The Vice Chancellor of Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, Professor Kate Omenugha, has called for the empowerment of women in all aspects to enable them drive the desired change in society.
Professor Omenugha, who made the call at the Mawlif 2026 International Women’s Day celebration held in Awka, where she was represented by the Director, Centre for Gender Studies of the university, Professor Njideka Ebisi, emphasized that the psychological, emotional, financial, and social empowerment of women will bring about the desired change in Nigeria, noting that their resilience and strength can only manifest when they are empowered through specific structural policies that the government will put in place.
In her remarks, the Founder of Mawlif Media Concept and Convener of the event, Dr. Ify Araonu, while speaking on the theme of the ceremony, “Empower Her,” charged women to empower themselves by gaining knowledge, sharing what they know with fellow women based on what they are learning, respecting their bodies, becoming financially stable, and stopping the mentality that their success is tied to someone else, so as to achieve their full potential and contribute meaningfully to society.
On her part, a guest speaker, Mrs. Juliet Chidiogp Owen-Hampo, who spoke on the topic “Women in the Workplace: Navigating Motherhood and Balancing Career,” noted that the best way women can balance their career life with family is to prioritize their time and avoid allowing work to interfere with family life in order to achieve success both in their workplaces and in their families.
Meanwhile, the Director of the National Youth Council of Nigeria, Aguata Directorate on Disability Matters, Comrade Eucharia Okeke, urged governments to empower single mothers living with disabilities through financial support programmes, vocational training, access to healthcare, and protection from abuse and discrimination in order to alleviate their suffering.
