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…Say they are bedrock, pillars of the nation
• Foundation empowers 200 in Imo, builds house for widow
By Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Molly Kilete, Okwe Obi, Idu Jude (Abuja), Adewale Sanyaolu (Lagos), Scholastica Hir (Makurdi), Aloysius Attah (Onitsha), Aloysius Attah (Onitsha), Stanley Uzoaru (Owerri), Vera Wisdom-Bassey (Lagos)
President Bola Tinubu has celebrated Nigerian women and described them as the bedrock of the nation, driving progress across various sectors.
In his message to mark the International Women’s Day, he emphasised their indispensable contributions but noted that many still face barriers to realising their full potential.
The President reaffirmed his commitment to empowering Nigerian women through the Renewed Hope Agenda, which aims to dismantle barriers, expand financial access, and ensure equitable opportunities in governance, agriculture, and all sectors.
The message read in part: “On this #InternationalWomensDay, I celebrate the resilience, brilliance, and indispensable contributions of Nigerian women. You are the bedrock of our nation, driving progress from our homes to our farms, boardrooms, and communities. Yet, 30 years after the Beijing Declaration, too many still face barriers that limit their potential.
“Our administration is committed in our Renewed Hope pledge to dismantle obstacles, expand access to finance, and ensure equitable opportunities in governance, agriculture, and every sector.”
On her part, Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Didi Walson-Jack, highlighted the crucial role women play in national development. Emphasising the theme “Accelerate Action,” she encouraged civil servants to strive for excellence and seize leadership opportunities.
Benue State Governor Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia in goodwill said women are the cradle of life and society, and called on all stakeholders to ensure the education of the girl child, as it is the most powerful weapon against oppression and relegation.
He described the contributions of women as vital, stating that without the women, communities would weaken, the economy would suffer and families would forever be searching for a direction.
Governor Alia, who stressed the key roles played by Benue women in the areas of farming, trade, law-making, teaching, policymaking, as physicians and nurses called on the male folks never to look down on the women.
He said: “Here in Benue, our women are not just mothers in the genuine sense of the world; they are farmers, traders, lawmakers, teachers, specialists, and policymakers. Without their contributions, our economy would stall, our communities would weaken, and our families would forever be searching for a direction.”
Wife of the Anambra State Governor, Mrs Nonye Soludo, praised women for being able to hold their heads high no matter the odds, saying: “Women occupy an important space in the heart of nature and humanity. A woman isn’t just a light of her home but her society’s biggest blessing.”
She eulogised women as the heart, conscience, and heartbeat of any society and said there’s a certain rare pride that comes with being a woman.
In the capital of Enugu State, some government agencies and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), yesterday, staged a walk against “Femicide and Gender Based Violence,” as part of activities marking the International Women’s Day (IWD) in the state.
Some of the organisations that participated in the programme were the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Amnesty International, International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), League of Women Voters of Nigeria (NILOWV) as well as Civil Society Network on Migration and Development (CSOnetMADE).
The large crowd of comprised mainly of young women took off from the premises of the Enugu State House of Assembly, where talks were given on issues affecting women.
Speakers stated that femicide was a crime that should be eradicated just as gender based violence.
They also urged that women should be empowered in many ways and not be
Mrs Judith Olayi who represented the zonal commander of NAPTIP Enugu, Sam Offia, stated that their mandate was to fight human trafficking and reduce it to the barest minimum.
Also celebrating women, the SOS Children’s Villages Nigeria lamented that women are poorly represented in both public and the private sector.
It noted that in Nigeria, only 6% of top leadership positions in government and private sectors are occupied by women, 5% of CEO positions across Africa and less than 15% of parliamentary seats.
Its National Director, Eghosa Erhumwunse, in a statement yesterday by the Head of Brand and Communication, Rhoda Daniel Ocheche, to mark the 2025 International Women’s Day, demanded the government’s commitment to gender inclusion, equality, and called for bold, decisive action to break down systemic barriers limiting women and girls.
The coalition of civil society organizations (CSOs) and the Public Accountability and Participation (CAPPA) jointly called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration to immediately declare the widespread violence against women and the escalating femicide crisis in Nigeria “a national emergency and threat to national security.”
They also weighed in on the ongoing controversy between Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan and Senate President Godswill Akpabio and condemned her suspension by the Upper Chamber of the National Assembly.
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In a joint statement the organizations emphasized that this year’s theme, “Accelerate Action,” speaks to the urgency of dismantling entrenched structures of violence and patriarchy, and oppressive norms that continue to endanger the lives of women and prevent them from realizing their full potential.
They described her suspension as “mischievously hasty, absurd, and most depressingly, a well-executed orchestrated mockery of International Women’s Day in Nigeria.
“Her six-month suspension is not only a targeted witch hunt and outright political purge of dissent but also a brazen abuse of power, robbing her constituents of their right to representation. This pattern of legislative repression has already been declared unconstitutional in Sen. Ovie Omo-Agege v. Senate & 2 Ors (2018).”
Also felicitating with women, the Benue State Chapter of the National Association of Women Journalists NAWOJ, Benue State chapter, praised the resilience of women particularly those in Nigeria and Benue State, for their strength and commitment to family, career and dedication to a peaceful, united and sustainable society.
The Chairperson, NAWOJ Benue, Elizabeth Achagh, said this year’s theme, “Accelerate Action”, calls for collective action from individuals, organizations and governments all over the world to ensure equality and fairness in every sphere of life.
Meanwhile, National Chairman of Labor Party Youth Wing, Prince Kennedy Ahanotu, urged the Federal government to protect the rights of girl children in the society by making relevant laws to that effect.
Ahanotu in a press statement said that the Nigerian government ought to ensure the rights of women are protected.
He said, “It is well established that mothers are molders of destinies, women are wonderfully created with unique/valuable qualities, and the girl children reflect a glittering future for all nations.
President of Defence and Police Officers’ Wives Association (DEPOWA), Mrs Oghogho Musa, has called on institutions and individuals to accelerate action and implement more policies and programmes that promote women empowerment and inclusion.
She made the call during the Health Walk organised by the DEPOWA to commemorate the 2025 International Women’s Day with the theme, “Women and Health #Accelerate Action”, yesterday in Abuja.
The DEPOWA President led wives of officers, soldiers, ratings and airmen of the Armed Forces and police as well as other paramilitary agencies in the health walk.
She said women and girls around the world continue to face numerous challenges, including discrimination, violence, female genital mutilation, unequal access to opportunities and lots more.
“Despite these challenges, women have consistently demonstrated their resilience, determination and collective action. We have seen first-hand the impact that women have when they serve and lead, from the battlefield to the boardroom, women are breaking barriers.”
The National Association of Seadogs (NAS), Pyrates Confraternity, in a statement signed by the NAS Capoon, Mr. Joseph Oteri, called for adequate protection for women, and maintained that the universal entitlement of women to equality, dignity, and freedom is non-negotiable and aligns with the IWD 2025 theme- “Accelerate Action”.
NAS pointed out that while many countries have implemented robust frameworks to protect women’s rights, Nigerian women often face systemic barriers that are less prevalent elsewhere.
Over two hundred women in Imo State received cash from the Ike Odoeme Foundation at the weekend to assist them start a trade of their choice.
The gesture according to the Executive Director of the foundation, Sylvie Marie was in commemoration of the global International Women’s Day (IWD) Celebration.
Besides the cash empowerment, Marie said the Foundation would be building a house for a widow in four months to save her from the unhealthy condition of her apartment.
Wikimedia Nigeria held two days training programme for members of Nigerian Association of Women Journalist (NAWOJ), Lagos Chapter to celebrate the International Women Days, and to close the gender gap on Wikimedia this March.
In his remarks, Co-Founder of Wikimedia Nigeria, Dr. Isaac Olatunde, stated that the training was organised to change the bad impression people have about journalism in Nigeria.
The New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) and the Research and Preventive Healthcare Initiative, (RePHI), have solicited socio-economic and political support for women.
NNPP National Publicity Secretary, Ladipo Johnson, in a statement yesterday, hailed Nigerian women for their strides in socio-econmic and political development of the country.
He noted that the womenfolk have in particular made impact in their leadership, enterprise and innovation.
Also, RePHI Executive Director, Samuel Ikani, drew the attention of the Federal Government over the prevalent cases of diabetes, hypertension and maternal mortality across the country.
Ikani, sought the intervention of the government and non-governmental organizations in the areas of sensitization and the provision of medical treatment, to tackle the scourge, especially in Kuduru community in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja
