Senator Olujimi, Odumakin, Joke Silva, Others for Women Conference At UNILORIN

By Hameed Muritala

The Students’ Union, University of Ilorin (UNILORIN) will on Tuesday 24, May 2016 hold the third edition of her annual conference, tagged, “Women of the 21st Century” at the University auditorium.

According to the Union Vice President, Imam-Lawal Ummulikhaeri, this year’s edition will be held in honour of Mrs. Biodun Olujimi, Senator representing Ekiti South Federal Constituency at the 8th National Assembly.

The main theme of the conference is, “Gender Equality: A Myth or Reality?” The Vice-Chancellor of the institution, Prof. Abdulganiyu Ambali will chair the event.

Speakers expected at the programme include Dr. Joe Odumakin, President, Women Arise for Change Initiative; Aisha Yesufu, Activist and Advocate, Bring Back Our Girls Group; Prof. Olive Mugenda, Vice Chancellor, Kenyatta University, Kenya; and Joke Silva, a veteran Nollywood actress.

The Unilorin Students’ Union VP said that among other objectives of the programme is to identify the challenges confronting women of this century and charter the cause of providing immediate solutions.

Ummulikhaeri decried the marginalization and relegation of women to all sorts of vulnerability and abuses in the society, adding that they are also discriminated from holding certain political positions and denied the chance to take up some socio-economic roles.

While noting that the goal 5 of the SDGs come with strong advocacy for gender equality and empowerment of all women and girls across the globe, Ummulikhaeri stressed that government at all levels; NGOs and other institutions worldwide must rise to defend the rights of the female folks.

“The goal is to save the world by ensuring that every female child on the planet earth is safe, educated and duly empowered by being emancipated from all shackles of abuse; inequality, persecution, victimisation and segregation,” she added.

She explained that discussions at the conference will focus on encouraging young women not to feel reluctant or discouraged on the basis of gender in aspiring for excellence in their chosen fields and in participating actively in governance.

The Women of the 21st Century conference was pioneered by Hassan Oluwakemi who was the Vice President of the UNILORIN Students’ Union in 2014.