Women urged to contribute more to national development

Women in Nigeria have been called upon to participate more actively in the task of national development. The call was made during the 25th anniversary celebration of the Anambra State Women Association Lagos (ASWAL), which held in Lagos at the weekend.

In her welcome address, Nkiru Ifekwem, president of the association, said beyond the celebration, the landmark event was also an opportunity for ASWAL, and women generally, to reflect on their position in the scheme of things in the next 25 years in view of the increasing national and international clamour for more women participation in national development efforts.

To this effect, she said the association was working to make the annual Women August Meeting a rallying point for women, not just nationally but also internationally.

“August Meeting is now becoming to the South-East what the United Nations International Women Conference has been to the world. ASWAL will be in the forefront to internationalise the August Meeting so that women all over the world will look forward to attend, just as we look forward to be in New York every March for the United Nations Women Conference. We intend to start consultation with the first ladies of the five South-Eastern states,” Ifekwem said.

“In view of the above, ASWAL intends to have the maiden August Meeting in Lagos next year for the benefit of thousands of Anambra women in Lagos who could not attend the conference in Anambra,” she said.

Other speakers at the event, including Uloma N. Wise, who represented the wife of Anambra State governor, Ebele Obiano; Pat Utomi, an economist; Nnamdi Nwigwe, vice chairman of the League of Anambra Professionals, who chaired the occasion; Virgy Onyene, deputy director, Quality Assurance at the University of Lagos; Vincent Obianodo, CEO of The Young Shall Grow Motors, among others, encouraged the women through their words and generous donations.

Speaking further, Ifekwem said it was a great boost that a woman was elected the speaker of Anambra State House of Assembly and urged women to take advantage of this development “by going back to our localities and seeking out harmful cultural practices that are debarring women from maximising their potentials so that ASWAL will put up a bill to the State Assembly to that effect.”

She enumerated some of the association’s past achievements and the projects planned for the future.