A law student at Babcock University, Bukunmi Abraham has won the overall prize of the Akin Fadeyi Foundation’s gender-inclusive governance competition
Abraham came top among the 15 finalists that made presentation on ‘how to tackle corruption in Nigeria’ at the grand finale held via zoom on Tuesday
The competition with the theme, “What Women Can Do” was part of the foundation’s campaign to highlight the crucial role women play in national development and good governance in Nigeria.
Oreoluwa Aladejuyigbe, radio presenter and Mariam Dauda Longe, TV host, also won as first and second runners up respectively.
Other winners include Chimdalu Nnenne, medical student at Ebonyi State University (third runner up); Salawudeen Rafat, motivational speaker (fourth runner up) and Oloye Rachael Aina, Lecturer, Ibadan Polytechnic (fourth runner up).
In his opening remark, the founder, Mr Akin Fadeyi, indicated that the competition was aimed at stimulating the energy in women to unlock the unlimited potentials in them.
He said gender inclusion was integral to the foundation’s work, including addressing some cultural norms that relegate women to the background.
Hajia Amina Salihu from the MacArthur Foundation said women in some Nigerian communities were told and made to believe from younger age that it was forbidden for them to aspire for certain positions despite playing a crucial role in societal development.
She said though progress has been recorded in some areas, there is still the need for more efforts as far as gender inclusion is concern.
A royal father and educationist, Oba Adedokun Omoniyi Abolarin, the Orangun of Oke-Ila Orangun, Osun State, said experience had shown that school girls perform better academically than their male counterparts in class.
This, he said, is an indication that women are well prepared to take over leadership position at all levels and should be supported.