Why Africa must fast-track gender justice, women’s empowerment

For over 20 years, Chichi Aniagolu, the Regional Director for West Africa on the Ford Basis, has stood on the forefront of Africa’s growth panorama—championing causes that amplify ladies’s voices, promote social justice, and rework methods.

With a wealthy background in sociology and a deep ardour for Africa’s progress, Mrs Aniagolu has led a number of high worldwide growth organisations throughout Nigeria and West Africa.

On this unique interview with PREMIUM TIMES, she shares her inspiring management journey, how ladies can affect change, and why there’s no time to waste closing the gender hole.

PT: Are you able to inform us about your skilled journey and the way you grew to become a CEO?

Mrs Aniagolu: All my life, I’ve at all times needed to work within the growth sector as a result of I consider Africa can accomplish that a lot better than it’s doing, and I needed to contribute my quota.I studied Sociology (on the College of Nigeria, Nsukka) as a result of it is just if you perceive folks and societies and what makes them behave the best way they do, and what can affect them to vary that actual growth can happen.

I, nonetheless, knew that to affect selections I would wish to go organisations and to try this I would wish to amass the best qualification that I may obtain as a Sociologist, so I made it a degree to get a grasp’s diploma and a Doctorate. I specialised within the Sociology of Growth and sub-specialised in ladies and growth.

This gave me the theoretical footing upon which to hinge my work within the growth sector.Whereas learning for my grasp’s and PhD, I began educating on the Universities of Cork and Limerick each in Eire. I returned to Nigeria because the nation transitioned to democracy and have become a marketing consultant for UNIFEM which is now referred to as UN Ladies and since then, I’ve been heading Worldwide Growth organisations.

I went from UNIFEM to turning into the nation director for Ashoka, then the Deputy Programme Director for the EU’s largest funded mission in Nigeria on the time referred to as ‘the assist to reforming establishments programme,’ which was the €560 million Euro mission.

From there, I grew to become the pinnacle of the Programme Assist Unit for the Canadian Worldwide Growth Company, then nation Director for Oxfam, Woman Impact, Technoserve and now Regional Director for West Africa for the Ford basis.

I’d say that the qualities that made it doable for me to succeed embrace my ardour for Africa and Nigeria’s growth, my dedication to work, collaborative strategy to management, my forthrightness and onerous work

PT: In your opinion, how do ladies leaders encourage and empower others round them, particularly different ladies?

Mrs Aniagolu: Probably the most impactful method is by instance; being the chief they will admire and need to turn into.Nonetheless, it is usually vital to be deliberate about inspiring and empowering others round you by direct mentorship, taking some below your wings, sharing alternatives after they come up and training them to succeed.Ladies don’t at all times have these alternatives, and it’s important that girls assist ladies to succeed.

PT: What do you assume is exclusive about ladies in management roles in comparison with males?

Mrs Aniagolu: The work tradition of the twenty first century requires collaboration, empathy, listening, teamwork and a flatter hierarchy.I believe extra ladies (not all) are higher suited to it and embrace it due to the best way they’re raised. Consequently, ladies leaders are inclined to create a extra conducive working setting.

PT: What challenges did you face as a lady in your trade, and the way did you overcome them?

Mrs Aniagolu: – Fortunately, I work in a sector the place there may be nice respect and assist for ladies as leaders and I get all of the assist I would like.

Nonetheless, it may be difficult to joggle all of the obligations {that a} growing society locations on a lady even if you find yourself a feminist.

PT: Are you able to share one of the crucial rewarding moments in your profession that solidified your ardour for management?

Mrs Aniagolu: After I grew to become the Regional Director for the Ford Basis. The Basis was an organisation I had at all times admired and needed to work for.

Being the Regional Director provides me the chance to form our programmes and interventions. Seeing what we’re in a position to accomplish with the assist we offer is so rewarding.

PT: What recommendation would you give to younger Nigerian ladies aspiring to turn into leaders of their fields?

Mrs Aniagolu: Data remains to be crucial factor you may carry to the office, which implies that training stays key to management.

It’s good to have a need and a thirst for data in order that if you find yourself in a room, you get observed for the insights you carry. It’s good to repeatedly improve your expertise and hunt down alternatives the place you might be observed to your intelligence and experience.

Know what is going on in your subject so you’ll be able to supply options to the challenges being confronted within the sector. Get pleasure from your life. Folks need to be round pleased folks.

The happier you might be as an individual the upper your possibilities of attaining a management place.

PT: How do you stability the calls for of being a CEO with different facets of your private life?

Mrs Aniagolu: Nonetheless engaged on it.

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PT: This yr’s theme for Worldwide Ladies’s Day is “Speed up Motion.” What does this theme imply to you and the way does it replicate your management strategy?

Mrs Aniagolu: For me it implies that we should create a greater world for younger ladies with urgency. We can not wait one other 100 years for ladies to attain equality. I’m in a rush to see issues enhance for ladies and West Africa.

On the Basis, we work on two predominant subjects – ending gender-based violence and pure sources and local weather justice, two themes that enormously impede ladies’s capacity to succeed.

With my staff, we’re ‘accelerating motion’ to make sure that we’re supporting these initiatives which have the potential to deal with these challenges head-on and enhance ladies’s lives.

I make sure that we’re thorough in our selecting these we assist, and we always remember what we’re doing the work we’re doing – to make life higher for Nigerians and West Africans.

This interview was performed in partnership with Ladies in Administration, Enterprise, and Public Service (WIMBIZ), a Nigerian non-profit organisation dedicated to advancing and empowering ladies in management. Mrs Aniagolu can be a member of WIMBIZ.