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By Lukman Olabiyi
The First Lady of Lagos State, Dr. Claudiana Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, has challenged women to embrace purposeful leadership and build enduring legacies, urging them to measure success not merely by personal achievements but by the positive impact they make on families, workplaces and society.
She also announced that Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, and his Ekiti State counterpart, Biodun Oyebanji, would attend the opening and closing ceremonies, respectively, of the 26th National Women Conference of the Committee of Wives of Lagos State Officials (COWLSO).
Sanwo-Olu, who is the chairman of COWLSO, made the disclosures while unveiling plans for the three-day conference, scheduled for October 26 to 28, 2026, at Eko Hotels and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos.
The conference, themed “Anchored for Purpose: Be the Blueprint,” is the 26th edition of the annual gathering and the eighth to be organised under the administration of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
According to the First Lady, the theme challenges women to look beyond individual accomplishments and consider the values, examples and legacies they are creating for future generations.
“It is a call to live with purpose, make meaningful contributions and ensure that our presence creates value that can outlive us,” she said.
She described the conference as more than an annual gathering, saying it had evolved into a major platform for knowledge-sharing, empowerment, networking and inspiration for women across Nigeria and beyond.
However, she stressed that its success would ultimately depend on how participants translated the knowledge, relationships and ideas generated at the event into meaningful action.
The conference will adopt a hybrid format to accommodate both physical and virtual participants.
Physical registration costs N150,000, with capacity for 3,000 participants, while virtual participation costs N50,000, with no limit on attendance.
Registration opened on September 15 and will close on October 15. Late registration for physical attendance begins on October 24, attracting an additional fee of N15,000.
Sanwo-Olu said physical participation would be limited to five representatives from each ministry, department and agency (MDA), in view of the available capacity, while virtual participation would remain open to an unlimited number of attendees.
She noted that the participation of the two governors and other prominent personalities would underscore the conference’s national reach and its growing contribution to women’s development and empowerment.
Beyond the main conference, COWLSO has lined up activities designed to take its message of purposeful leadership and legacy-building into the wider community.
One of the highlights is a pre-conference walk tagged “Blueprint in Motion: From Vision to Action,” which will take participants through significant historical and cultural landmarks on Lagos Island.
The route will cover Tafawa Balewa Square, the National Museum, the Central Mosque, JK Randle Centre for Yoruba Culture and History, Tinubu Square, MUSON Centre, Eko Atlantic, Water House, Kakawa and the palace of the Oba of Lagos.
Sanwo-Olu said the walk was designed to offer participants more than physical exercise, describing it as an opportunity to reflect on Lagos’ history, present realities and future aspirations.
“Every generation inherits a blueprint and has a responsibility to build upon it and add something meaningful for the generations coming behind,” she said.
