On March 8th, 2021, Lead Generation Initiative (LGI) joined the rest of the world in the celebration of International Women’s Day by organizing a virtual conference that had Nigeria’s former Education and Solid Minerals Minister, Dr. Oby Ezekwesili as keynote speaker, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), and Tara Fela-Durotoye, founder of House of Tara as guest speakers.
The event hosted by the LGI Executive Director, Chief (Mrs.) Ayobola Abiola Peller, and anchored by Mrs. Morayo Afolabi-Brown, host of a popular TV programme, Your View, on Television Continental (TVC), also witnessed three panel sessions with Hon. Taiwo Oluga, Chairman, House Committee Women in Parliament, Hon. Mrs. Stella Okotete, Member APC Caretaker and Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (Women Rep), Hon. Bolanle Sarumi-Aliyu, Senior Special Assistant on Diaspora to Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, Edem Ossai and others as some of the panelists.
The highlight of the event is LGI empowering twelve young women from the six geo-political zones of Nigeria with a business grant of one hundred thousand naira (N100,000) each, consequent upon a thorough assessment of a two-minute business proposal video pitch entries submitted by the applicants across the country.
Similarly, LGI through its Executive Director announced during the programme open entries for an essay writing competition for female participants, where six winners from the country’s geo-political zones were rewarded with a sum of fifty thousand naira (N50,000) each for the two best essays in each of the three breakout panel sessions.
As part of its activities to celebrate 2021 International Women’s Day, LGI also sponsored two participants to attend the Global Women Leadership & Governance Summit by the Geofidel Institute for Gender Studies. It was a one week-long training on “Advanced Women Leadership Summit: Preparing Women for Board Service” which commenced on March 8th.
The charitable move is in line with the LGI Women’s Leadership Development Programme (WLDP) which aims to celebrate women’s achievement, raise awareness on gender equality, provide capacity building and empowerment for women, as well as inspire and encourage them to actively get involved in the country’s socio-political process, leadership and governance.