At this critical time, Nigerian women really need a united voice to make things happen. Recently, they gathered to discuss some of the issues that affect the very fabric of womanhood and Senior Reporter, ANTHONIA SOYINGBE, was at the ‘family union’ to mark the UN day of women.
Though the gathering was conceived by Lucy Kanu the brain behind Idea Builders Initiative, the United States Consulate and Access Bank teamed up with Kanu and her organisation to rekindle the fire of a strong united voice for the Nigerian women.
Remi-Sonaiya, Adesua, Toyosi-Akerele
One of the speakers to fire the first salvo of the day, founder and chief executive, Rise Network, Toyosi Akerele argued on the need for successful Nigerian women to mentor younger ones while the younger generation must shield their pride and team up to learn from the older women.
She noted, “The only way you can sustain your relevance as a woman is to help younger women and as young woman, you must respect the grace of older women by submitting to their mentoring”, said Toyosi.
While commending women for having broken the glass ceiling, renowned TV personality Adesuwa Onyenokwe enjoined women to share their success story so as to encourage others.
From the political point of view, Olajumoke Adenowo another facilitator observed that the virus of bad governance has been gender discriminatory; urging women to hold leaders in power accountable.
“Bbeyond politics, women should be catalyst for social change. While we make things happen, let us hold our leaders accountable. We all can be catalyst for change, at least let us train our children to be good ambassadors,” Adenowo advocated.
On his part, United States’ Ambassador to Nigeria, Jeffery Hawkins commended Nigeria for having women representatives at the helm of affairs in corporate organisations. He however noted that huge gaps still exist in the nation’s political space.
Also, the Public Diplomacy Officer, US Consulate-General, Lagos, Rhonda Watson observed that our women still have more roles to play in the liberation of the society’s developmental growth, stability, politics and as agents of peace.
In his 2015 message to commemorate the International Women’s Day, United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon pointed out that the world will never realize 100 per cent of its goals if 50 per cent of its people cannot realize their full potential. When we unleash the power of women, we can secure the future for all, noted Ki-Moon.
“The world must come together in response to the targeting of women and girls by violent extremists. From Nigeria and Somalia to Syria and Iraq, the bodies of women have been transformed into battlegrounds for warriors carrying out specific and systematic strategies, often on the basis of ethnicity or religion. Women have been attacked for trying to exercise their right to education and basic services; they have been raped and turned into sex slaves; they have been given as prizes to fighters, or traded among extremist groups in trafficking networks. Doctors, nurses and others have been assassinated for trying to operate in their professional capacity.
“Even in societies at peace, too many girls and women are still targets of domestic abuse, female genital mutilation and other forms of violence that traumatize individuals and damage whole societies. Discrimination remains a thick barrier that must be shattered. We need to expand opportunities in politics, business and beyond. We need to change mind-sets, especially among men, and engage men in becoming active change-agents themselves. And we must back up our resolve with resources based on the sure understanding that investments in gender equality generate economic progress, social and political inclusion and other benefits that, in turn, foster stability and human dignity,” Ki-moon stated in his message.
Nigeria’s first and only female presidential candidate Remi Sonaiya, Adeola Azees and other notable women were at the gathering and they all resolved to make good things happen through their deeds.
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