The 8th of March is a special day around the world. It is a day that has been set aside globally as the international women’s Day to honour women, the unique role they play in creation and their various contributions in shaping the society . Anambra People, in joining the world for the celebration has decided to beam its lens on seven Anambra women who are making waves in their different fields. They have equally dominated discourse in recent times.
CHIMAMANDA ADICHIE: She needs no introduction. She is unarguably the most decorated Anambra woman globally. Using her writings, she has been able to connect millions of followers round the world. Beyond her writings, she also has the gift of the garb and has made powerful speeches that became hot topics. She is equally vocal on the international scene about gender equality and sundry issues. She has shared conversations with world leaders and people of influence. She has been listed in 2015 among Time Magazine’s “The 100 Most Influential People. Adichie was one of 15 women selected to appear on the cover of the September 2019 issue of British Vogue. She is also the 2015 Commencement Speaker at Welsley College, 2017 Commencement Speaker at Williams College, 2018 Class Day Speaker for Harvard University, 2019 Class Day Speaker for Yale University. In 2013, she was listed among the New African’s “100 Most Influential Africans, 2013 Foreign Policy magazine “Top Global Thinkers of 2013. She has also been listed among the 2010 The New Yorker’s “20 Under 40”.
DR. OBIAGELI EZEKWESILI: pioneer DG Bureau for Public Procurement and former minister of solid minerals and education, a former Vice-President of the World Bank. Dr. Ezekwesili has been on the board of so many organisations including Airtel and recently headed the Anambra State Transition Committee where she received encomiums for a thorough job. In December 2012, Oby Ezekwesili was named by the New African Magazine as one of the 100 Most influential Africans. In December 2014, Ezekwesili was named among the most influential Africans. In March 2016, Oby Ezekwesili won the 2016 New Africa women awards. She was recognized by Time Magazine as one of the Time-100 Most Influential People and by New York Times as one of the 25 Women of Impact for 2015. In August 2021, Ezekwesili joined Yale University’s Jackson School of Global Affairs as a senior fellow. She played a major role in the Bring Back our Girls campaign and gave the movement an international appeal. She participated in the last Presidential Election as a candidate.
SENATOR UCHE EKWUNIFE: Uche Ekwunife, former banker turned politician is an amazon. She’s arguably the most influential female politician in Anambra currently and one of the most respected in the country. A former two-time house of representative member and two-time senator , has continued to show great sagacity in politics . Coming from the same senatorial zone with senator Chief Victor Umeh and Senator Chris Nwabueze Ngige and defeating these powerhouses in elections is no child’s play. Recall that the Prof Dora Akunyili had first contested the seat and was defeated by Ngige even with federal might. Apart from that, Ekwunife has taken representation to another level, her robust contribution in the senate has not gone unnoticed. She has equally made impact in the constituency she represents by the kind of projects she has executed. She is an inspiration to many young ladies who want to go into politics. Senator Ekwunife is the youngest and longest female politician from Anambra in the corridor of power.
PROF. STELLA OKUNNA: Prof. Okunna is West Africa’s first female professor of mass communication. She was dubbed the ‘engine room’ of Peter Obi’s administration. Many often refer to her as commissioner extraordinary and plenipotentiary because of the double position she held in that administration as commissioner for budget and economic planning and chief of staff to the governor. But Okunna’s influence is felt more in the academia. Pioneer and three time HOD of Mass Communication and former Dean, faculty of social sciences. Okunna is the most influential female academia in Anambra State currently. She is on the governing board of Tansian University and several others. She has held positions as Chairman, Nigerian Institute of Public Relation (Anambra Chapter). Recently, she was appointed the Deputy Vice Chancellor of the Anglican owned Paul’s University, Awka and chairman, Billionaire Engr. Arthur Eze’s scholarship board. She has mentored many female journalists and,lecturers and professors of mass communication. According to one commentator, Prof. Okunna is the most mentioned female academia from Anambra state.
DAME DR. ADAORA UMEOJI: Adaora Umeoji is a renowned banker and among the most powerful female bankers in Nigeria. She won the Anambra Woman of the Year, 2021 because of her milestone achievement in the industry. Her name looms so large in the banking circles because of her capacity, and having been around in the top echelon of the industry for a very long time – she knows her onions. She is an inspiration to many female bankers and has raised a community of female bankers who are now her mentees. Most of them today are top executives at Zenith bank, other banks and various financial institutions.
BARR. NNEKA ONYEALI IKPE: Seasoned banker and the first substantive female bank CEO from Anambra state. Less than two years in the top position, she has proved her mettle as an inspirational leader and has positioned fidelity Bank to play very big role in the industry. She’s among the few female CEO’s in the banking industry and has continued to make waves in the kind of programmes she continued to initiate that target women and young entrepreneurs.
REV. MUMMY NCHES IREDU: Mummy Iredu is the President of Sisters Fellowship International, a faith-based organization founded to nurture the spiritual life of women. The fellowship which started in Onitsha, its headquarters is currently in over 20 countries of the world with over 100,000 women as members. The fellowship is the most attended all female ministries in Nigeria. Rev. Mummy Nches Iredu is almost worshipped by her members, because of the spiritual and material impact in many lives. Many have found in her an inspiration and a beacon of hope for thousands of women.
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