Nigeria as one of the
largest economies in Africa has been through rigorous stages to enhance
livelihood and improve her people’s economy. Leadership has been obviously
Africa’s biggest challenge due to negative ideologies such as godfatherism, sit-tight
leadership and mediocre leadership largely due to the dearth of leadership
grooming. Nigeria remains the hope of Africa and at the wake of women
empowerment and investment in women, Oxfam in Nigeria has been at the forefront
of bridging the leadership gap among women.
Recently, Oxfam has identified
with the socio-political need for Nigerian especially in her women, and
partnered with Nigeria’s premiere leadership grooming organisation, Guardians
of the Nation International (GOTNI) for this onerous task since 2014.
The Young Women Leadership
Program (YWLP) 2015 of the GOTNI was flagged off on September 4, 2015 at the
Reiz Continental Hotel Abuja, and mentors who spoke include Sen. Grace
Folashade Bent, one of Nigeria’s immediate past legislator; Barr. Sharon
Ikeazor, Women Leader of the ruling party-All Progressive Congress, Mrs
Victoria Bose Okakwu, the Director of Community Development and Special
projects at the NYSC, Mrs Olufunke Baruwa, CEO of Women Trust Fund, Hajia Aisha
Atiku Bagudu, and Chioma Ukwuagu representing the Country Director, Oxfam in
Nigeria and together they set the tone the over one hundred and eighty-eight
women in attendance.
The event was the launching
of the 2015 edition of the Young Women Leadership Program which is a 5-day
mentorship training that runs in 3 batches both in Abuja and Owerri, Nigeria.
The programme launch last
weekend afforded participants mentorship opportunities with politicians, party
chieftains, Captain of industries, governor’s wife, social entrepreneurs and
grant making organisations. The challenges of women in politics and how to
overcome it; need for the emergence of women in leadership, governance and
politics and the role of mentorship in bringing about those dynamics were at
the fore of the event.
Oxfam in Nigeria, funding
the GOTNI Young Women Leadership Program explains to Nigerians why investment
in women for leadership is imperative. Oxfam country director, represented by
Chioma Ukwuagu made the assertion that the women population in Nigeria is
higher than male and so cannot be ignored. This fact was also asserted when
speakers like Sen. Grace Bent made a striking revelation that Nigeria has been
running with only half of her team, being that women are not in the topmost
echelon of leadership in Nigeria.
Participants were drawn
across university students, NGO entrepreneurs, women in private sector, and
entrepreneurs and politicians were seen very excited and were visibly present
in the venue of the event hours after the program was over due to the impact.
The Young women Leadership
program will train 150 young women in a 5-day cycle per batch of 50 women, from
September 7th-25th, 2015. The GOTNI Leadership Centre is hosting
this very important leadership mentorship program.
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