President/founder of Aspire Women Forum, Mrs Zainab Marwa, has unveiled a book, titled: “101 Nigerian Women of Impact”, which showcases the inspiring stories of women who have excelled in their fields.
The unveiling of the book was hosted by the Permanent Mission of Nigeria to the United Nations (UN) in commemoration of the International Women’s Day in New York.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the ceremony coincided with the ongoing 67th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW67).
At the event, the deputy permanent representative of Nigeria to the UN, Ambassador George Edokpa, said the Mission was happy to identify with the outstanding achievements and contributions women had made to the society.
Edokpa said, “Although, we recognise that women still face many obstacles in their quest for equality, and we must work together to break those barriers and create a more just and equitable world for all. The stories of the women in this book serve as a source of inspiration and hope for all of us.
“They have demonstrated that with hard work, determination, and support, women can achieve great things and make significant impact in their communities and the world at large,” he said.
Edokpa said the unveiling of the book in New York set a record that Nigerian women stood as a beam of hope and inspiration to all women globally.
In her remarks, the special guest of honour and former chairman of Nigerian Governors Wives’ Forum, Mrs Bisi Fayemi, said every woman had a story to tell. Fayemi, a Nigerian-British activist, writer and policy advocate, recalled how she had been advocating for the voices of women to be heard and attending the CSW for 30 years.
She said even then, there were no platforms to document the works women were doing at that time to promote gender equity and women’s rights, commending the author for the initiative.
According to her, the generation to come will be inspired by the stories chronicled in the book and the younger generation will be inspired by their success stories.
In the same vein, the consul-general of Nigeria in New York, Ambassador Lot Egopija, commended the author and assured her that the book would be kept in the consulate’s library. We will also publicise your book through our Nigerian platforms and I believe this will encourage you to do more,” he said.
The book, reviewed by Mrs Chioma Hope Uzodimma, wife of Imo State governor, which has 264 pages, was published by AMAB Books in association with the Aspire Women Forum.
The book 101 Nigerian Women of Impact, according to Uzodimma, is a journey through the lives of women who have found themselves in a position to make impact, and those who are not afraid to dare.
Giving the citation of the author, the special adviser to the speaker of the House of Representatives, Fatima Kakuri, said Marwa was a fabulous woman who had contributed to the social-political development across Nigeria.
Responding, the author said she was inspired to write the book to celebrate the incredible achievements of Nigerian women who had made significant contributions to various sectors of society.
“These women are innovators and trailblazers who have broken down barriers and inspired others to follow in their footsteps.
“Is important to remember that we still have a long way to go in achieving gender equity and women’s rights.
“We must continue to raise our voices and advocate for change, and we must continue to support one another in our quest for equity, equality and representation,” she said.
