… As former Gov. Amaechi calls for unity among women

By Chioma Obinna

Nigeria witnessed a defining moment for gender advocacy as the World Women Organisation, WWO, launched its Nigeria chapter in Lagos, unveiling a global vision to reposition women for leadership, innovation and economic influence.
The inauguration, themed “Collaboration for Empowerment,” drew diplomats, political leaders, development experts and women influencers who described the event as the beginning of a new movement across Africa.
Speaking on the unveiling, Founder and President of WWO, Chief Rachel Akem-Harumi said Nigeria had become a strategic anchor in the organisation’s mission to empower women to speak for themselves, challenge limiting structures and take ownership of societal progress.
“Today, we are uniting to inspire and motivate progress in the largest Black nation. WWO is a global headquarters for women advancement, a place where women speak to women, speak for women and speak against the vices that keep women down,” she said.
Akem-Harumi introduced the Women Overload Initiative, WWO’s flagship programme that will train women in technology, artificial intelligence, fundraising, project management and emerging leadership skills.
She described the initiative as “a revolution” that would equip women to grow sustainable businesses and drive socio-economic impact. Akem-Harumi called for a united front. “We are not building a Nigerian chapter; we are building a global movement. Women leading innovation, breaking barriers and taking over industries. Together, we are unstoppable,” she said.
Speaking, former Governor of Rivers State, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, who delivered a provocative address urging women to overcome internal divisions that hinder their progress.
“Women are usually the problem of themselves in politics. If women keep pulling women down, men will be courageous to continue treating them as unequal,” he said.
Amaechi recalled that rivalry among women influenced his appointment decisions while in office, saying it created unnecessary tension.
He, however, pledged that if he found himself in a position to constitute a cabinet again, he would split appointments equally between men and women.
“I want to prove that gender is not the basis for performance. Give positions because women are qualified, not because they are women. That is the only way Nigeria will move forward,” he said.
Also speaking, Convener, Arise Women, Dr Siju Iluyomade added a spiritual and philosophical dimension to the conversation, insisting that women must begin to position themselves intentionally for leadership.
Iluyomade who is also a legal practitioner and women’s advocate emphasised that no society could thrive without women at the centre of its decision-making structures, urging women to embrace self-development and collaboration.
“The future will belong to women who prepare, who learn, who build capacity and who support one another genuinely. No woman succeeds in isolation,” she said.
Iluyomade challenged leaders to create enabling environments where women can excel in politics, business, technology and community development, insisting that national progress is directly tied to the empowerment of women.
On her part, the Consul General of the People’s Republic of China in Lagos, Yan Yuqing, delivered one of the day’s most global perspectives, stating that China remains a champion of women’s causes and a partner in Nigeria’s development.
“China is a champion of women’s causes worldwide. On the journey of Chinese modernization, every woman is a protagonist,” she said.
She noted that women account for more than 40 percent of China’s workforce, more than half of internet start-up founders and over 60 percent of Olympic medallists in recent years.
Yuqing highlighted several Chinese-supported humanitarian and development interventions in Nigeria, including cataract surgeries, anti-hunger programmes and vocational support for widows.
“Women all over the world share a common future. Let us write a new chapter for global gender equality together,” she said.
With WWO’s entry into Nigeria, they added that the country joins 67 nations already participating in a global coalition of women shaping governance, entrepreneurship, technology and social development. The organisation is also preparing to launch the World Women Economic Order in Dubai next year.