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For Mrs Francisca Olaitan Lawal, the final chapter of a 33-year career in the Lagos State public service came with a reward she never imagined would mark her retirement.
After decades of standing before classrooms, nurturing young minds and contributing to the development of generations of pupils, the retiring Grade Level 17 teacher found herself at the centre of a celebration where her years of service met an extraordinary stroke of fortune.
At the 26th National Women’s Conference of the Committee of Wives of Lagos State Officials (COWLSO), Lawal emerged winner of a three-bedroom apartment in a raffle draw organised during the conference gala night.
The apartment, courtesy of Lagos State Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, was more than a prize. For a woman whose working life had been devoted to educating others, it was an unexpected reward at the threshold of retirement.
For Mary Odofin, a Level 9 officer with the Lagos State Ferry Services (LAGFERRY), the evening was equally unforgettable.
Odofin won a brand-new sports utility vehicle (SUV), transforming what began as an ordinary conference gathering into a life-changing experience.
The two women emerged as the biggest winners at the three-day conference, held from October 26 to 28, 2026, at Eko Hotels and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos.
Other participants also went home with gifts, including shopping vouchers and return tickets to Ghana and London.
But beyond the excitement of the raffle draw, the conference carried a message that reached far beyond the fortunes of its winners.
It was a gathering about women, leadership, service and the responsibility of creating opportunities for others. It was also a moment of reflection for an organisation whose activities have continued across successive administrations, raising questions about how its achievements can be sustained when those currently steering its affairs eventually leave office.
For Sanwo-Olu and his wife, Dr Claudiana Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, the conference was particularly significant.
It was the eighth and final National Women’s Conference they would host in their current capacities as governor and First Lady of Lagos State, bringing their years of involvement with COWLSO to a defining moment.
The occasion offered an opportunity to celebrate the organisation’s achievements, acknowledge the women behind its interventions and challenge its members to ensure that the programmes and structures established over the years would outlive the present administration.
At the heart of that challenge was a simple but important question: What happens to an organisation’s achievements when the people responsible for building them move on?
For the governor, the answer lies in institutional continuity, practical action and a deliberate commitment to preserving the legacy of service.
Addressing participants at the closing ceremony on Wednesday, Sanwo-Olu urged COWLSO members to move beyond the annual gathering and translate the resolutions of their conferences into programmes capable of making a measurable difference in the lives of Lagos residents.
He said the organisation’s impact should not be judged solely by the success of its conferences, the quality of discussions or the relationships established during its gatherings.
Rather, its relevance should be measured by the tangible changes its interventions produce in communities.
“You must preserve the legacy of service while translating the resolutions of your annual conferences into practical programmes that improve the lives of residents,” the governor said.
The message underscored the need for COWLSO to move from inspiration to implementation, ensuring that the ideas generated at its conferences become sustainable interventions in education, healthcare, social welfare and community development.
For an organisation whose activities have spanned successive administrations, the challenge is not merely to preserve its name or continue holding conferences, but to protect the institutional knowledge, partnerships and programmes that have made its work meaningful.
Sanwo-Olu urged members to document the recommendations and outcomes of their annual conferences, describing such records as valuable resources for future leaders, stakeholders and succeeding administrations.
Proper documentation, he said, would help preserve institutional memory, strengthen accountability and prevent worthwhile initiatives from being abandoned whenever leadership changes.
The governor’s concern reflects a familiar challenge confronting organisations built around the commitment of individuals: how to ensure that achievements remain institutional assets rather than personal legacies.
For COWLSO, the answer, he suggested, lies in building structures that can withstand transitions and sustain programmes beyond the tenure of those currently leading them.
He commended the organisation for its interventions benefiting widows, children, elderly people and other vulnerable residents, noting that resources mobilised through conference activities, registration fees and other contributions had supported medical outreaches, school projects and community-focused initiatives.
According to him, these programmes demonstrate how organised collective action can complement government efforts and respond to needs that extend beyond the capacity of any single institution.
The governor urged members to strengthen the partnerships, structures and programmes that would enable COWLSO to remain relevant after the present administration.
His message was consistent with a position he had advanced at the opening of the conference: leadership may be temporary, but the institutions strengthened and opportunities created through purposeful service can endure.
The conference, held under the theme, “Anchored in Purpose: Be the Blueprint,” challenged women to discover their purpose, maximise their potential and become examples worthy of emulation.
At the opening ceremony, Sanwo-Olu urged women occupying positions of influence in government, business, the professions and other fields to look beyond personal accomplishments and deliberately create opportunities for younger women.
He challenged accomplished women to examine how many younger colleagues they were mentoring, how many doors they were opening and what opportunities they were creating for girls and women who might otherwise encounter barriers to success.
For him, the true test of leadership is not simply attaining a position of influence but using that position to make progress more attainable for others.
He said young women entering the workforce should have access to better opportunities than those available to previous generations, while girls growing up in communities across Lagos should be able to pursue their ambitions without being constrained by circumstances beyond their control.
The governor also highlighted the importance of government interventions in entrepreneurship, skills acquisition, education and healthcare in expanding opportunities for women and young people.
However, he stressed that the success of such policies and programmes must ultimately be measured by their impact on the daily lives of residents.
The message was particularly relevant to the conference theme, which placed responsibility on women to become the examples they admire and the opportunities they wish others to have.
Sanwo-Olu commended his wife for her dedication and compassion in leading COWLSO, while acknowledging the contributions of members, partners and other stakeholders to the organisation’s programmes.
He described the organisation’s continuity across successive administrations as an example of how institutions can preserve their relevance beyond the tenure of individual leaders.
“Leadership is temporary, but the institutions we strengthen and the opportunities we create can endure long after our tenure,” he said.
The statement captured the challenge before COWLSO as it prepares for a future leadership transition: how to sustain its achievements while adapting to the aspirations and needs of a new generation.
For the First Lady, the conference provided an opportunity to reflect on COWLSO’s activities during her tenure, acknowledge the women whose contributions had shaped the organisation and reaffirm the importance of sustaining its interventions.
As chairman of the committee, Claudiana Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu described COWLSO as a platform for women’s mobilisation, leadership development and social intervention, established to complement government efforts in education, healthcare, empowerment, environmental protection and social welfare.
She acknowledged the contributions of the organisation’s founding matriarch, the late Dame Olufunmilayo Johnson, as well as successive First Ladies of Lagos State whose leadership had helped preserve its relevance.
Particular recognition was given to Senator Oluremi Tinubu, who revived the organisation in 1999, alongside Dame Abimbola Fashola and Mrs Bolanle Ambode, whose contributions helped sustain its growth.
The acknowledgement placed the achievements of the current administration within a broader institutional history, reinforcing the importance of continuity in programmes designed to benefit women, children and families.
For the First Lady, COWLSO’s history is a reminder that organisations built around service must be strengthened by successive leaders rather than reinvented with every change of administration.
That responsibility, she suggested, becomes even more important as the organisation prepares to move beyond the leadership of the present administration.
Reviewing COWLSO’s interventions, the First Lady disclosed that the organisation had renovated and improved 50 schools across Lagos State’s six education districts since 2022.
The projects included 26 special-needs schools, reflecting efforts to improve learning environments and promote inclusive education for children with different learning needs.
The figures offer a glimpse into the practical dimensions of the organisation’s work, particularly its commitment to education and the welfare of children whose needs require sustained attention.
She also disclosed that more than 70 licensed orphanages had received needs-based support from COWLSO since 2020, as part of efforts to improve the living conditions and opportunities available to vulnerable children.
Other projects highlighted included the completion of the Ogombo Senior Secondary School project, renovation of the COWLSO Legacy Villa and rehabilitation of the Recreational and Vocational Centre for Boys in Isheri and the Tajudeen Olusi Rehabilitation and Vocational Centre for Girls in Eti-Osa.
Together, the interventions reflect an organisation whose activities have extended beyond conference discussions into education, rehabilitation, inclusion and social welfare.
They also provide a practical interpretation of the conference theme.
Being a blueprint, as the First Lady’s message suggested, requires more than inspiring speeches or personal accomplishments. It requires creating structures that improve lives, supporting those who need help and expanding opportunities for others.
The projects, she said, demonstrate COWLSO’s commitment to improving the lives of women, children and families through practical interventions.
For an organisation preparing for leadership transition, the challenge is to ensure that these programmes remain relevant, adequately supported and capable of delivering results in the years ahead.
Tracing the evolution of the National Women’s Conference, the First Lady explained that successive editions had reflected changing priorities and aspirations, from learning and adaptation to personal development, breaking barriers and building enduring legacies.
She urged participants to return to their communities with a renewed commitment to service, stressing that the real measure of purposeful leadership lies in the positive difference it makes in the lives of others.
The message was not simply about celebrating the achievements of women who had reached positions of influence.
It was about encouraging them to become active participants in creating the conditions that would allow others to succeed.
She expressed appreciation to the First Lady of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu; Governor Sanwo-Olu; and Deputy Governor Kadri Obafemi Hamzat for supporting COWLSO and its progress.
The First Lady also commended the conference planning committee, led by Dr Olayemi Oke-Osanyitolu, alongside COWLSO members, development partners, sponsors and other stakeholders for their contributions.
At the closing ceremony, she reinforced the need for participants to translate the lessons of the conference into meaningful action.
The impact of the gathering, she maintained, would ultimately be determined by what participants did after returning to their respective communities, rather than by the inspiration they derived from the sessions alone.
Women, she said, must move beyond admiring successful role models to becoming examples themselves through service, compassion, mentorship and practical support for those in need.
She also expressed appreciation to the governor for recognising COWLSO’s impact in a special way during the gala night, describing the gesture as an encouragement to members and a reinforcement of their commitment to improving the lives of women, children, families and communities.
Congratulating individuals recognised for their contributions to society, she observed that true impact should not be measured solely by titles or positions but by the lives touched and the positive changes achieved.
She urged participants to sustain the spirit of sisterhood, celebrate one another’s achievements and extend a helping hand to those facing difficulties.
The wife of the deputy governor, Mrs Oluremi Hamzat, also emphasised that setting an example requires women to demonstrate integrity, excellence, purposeful living and a genuine commitment to the welfare of others.
She urged women to remain united and peaceful while contributing to the development of Lagos State and Nigeria.
Their collective efforts, she noted, remained vital to building stronger families, nurturing the next generation and creating supportive communities.
Her message reinforced the broader conversations at the conference about the relationship between personal success and social responsibility.
For Lawal, the three-bedroom apartment offered a memorable conclusion to 33 years of service in education. For Odofin, the SUV marked an unexpected moment of celebration.
Their victories brought excitement to the gala night and gave the conference two memorable human stories.
But the significance of the gathering extended beyond the prizes.
The retiring teacher’s reward came at a moment when the conference was challenging women to recognise the value of service and the importance of creating opportunities for others.
The LAGFERRY officer’s win added to the evening’s celebration, while the broader message reminded participants that achievements become more meaningful when they inspire others and contribute to the welfare of society.
As the Sanwo-Olu administration prepares to leave office, COWLSO faces the task of preserving the programmes, partnerships and institutional knowledge accumulated over the years.
