By Eniola Elewude
Stakeholders at the inaugural African Girls Assembly have called for early investment in girls’ leadership skills and confidence to address women’s underrepresentation in leadership positions.
They made the call in Abuja on Saturday, ahead of the International Day of the Girl Child, marked annually on Oct. 11.
The assembly, convened by the Educate a Woman Initiative, with the theme “Empowered Girls, Transformational Leaders,” seeks to empower girls, amplify their voices and prepare them for leadership across Africa.
Mrs Joy Aderele, Convener of the assembly and Country Director of Self Help Africa, said girls needed early opportunities to develop the skills and confidence to lead.
“We are not just asking for a seat at the table; we are asking for a competent seat.
“To achieve this, we must begin investing in girls while they are young by building their confidence, agency and networks,” she said.
Aderele said encouraging girls to express their views, speak up for themselves and advocate for others would prepare them for leadership in their communities.
She said participants from Zambia and The Gambia also attended the assembly, expressing hope that more African countries would participate in subsequent editions.
Mrs Love Idoko-Uloko, Founder of Activate Success International Foundation, urged girls to overcome fear, pursue their ambitions and develop confidence through action.
Idoko-Uloko said leadership was not about being the loudest person but about making a difference and solving problems.
“Your voice is not something you find; it is something you practise into existence,” she said.
She said she wrote her first book at 17 and began publishing Motivation Magazinebefore turning 20, adding that persistence helped her build a publishing business that worked with the National Assembly and corporate organisations.
Idoko-Uloko urged girls to develop ideas, solve societal problems and avoid allowing difficult circumstances or past mistakes to limit their ambitions.
“Confidence is not the absence of fear; it is the decision to move forward despite your fears,” she said.
Earlier, Dr Adedayo Benjamins-Laniyi, Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of the Maryam Babangida National Centre for Women Development, urged girls to recognise their leadership potential in their homes, schools and communities.
She said academic excellence should be matched with courage, integrity and commitment to truth.
“We all want you to excel academically, but the ultimate expression of who you are lies in the courage of your convictions and in your commitment to truth in everything you do,” she said.
Benjamins-Laniyi urged the participants to communicate confidently and remain authentic, adding that their potential should not be limited by their tribe, religion, family background, school or financial circumstances.
“The time is now, and the future is here,” she said, urging the girls to align their choices with their values.
Also, Ellen Hahne, Head of Political and Trade Affairs at the Swedish Embassy in Abuja, said the participants were already demonstrating leadership through their activities in schools and communities.
“The girls here today are already leaders. They are doing so many great things in their schools and communities,” she said.
Hahne urged the girls to use their voices to influence positive change and create opportunities for others, reaffirming Sweden’s commitment to gender equality.
One of the participants, Eleora Aderemi, said girls should not allow their gender to limit their ambitions or the activities they pursued.
She said girls needed to speak up and believe in their abilities, especially in environments where they were sometimes underestimated because of their gender.
“Every girl should learn to speak up, believe in herself and be confident in her abilities,” she said.
Another participant, Perfecta Silas, urged girls to speak up for their rights, including their right to education.
“As a community, as females, as girls and as children, we need to make our voices heard. We must not remain silent,” she said.
Silas urged girls to stand up for what was right and demand their rights, adding that every girl deserved to be heard, respected and given the opportunity to learn and lead.
The assembly also featured spoken-word performances and panel discussions on Rights and Advocacy: My Rights, My Voice, My Future. (NAN)
Edited by Tosin Kolade
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