised numerous outreaches for children, vulnerable women and the elderly. She also has carried out numerous medical outreaches, free training for the less privileged, sometimes partnering with other NGOs; local and international. 

Ekere is the convener of STRIVE CONFERENCE, an annual children’s conference that brings together children from public and private schools to teach and empower them to make better choices and become better versions of themselves. This year’s event had in attendance the first Lady of Lagos State,  HE, Dr Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu among a host of other dignitaries. 

She was recently featured as one of the Top 30 Most Inspiring Women to look out for in 2022 by the New York City Journal.