Akwa Ibom First Lady Advocates Equal Opportunities for Women in Leadership

The First Lady of Akwa Ibom State, Helen Eno-Obareki, has emphasized the need to provide equal opportunities for women across various fields to enable them to reach the peak of their careers. She called for the dismantling of societal and cultural stereotypes that hinder women from taking up leadership roles.

Speaking on Tuesday at the 25th Women in Management and Leadership (WIMLEAD) Conference of the Nigerian Institute of Management (NIM) in Uyo, the First Lady, represented by Dr. Itoro Etim, member representing Uruan State Constituency and Chairman of the House Committee on Finance and Appropriation, urged women to support one another in their pursuit of success.

She highlighted that the theme of this year’s WIMLEAD Conference, “Empowered to Excel: Redefining Leadership, Growth and Balance for Women in a Changing World”, reinforces the importance of creating a level playing field for women to excel in leadership. According to her, Governor Umo Eno has demonstrated his commitment to gender inclusivity by appointing women to key leadership positions, giving them a platform to contribute meaningfully to the state’s development.

In his welcome remarks, Commodore Abimbola Ayuba (rtd), President and Chairman of the NIM Council, stressed the urgent need to break barriers and biases that prevent women from reaching the top in their professions despite their exceptional achievements.

Delivering the keynote address, the Clerk of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, Mrs. Nsikak-Abasi Orok, noted that leadership today has evolved from masculine ideals of dominance and command to principles of collaboration, transformation, and compassion. She pointed out that women possess unique attributes such as empathy, strategic foresight, emotional intelligence, and resilience—qualities that have driven their success in academia, business, corporate boardrooms, and politics.

The event featured the presentation of a memento bearing the core values of NIM to the Office of the First Lady, represented by Mrs. Helen Eno-Obareki.