Meet The Nigerian Woman Who Leads Africa’s First Ladies To Obama
Africa has always been endowed with talents and personalities who made great impact in the world. From Nelson Madiba Mandela, Aliko Dangote, Johann Rupert, Nicky Oppenheimer to Mike Adenuga and Abdulsamad Rabiu, the list of Africa’s influential persons now includes a woman who has created a new record through her passion in fashion. She is Dr (Mrs) Merit Gordon Obua.
Little may have been known before now about this erudite personality who has given all attention to the promotion of African women. She has painstakingly reserved no energy in pursuing her innate ideas and beliefs. Again, she has demonstrated in a convincing manner that African women are not only useful or influential in the kitchen and are not inferior to their world peers.
She has further demonstrated that doggedness and extra-ordinary commitment to a cause can, not only open the doors to wealth, but also create fame. Thus, the example of Dr Obua is one to be emulated after admiration in our society replete with untapped talents and potentials.
Dr (Mrs) Merit Gordon Obua To Lead African First Ladies To Women Summit
In an era when Africa and indeed the stories about her women folks are few to write home about, a Nigerian, Dr (Mrs) Merit Gordon Obua, has been nominated by influential female persons in the United States led by the American First Lady, Mitchele Obama and Senator Gonzella James to lead other prominent African women to attend the Women of Influence Summit in the United States.
It was learnt that in August, the state of Atlanta, Georgia is seeking to bring African first ladies and top African women-achievers together in a very congenial environment where they can rub minds together, share ideas, learn and take critical steps on how to move forward in relation to personal, social and community developments.
It is for this reason that Mrs Obua, who is described as the most philanthropic woman in Africa has been nominated to lead other African first ladies from the Republics of South Africa, Gambia, Angola, Ghana and Namibia to the White House. The event which is highly selective in attendance brings together first ladies, senators, notable women in positions of authority and other female dignitaries from different parts of the world.
It was gathered that this is the first time that top African female leaders who have carved a niche for themselves in their various vocations are being honoured by authorities in the US. The selection of Mrs Obua as the first recipient to be recognised in that capacity by the US first lady and Senator Gonzella is a recognition of the feat she has achieved in Nigeria.
Part of the recognition of Obua as the leader of the group, it was gathered, stems from her contributions to the growth and development of African women on the continent, especially through the organisation, AFRICAN WOMEN IN LEADERSHIP of which she is a life patron.
LEADERSHIP Friday learnt that after a thorough consultation among the council of female senators in Atlanta Georgia, Senator Gonzella James, the most powerful female senator in the world, decided to congratulate Obua on her achievements and efforts on empowering the African women especially in her role as the patron of the African Women in Leadership.
It is not surprising, however, that Obua has the admiration of influential female figures in the US because she has brought to bear long term impact on women and youths as well as an undying commitment to the cause of the female gender on the continent, a drive that goes hand-in-hand with the creative talent and entertainment industry in Africa. This is more so as the creative talents on the continent are bursting with energy.
One of Obua’s vehicles for social engineering which endeared her to the American first lady, Mitchele Obama and Senator Gonzella, it was learnt, is that she has been using fashion education as a means of social reformation for which she earned herself the ‘Princess of Hope’ for the continent. This, according to report, is a singular effort of this Nigerian which is second to none on the entire continent of Africa.
Dr Obua, it was learnt, does not only believe that it is enough to provide income for young women and youths in Africa, but that there is a need for training and support in every aspect of life.This is what inspired her as the first black woman to bring the World Fashion University to Nigeria.
As a follow up to this, two years ago, she was nominated for the investiture as the patron of World Fashion Organisation by the President of the World Fashion Week, Parco De Jaimes, in Paris. After the event, report says she had series of meetings with the board of governors of World Fashion Organisation and was able to convince them to host African edition of the Africa Fashion Reception in Nigeria.
In her speech, heralding the World Fashion Week, Mrs Obua while justifying the need for self-reliant African women and local entrepreneurs said, “Honestly Africa does not need aid from the international community but needs assistance to develop and make commercially viable its creative fashion industries in order to bring about meaningful development through wealth creation. The fashion industry creates jobs for fashion designers, creative directors, fashion editors and journalists, photographers, textile designers, cutters, stylists, models, makeup artists and tailors”.
The African Fashion Reception, LEADERSHIP Friday learnt,is one of the five events lined up by the World Fashion Organisation that will serve as a prelude to the World Fashion Week that will be hosted in Paris in October 2014.As Nigeria is hosting the event for the African Continent, so is the US hosting for North America, France for Europe, China for Asia, Argentina for South America and the City of Perth will host for Australia.
The African Women in Leadership conference to be held in the United States in August hopes to break away from the norm so as to create a conference experience like never before. With the theme: “African Women: Harnessing Our Strengths, Growing In All Spheres”, different topics will be discussed by different women in leadership positions who have carved a niche for themselves around the world as they look forward towards sharing their insights, passion and secrets with the aim of empowering, developing and harnessing the strengths of all participants.
Top on the topics to be treated, LEADERSHIP Friday gathered, include Mentoring: Women Empowerment Through Voting, Philosophy and Business; Positioning the African Woman for Leadership; Women: Leading Across Work, Family and the Globe; Bridging the Gap and Removing Barriers; The Role of the African Woman in Peace Building others are Not Business as Usual; Being The Leader Others Want To Follow; Leadership Skills for the 21st Century; Strategic Empowerment for Leadership and A Personal SWOT Analysis, among others.
Over the years, the African woman has been seen from different perspectives judging from the myriads of problems on the continent. To many, she is industrious but backward with no innovative acumen while to others, she is the backbone of the family. Events in the recent times have however, shown that African women like Dr Obua are a force to reckon with as global players in the economic and social transformation of the continent.
In this year’s conference, participants will hone vital leadership competencies and gain insight into managing work-life balance, creating strong support systems, discovering and utilizing their in-built strength and more. By coming together to hone vital leadership competencies and achieve new levels of confidence and success, African women will continue to act, grow and lead in the 21st century.
Already, expectations are high that this year’s conference of prominent women across the globe will help to proffer solutions to some of the crisis rocking every part of the world. This is because of the belief in the power of the entertainment industry, arts and crafts as a vehicle for social change, an area that Mrs Obua has been noted for over the years. With the pioneering role of her likes in Nigeria and indeed Africa, it is expected that the hydra-headed monster called poverty would be a thing of the past in years to come.
In his remarks about the conference, the governor of the State of Georgia hosting the event, Nathan Deal said he was pleased to extend his regards to the African Women of Influence. He applauded the patron for her dedication in harnessing and enhancing the leadership potentials of women in Africa.
‘’I hope this year’s conference, in partnership with the state, proves to be inspirational for all powerful and influential women of the world’’, he said. Governor Deal also thanked Dr (Mrs) Obua for the outstanding example she has set for the black race.
Analysts are of the opinion that because of the pioneering role of Mrs Obua on the continent, the lost glory of Nigeria in the international podium, especially in Africa shall be reclaimed in a matter of time. This is so as the country is trailing closely behind the Republic of South Africa which is the economic hub of the continent.
Mrs Obua who was born on the 22nd January 1971 into the royal family of Imiringi in Ogbia LGA of Bayelsa State, showed her academic brilliance early in life when in school as she twinkled like a shining star in the galaxy. She had her School Certificate and Senior Secondary Certificate Examination with distinctions, a feat she repeated at the University of Port Harcourt where she graduated in 2001.
AWLC 2014 therefore is an opportunity to hear about new trends, research and best practice examples from innovative female achievers who remain resilient in the face of daunting challenges. Participants will learn how to continue to be successful leaders in a world that is constantly evolving in many facets.
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