Lagos State First Lady and Chair of the Committee of Wives of Lagos State Officials (COWLSO), Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, conducted an awareness walk at the Committee’s upcoming 22nd National Women’s Conference (NWC) on Saturday and said it was time for women to step forward and stand out.
The conference, themed: “Spring Forth, Stand Out” will take place on October 18-20, 2022 at the Convention Center, Eko Hotels and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos.
She said the theme aims specifically to encourage women to understand the need to stand out and be exceptional in all their endeavors.
“In 2021 we had ‘Awake’ as our theme and this year our motto is ‘Spring Forth, Stand Out’. It’s a continuation of what we started last year. We want our women to thrive, wake up from their slumber and stand out now.
“We want women to stand out wherever we are, whether you’re the breadwinner, whether you’re a teacher, whether you’re a market woman; Whatever you do and wherever you are, you need to stand out. Even in difficult situations you have to be able to stand out from the crowd and that’s what this conference is about,” she said.
The First Lady, who went on the awareness walk with COWLSO members from Odunlami Street, Lagos Island, to Lagos House, Marina, took the opportunity to encourage residents for the collection of Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs), among other things raise awareness while paying glowing tribute to the founding mothers of COWLSO.
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“As we all know, we’ve been doing this for 22 years. COWLSO was founded by Obafunmilayo Mobolaji-Johnson, wife of the First Military Governor of Lagos State. It was docile at one point, but was revived in 1999 by the respected Senator Oluremi Tinubu during the tenure of our national leader as Lagos State Governor, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“Senator Oluremi Tinubu also initiated COWLSO’s National Women’s Conference in 2000, and we have done so annually for the past 22 years. We create this awareness so that people can come to the conference to learn, unlearn and relearn new things that can happen and be beneficial,” said Sanwo-Olu.
Speaking to the expected guests, she said Nigeria’s First Lady, Aisha Muhammadu Buhari, will serve as Mother of the Day and declare the conference open, while Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State will be the special guest of honor at the opening ceremony.
She added that the guest of honor at the gala night is Kano State Governor Abdullahi Ganduje, while the guest of honor at the closing ceremony is Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum.
The tour started at CMS Bookshop, Odunlami Street, through Shete-Olu Street, Campbell Street, Mobolaji Bank Anthony Road, Catholic Mission Street, Ganiyu Smith Road, Campbell Street, Brook Street, Broad Street and ended at State House, Marina.
