Wumi Toriola asks schools and parents to guard pupils against intense heat
- Actress Wumi Toriola has urged schools to protect pupils as Nigeria battles intense heat.
- She asked parents to pack more water for their children and dress them in light clothing.
- Leadership reported temperatures of 41°C in the north and 39°C in the south, driven by El Niño.
Nollywood actress and filmmaker Wumi Toriola has called on schools and parents to shield children from the intense heat being felt across Nigeria.
In an Instagram post on Monday, the actress said she was speaking as a mother who is worried about pupils. She asked schools to put measures in place to keep children safe in the hot weather.
Her advice to parents was practical: put more water in children's bottles, keep reminding them to drink, and dress them in light clothes.
"As a concerned mother, I appeal to our schools to take extra precautions during this period of intense heat," she wrote, adding that parents should "remind them to hydrate well and dress light."
Why the heat matters
Leadership reported that Nigeria is going through severe, widespread heat, driven by a strengthening El Niño and shifting seasonal weather patterns. Air temperatures have reached 41°C in the north and 39°C in the south, with high humidity making it feel worse.
For families, the heat affects the school run, outdoor play and how much water children carry each day. Young pupils are among those most at risk of dehydration and heat exhaustion, which is why Toriola's message focused on schools and parents rather than the general public.
Her post did not mention any specific school, state or government agency, and no official has responded to it in the reports reviewed.
What happens next
Toriola's post is a reminder rather than a directive, so any changes in schools will depend on individual heads and parents. The actress recently celebrated her son's birthday, and she framed the message as a mother's concern as a new week began.
