By Our Reporter The Nation
In honour of the enduring entrepreneurial legacy of the late Iyalode of Oke-Ona and Egbaland, Bisoye Tejuoso, the 1st Female Industrialist in Nigeria, the STRIDE Campaign was recently launched in Lagos to promote mental health and well-being awareness, accelerate action for gender equality whilst, honouring Nigerian women鈥檚 achievements.
The Panel discussion for the Stride campaign, themed 鈥楨mpowering Change & Creating an Equitable and Just Nigeria鈥, embodied the spirit of women鈥檚 empowerment, recognising the vital roles women play in Nigeria鈥檚 development and how important it is for women鈥檚 empowerment and wellbeing is crucial to a nation鈥檚 success.
The event, convened by one of Iyalode鈥檚 granddaughters, Princess Abisola Lekan-Akanbi, featured fashion showcases, a documentary on Iyalode鈥檚 legacy and inspiring discussions from experts, including Yetunde Bankole-Bernard, Dr. Gbonjubola Abiri, Stephanie Kadiri, Maryjane Ugbaja, and Edememe Oladiji-Wusu. Awards of Excellence were presented to women who have made significant impacts in their fields.
In her remarks, Abisola Akanbi noted that, 鈥淭oday, we are celebrating and launching the Stride Campaign in Honour of the Late Iyalode Bisoye Tejuoso, the first Iyalode of Oke Ona Egba, the third Iyalode of Egba Land, and the first female industrialist in Nigeria.
鈥淭he Stride Campaign, which is an acronym for Succeed. Thrive. Renew. Impact. Dominate. Enhance (STRIDE), is a celebration of Nigerian women鈥檚 achievements, promoting women鈥檚 empowerment, gender equality, and mental health awareness through fashion events.
鈥淪tride was born out of my own experiences and challenges, and that of other women that I am acquainted with and see every day.
鈥淚 see women dealing with a lot in their lives, and despite all they are dealing with. They wear it with a smile. But underneath that smile, there is more, there is pain, and a lot going on in them that may affect their nervous system in the future.
鈥淪o, STRIDE is a call to women to not stay in that low place of pain, to rise, to come up hither, to be all that God has purposed for them to be, to live their lives in abundance just as God desires for them. That鈥檚 the essence of STRIDE.鈥
Speaking at the event, Senator Olanrewaju Tejuoso, Iyalode鈥檚 first grandson, noted that, 鈥淲e are celebrating a woman who, even when it was a man鈥檚 world, was more than men. I think women need to take a cue from her lifetime, fold their sleeves, and get to work. It鈥檚 even better as it is now in Nigeria than it was before. There are more opportunities for women to thrive today than it was before, to achieve even more than our grandmothers.
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Also speaking, the Group Chairman, Odua Investment, Otunba Bimbo Ashiru, noted that, 鈥淚 was impressed when Abisola told me that she was doing something like this, which is her trying to showcase her grandmother in the area of entrepreneurship.
鈥淪he was a nationalist in Nigeria and a very prominent Nigerian industrialist, well-known for Teju Industries, Teju Foam, etc. For her granddaughter to come out and say, 鈥淟et me celebrate my grandmother鈥檚 impact is commendable and what she has done,鈥 is inspiring.鈥
Minister of Women Affairs, Hajiya Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, who was the guest of honour, through her able representative Mrs. Adedoja Allen applauded the initiative and pledged her commitment and support to the STRIDE Campaign initiative as a tool of Women empowerment and gender equality advocacy.
The host was supported by her husband Mr. Olalekan Akanbi, her mother Olori Omolara Tejuoso supported by Olori Yetunde Tejuoso, Olori Labisi Tejuoso, other family members, friends and dignitaries.