Chimamanda Adichie headlines 2022 Leadership & Mentoring Conference

Ayobami Balogun, Lagos

Renowned author and women’s rights advocate, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, will headline the 2022 Annual Leadership and Mentoring Conference of the Women in Successful Careers (WISCAR) in Lagos.

The Annual Conference with the theme ‘For the Nation, the power of inclusion,’ will feature renowned speakers, policymakers, and thought leaders whose discussions will serve to further the organisation’s commitment to closing the gender gap and empowering the next generation of professional women for leadership.

The event will spotlight recommendations for sustainable national development and create an avenue for attendees to engage in open dialogue and networking.

The award-winning author, who is the keynote speaker, will also be the 11th recipient of the Distinguished WISCAR Award.

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The Founder and Chairperson of WISCAR, Amina Oyagbola, said the not-for-profit and non-governmental organization, is a formidable network of female professionals who are equipped to lead, socially innovate, and take critical decisions to contribute to the development and facilitation of a new chapter of experience in the workplace.

“As a country with a significant female population, there is a crucial need to build a generation of women for leadership and foster collaboration between the genders to sustain a buoyant and vibrant economy. Our annual conference is a platform for networking and capacity building, unearthing useful recommendations that will influence required legal and policy changes for gender equality, inclusive growth, and sustainable national development,” she said.

Commenting on the conference, the Executive Director of WISCAR, Fabia Ogunmekan, said the annual leadership and mentoring conference will be leveraged to galvanize action for women’s leadership and active participation in all spheres of the nation’s development.

“Through it, WISCAR aims to entreat society to take a deeper reflection into the subtle and outspoken ways women have been excluded, weigh the losses against the gains, and be restless and relentless for change, while stepping up to play a part in making this change for a more equal and equitable world happen,” she added.

According to the organisers, Adichie will be supported by other distinguished speakers including Adia Sowho, Chief Marketing Officer, MTN Nigeria; Tosin Oshinowo, Director, CmDesign Atelier; and Hawwah Gambo, journalist and 2023 House of Representative candidate. The panel will be moderated by Tunji Lardner, Journalist and Public Servant while goodwill messages will be delivered by Dr. Oby Ezekwesili, a past distinguished WISCAR award recipient; Beatrice Eyong, The United Nations Women Representative to Nigeria and the Economic Community of West Africa State; and Ben Llewelyn-Jones, the Deputy British High Commissioner to Nigeria.