By: Theresa Moses
The “Women Conversations” conference, organized by Women of Substance, has brought together renowned women leaders and advocates to accelerate action on rights, equality, and empowerment for women and girls in commemoration of International Women’s Day 2025.
The event which took place at LCCI, Alausa recently featured array of distinguished speakers.
In her opening remarks, Ms. Ify Onyegbule, Executive Director, Women of Substance and Director-General of Imo Broadcasting Corporation (IBC), emphasized the importance of accelerating action on gender equality and empowerment.
She explained that action as an acronym, stands for “A for access, assess the situation, C for collate, collate all the information. Thoroughly talk about your findings, holistically, internalize everything you hear, intuitively, objective. Objectively, decide on constructive and progressive moves.”
Ify noted that women’s empowerment is crucial for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and that positive representation of women in the media enhances their resilience to hardships.
“When women are excluded from public life, subjected to discrimination and threatened with violence, they are less able to show the world their true power and potential,” Ify said.
In her contribution, Mrs. Victoria Ajayi, CEO of TVC Communications, who delivered a keynote address on the topic “Ensuring Fair Representation and positive reportage of Women,” emphasized the importance of media in driving shifts in society and promoting gender equality.
“Media is more than a storyteller. It is a stakeholder, innovation, progress. But media cannot do it alone. We need collaborating partnerships with academic, policy makers, private sector to amplify the impact.”
Mrs. Ajayi noted that the media has a significant role to play in promoting gender equality and challenging stereotypes, noting that there is the need for more positive representation of women in the media. She highlighted their achievements and contributions to the society.
“We need to see more women in leadership positions, more women in STEM fields, more women entrepreneurs and innovators. We need to celebrate women’s successes and amplify their voices,” Mrs. Ajayi said.
Mrs. Ajayi concluded her speech by calling on the audience to take action and work towards promoting gender equality and challenging stereotypes. She emphasized the need for collective action and collaboration to drive change.
However, in her own view, Olori Janet Afolabi, Queen of Apomu Kingdom, in her paper: “Empowering women at the grassroots: a catalyst for development,” calls for concerted voices for women’s rights, girls’ rights and empowerment, looking at the state of the economy, government in our country, rural areas, there should be a policy where they would give the women access to resources.
While stressing the importance of skills acquisition and entrepreneurship in empowering women, she added that “The Bible says that God is going to bless the works of your hands. So if you don’t have a work, what is God going to bless? If you don’t have a skill, if you don’t have what are you going to market to somebody who wants to help you?” she said.
Similarly, Mrs. Bose Ironsi, Executive Director of Women Rights and Health Project, while speaking in the topic: “Breaking the cycle: Empowering women to overcome poverty,” harped on the challenges faced by women in achieving financial independence.
She noted that many women struggle financially due to various barriers, including lack of stable income, limited education and skills, unpaid care work and household responsibilities, limited access to financial services and capital, low-paying jobs, dependence on others, cultural and legal barriers, and lack of networking and mentorship opportunities.
Mrs. Ironsi emphasized the importance of financial independence for women, stating that it enables them to have control over their lives and make choices that benefit themselves and their families.
Olori Ranti Ajayi, Clinic Manager at NORDICA, who delivered a speech on “Maintaining a healthy lifestyle in a challenging economy,” said that the health and wellbeing of women cannot be downplayed, hence, she emphasized the need for women to prioritize their health and wellbeing, particularly in the midst of busy schedules and multiple responsibilities.
“Women are often the primary caregivers for their families, and they tend to put other needs before their own,” Olori Ranti said. “However, it is essential for women to take care of their own physical and mental health in order to be able to care for others effectively.”
Olori Ranti highlighted the importance of regular health check-ups, healthy eating, and exercise in maintaining overall wellbeing. She also emphasized the need for women to be aware of their health risks and to take proactive steps to prevent illnesses.
“In addition to physical and mental health, is also crucial for women’s wellbeing. Women need to prioritize self-care, practice stress management techniques, and seek support when needed,” Olori Ranti reiterated.
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