The Soroptimist International of Ikeja has entered a new phase of leadership following the investiture of its newly elected President, Bunmi Oguntuase, at a grand ceremony held at lkeja Lagos.
The event, with the theme “Women At Their Best, Helping Other Women to Become Their Best,” drew an array of distinguished guests and stakeholders committed to advancing the cause of women and girls, marking a significant leadership transition for the association.
Soroptimist International founded in 1921, is a global network spanning 106 countries with over 62,000 members. The organization is dedicated to improving the lives of women and girls through initiatives focused on education, health, empowerment, and economic advancement, while promoting gender equality, human rights, and social justice.
In her opening remarks, Chairman of the occasion, Titilola Mordi-Adeseye, emphasized the urgent need to intensify efforts toward empowering women and bridging the gender gap through education and opportunity.
Delivering her welcome address, Adaku Aniebue highlighted the organisation’s impactful projects across Nigeria and called for sustained support to enable SI Ikeja to expand its reach and deliver meaningful change within the Ikeja community.
The ceremony’s highlight was the formal transfer of leadership from the outgoing President, Funke Salako, to Oguntuase, who unveiled an ambitious four-point agenda for her two-year tenure.
Her administration will focus on providing clean water through borehole projects in local markets, constructing sanitary toilet facilities to curb open defecation and disease outbreaks, advancing advocacy and treatment for breast and cervical cancer in collaboration with healthcare professionals, and tackling drug and substance abuse among women and girls through partnerships with agencies such as the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency.
Oguntuase underscored the importance of collective support in achieving these goals, noting that the success of the projects will rely heavily on donations and partnerships. She passionately appealed to well-meaning individuals and organizations to contribute toward improving the lives of women and girls.
Guests responded with generous donations during a fundraising segment, reinforcing the shared commitment to the organization’s mission. Expressing gratitude, the new President described investments in women and girls as invaluable, noting that their impact transcends generations and creates lasting societal change.
