The African Women in Leadership Organisation (AWLO) is set to inaugurate the AWLO Ikot Ekepene Chapter on 3rd October 2020, at the Martha Udom Emmanuel Women Development Center Ikot Ekpene.

African Women in Leadership Organisation started as the West African Women in Leadership Conference at Accra Ghana in 2009. It has gained a continent-wide adoption, since the 2010 African Women in Leadership Conference held in Abuja. Where women conferees reached a resolution; to send a strong delegation to the national offices of the political parties, and use the national women rally on 21-22 June 2010 to make a strong point for the enforcement of the 35% Affirmative Action for Women.

In the past 10 years, the organization has continued its women’s leadership advocacy. Through the bi-annual African Women in Leadership Conference held in Africa and the Diaspora. In 2015, the AWLO Chapters framework began, to provide a structure to reach women locally for leadership development.

As the heartbeat of AWLO, a chapter is a support system- women building networks. The AWLO Founder, Dr. Elisha Attai often recounts the history of AWLO,

“As I was going about my business of media as a Consultant and Content Producer for Mnet I spotted a rare need for women to be instrumental to each other’s success, as a means to attain leadership.I looked around me at board meetings and they were only a handful of women. More glaring to me, was the fact that the women who made it through the door were only committed to keeping those behind the door there. I think for once it didn’t occur to them that success was a function of building networks and support systems. A habit for the men.”

In addition to providing a support system, AWLO provides members with capacity-building programs, opportunities to take the lead and be the change in their community, and positions women for global relevance. It creates a global bridge to global stakeholders and fosters inclusive decision-making, and actions toward gender equality. As a support system, AWLO serves as the bridge to the next generation with the Youth Council (youth wing of a chapter) as a mechanism for leadership succession planning.

“The African Women in Leadership Organisation is my legacy, for the women”. say AWLO Founder; Dr. Elisha Attai. As he takes a new Chapter to his hometown, Ikot Ekpene, he will be joined by Mrs. Martha Udom Emmanuel; the First Lady of Akwa Ibom State (Mother of the Day). AWLO Ikot Ekepene Chapter becomes the second in Akwa Ibom State, making it the first State to have two Chapters.

Other dignitaries who will be attending are Mrs. Mfon Usoro; Secretary-General, Memorandum of Understanding on Port State Control for West and Central African Union, Guy Murray Bruce; President, Silverbird Group, Lagos, Mr. Ephraim Akparawa Inyang-Eyen; Chief of Staff to the Governor, Akwa Ibom State.

Here’s the event program