*… says hard times’re road maps to success

Men are not ready to allow women take the front seats in the running of the country. When they are, the “biased Constitution” will be amended, women will take front row and Nigeria will leave penury behind.

These were some points made by Sunmbo Adeoye, The Founder/Convener of Inspiring Change Initiative, on the final day of the 9th edition of Inspiring Change Conference held between March 8 and 12 on the theme “Run Forward”.

Adeoye also said once there are plans, set goals and taking a step at a time, hard times are not barricades but road maps to success.

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Sunmbo, a Goldman Sachs scholar and Cheri Blair Foundation ambassador, said: “Life (throws) some challenges at you, but with faith and courage,  if you keep taking one step at a time and do not give up while navigating the tide, you will eventually reach the finish line.”

Women in politics and leadership 

Asked the place of the Nigerian woman in leadership, whether elective or appointive, she said: “The men are not ready.  When they are ready, we will actually start talking.

“And the talking will start will amending the Constitution because the Constitution itself is biased.

“Women constitute over 48% of the population, yet we beg for seats. We are not just saying give us seats for the sake of having seats.

“We ask for seats that we qualify for and are competent on. When they do this, then this country will be on its way out of the penury they’ve plunged it into.”

She said the conference, rated among the most inspiring conference, seeks to challenge stereotypes, fight bias, broaden perceptions, improve the lives and situations of SMEs and celebrate outstanding achievements of women trailblazers. 

Adeoye added that the scope of the Initiative’s empowerment and mentorship programmes cover even the unlearned grassroots women.

The initiative also has a skill acquisition programme for prisoners.

Roll call

Some of the speakers and panellists at the conference, held at Royalty Christian Centre, include her husband Pastor David Adeoye, Mary Akpobome, Ini Abimbola, Oluwatosin Olaseinde, Bisola Adeniyi, Ify Mogekwu and Oyindamola Ossi.

The Inspiring Change conference started in 2014 with the theme “Inspiring Change”, followed by “Make it Happen” in 2015; “Yes I Can”, 2016; “Rethink”, “Game Changer”, “Inspiring New Dimension”; “There’s More” and “Crushing the Status Quo” last year.

Vanguard News