UN@75: Women tasked with sustaining peace, unity in Nigeria

By onepageafrica On Nov 14, 2020

Fifth from left: Mrs. Margaret Orakwusi, chief host of the occasion; Mr. Kingsley Anaroke, convener of 2020 MMS Hall of Famers’ Day held to mark the United Nations(UN) at 75 with the recognition of a select agents of sustainability as UN Generation Amazons. Extreme right: Chairperson of the occasion, Mrs. Philomena Nneji, Chairperson, Lagos State chapter, International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), while displaying their certificates of honour are the UN Generation Amazons. From left, Mrs. Folake Wole-Soyinka; Rejoice Ndudinachi(Rep.); Mrs. Olufunmilayo Olotu; Mrs. Ngozi Obikili; Mrs.Ngozi Oyewole; Mrs. Stella Romaine; Mrs.Victoria Tarfa.

As the Woman of Fortune Hall of Fame (WOFHOF) Initiative celebrated its 2020 MMS Hall of Famers’ Day in commemoration of the United Nation’s 75th anniversary, Nigerian women have been tasked with sustaining peace and unity in the country.

From Left: The Executive Secretary/CEO, Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), Mr. Hassan Bello, presenting a certificate of honour as a UN Generation Amazon to Mrs. Olufumilayo Olotu, Port Manager, Lagos Port Complex (LPC), and her husband, Rev. Olotu at the 2020 MMS Hall of Famers’ Day held on Wednesday in Lagos to mark the UN at 75 anniversary and recognize a select women called UN Generation Amazons as agents of sustainability.

The celebration of MMS UN Generation Amazons in Lagos, Nigeria, themed; “The Third Paradise: A New Thinking on Women and Humanity” was dedicated to celebrate select women across the transportation and finance sectors in the country.

Speaking at the event, the Chief Host and Chairperson of Nigerian Ship-owners Forum, Barr. (Mrs.) Margaret Orakwusi urged Nigerian women to eschew differences in ethnicity and religion, but work assiduously to sustain peace and unity in the nation.

“As women, we have to make the difference. We have to guide, protect and ensure that our nation stays united. We should preach peace, love and unity,” she said.

Addressing the women who were celebrated as MMS UN Generation Amazons, Orakwusi stated that they were selected because they excelled in their respective fields.

“The good thing is that there is no sector in this country where you don’t have a powerful woman. Women are influential as mothers and wives. So, the role of peacemakers should be played by women to talk to their children and husbands. We should also play down on things like religion and ethnicity that so easily divides us,” the Chief Host said.

Orakwusi also encouraged women to stay focused and endeavour to mentor younger ones in their various fields of endeavour.

The Chairperson, Lagos branch of the International Federation of Female Lawyers (FIDA), Mrs. Philomena Nneji, who chaired the occasion, described the theme of the event as apt because paradise is a beautiful place everyone would love to be.

“Women are God’s creation endowed specially with numerous beautiful traits. Women are fearless, intelligent, courageous, yet kind and accommodating. Over the years, women have been clamouring for gender equality and balance. While it remains a continuous development, we have seen improvement across various sectors of Nigeria’s economy,” she said.

Earlier, the convener of the programme and Founder of MMS WOFHOF Initiative, Mr. Kingsley Anaroke described the selected women as a bevy of beauty and brains with exceptional intelligence.

He, however, stressed that women have showed better traits in leadership and environmentally responsible.

“This event is to further emphasize the place of gender parity. These women with impeccable value trajectory have risen and are climbing the ladder. They have demonstrated evidently that humanity and the environment should be the preoccupation of everyone. As they work towards taking their positions as MMS Hall of Famers where values are personified, we present them to the world as the faces of UN Amazons for a sustainable paradise,” Anaroke said.

The women celebrated at the event include: Mrs. Romaine Stella Nwakacha, a Nigerian female professional freight forwarder who has carved a niche for herself in the logistics and transport industry; Mrs. Olufunmilayo Olotu, currently the Port Manager, Lagos Port Complex (LPC) where she has helped to carry out reforms in these challenging times in Nigerian port environment.

Also celebrated include: Mrs. Rejoice Ndudinachi who started her working career with Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) in 1988 and rose to the position of Airport Manager, Sam Mbakwe International Cargo Airport, Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria; Pharm. (Mrs.) Ngozi Stella Obikili who joined Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) in November 1988, as Pharmacist Grade One, rose through the ranks and held several posts such as Coordinator Drug Information Centre, NPA; Chief Port Pharmacist of Lagos Port Complex, Apapa and Tin Can Island Port. In 2016, she was promoted to Assistant General Manager, Occupational Health.

Ngozi Oyewole, the Managing Director of Noxie Limited, a leading manufacturer and service provider in Nigeria with a major emphasis on local content and local manufacturing of bespoke and contemporary Office Furniture, Safety Gears and Equipment (PPE), Corporate Branding; and Mrs. Chizoba C. Anyika is an Assistant Director and Head, Cabotage Secretariat of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency(NIMASA). Chizoba is also the Secretary of Women’s International Shipping and Trading Association (WISTA) Nigeria and Publicity Secretary of the Chartered Institute of Transport Administration (CIoTA) Nigeria.

Mrs. Victoria Tawhi-Michael Tarfa, a Senior Manager at the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) who currently heads the Industry Associations and Port Promotion Unit at the Corporate and Strategic Communications Division and Mrs. Folake Wole-Soyinka who is the Deputy Director in charge of Corporate Strategy and Special Assistant to the Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC).

Eminent personalities who attended the event were: the Executive Secretary of NSC, Mr. Hassan Bello, Rear Admiral Anthony Amauche (Rtd), Former President of Women’s International Shipping and Trading Association (WISTA), Mrs. Mary Hamman, President of the African Women in Maritime (WIMA) Nigerian chapter, Hajia Bola Muse, among others.

The event was supported by Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Chevron Nigeria Limited and other reputable organizations.

MMS WoFHoF is a non -profit organization with the preoccupation of empowering, training, and producing the next generation of women leaders in the maritime, oil and gas, finance, aviation as well as political leadership sectors.