‎By Boluwaji Obahopo, Lokoja

‎‎Wife of the Kogi State Governor, Hajia Sefinat Usman Ododo, has called for greater commitment from government, community leaders and other stakeholders to support women and advance gender equality across society.

‎‎The governor’s wife mad the call while on Sunday while hosting women groups from across the state in commemoration of the 2026 International Women’s Day themed “Give to Gain, highlighting the importance of investing time, resources and opportunities in women to achieve sustainable development and stronger communities.

‎According to her, educating the girl child and creating opportunities for women remain key steps toward building a better society, noting that when women are empowered with education, skills and leadership opportunities, the benefits extend beyond the individual to families, communities and the nation.

“Every act of support, no matter how small, creates changes that reach far beyond what we see today,” she said, stressing that meaningful progress in gender equality requires deliberate and sustained efforts from all sectors of society.

Mrs Ododo described the celebration as a clarion call for stakeholders, including government institutions, the private sector, community leaders and young people to play active roles in advancing gender equality, noting that the quest for equality must be intentional if societies are to reap the full benefits of women’s contributions.

She emphasized that the theme of the 2026 International Women’s Day reinforces the idea that empowering women in communities, workplaces and governance leads to greater development and economic growth, adding that when women are given opportunities, families become stronger and societies become more stable.

“When you educate a girl, you raise future leaders. When you give women opportunities, you gain stronger families and a better society,” she said.

The First Lady noted that in Kogi State, the empowerment of women remains a priority, as the rise of a woman translates to the rise of a community, urging citizens to contribute their time, resources and voices to support women and girls around them, while also protecting the vulnerable and promoting fairness.

She commended the First Lady of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, CON, for her commitment to advancing the welfare of women across the country.

She stated that the impact of her Renewed Hope Initiative and leadership demonstrate that true democracy is rooted in compassion, inclusion and the strengthening of families and communities.

The Kogi state Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Hon. Acharu Okpanachi highlighted the invaluable contributions of women to nation building and reaffirmed government’s commitment to attaining gender equality and women empowerment.

She called on women in the state to work together to create opportunities where every woman in the state can thrive.