More women will be lifted out of poverty, abuse, and other disadvantages, if successful women dedicate themselves to empowering vulnerable young women, says Efe Ugboro, the Chief Executive Officer of African startup, 618Bees.
And it appears some of the most successful reality show stars from Nigeria are taking the cue.
As thousands of Nigerians took to social media to celebrate successful and iconic women of Nigerian origin these past weeks, at least 5 former BBNaija housemates joined the trend, pouring encomiums on their own female heroes and encouraging their followers to do same.
Bisola Aiyeola who first kicked it off, with a post that has now garnered over 1,500 likes and comments, said in her post, “Just tell us who your Naija woman hero is, by posting a picture of her using the #naijawomanhero tag and stand a chance of having your business registered FREE!!!”
Over 5 of her colleagues have since followed, using their influence to call attention to some of the most important Nigerian women of all times. Millions are now voicing out deserving heroes, including Stella Adadevoh, Dora Akunyili, Funmilayo Kuti, and Margaret Ekpo, many of whom gave their all to make Nigerian lives better. Adadevoh, in fact, gave her life, during the Ebola crisis, in a remarkable act of courage that remains unprecedented.
Akunyili, a pharmacist and former director general of NAFDAC, fought drugs counterfeiting to a standstill, risking her life and that of her family as she uprooted cabals and mafia that had profited at the expense of vulnerable Nigerians for eons.
According to Efe,“ It is important to celebrate women heroes and their legacies as they have paved the way for a better life for many of us, and it is important that we as women strive to empower one another in all that we do.”
According to the UN 2018 Humanitarian Needs Overview for Nigeria, 10.2 million people are estimated to be in need of humanitarian assistance, of whom 52 per cent are women and girls. Another report also stated that of the estimated 1600 to 2000 casualties in the Northeast, the majority were women and children.
