AWP Network honours The Guardian, others for gender inclusion, advocacy

The AWP Network has honoured the Executive Director, The Guardian Newspapers, Toke Alex-Ibru, Carl Erickson of ShopRite Nigeria, and Oluwaseun ‘Egghead’ Odewale of the Ekiti State Bureau of Public Procurement at the AWP Network Vendor Fair held recently in Ekiti State.

The forum titled, Women’s Inclusion and Participation in the Procurement Process, was organised in collaboration with the Ekiti State Bureau of Public Procurement.

Toke Alex-Ibru, Executive Director of The Guardian was awarded for The Guardian Woman section of the publication, a popular platform for Nigerian women from various backgrounds to tell their stories.

Carl Erickson of ShopRite Nigeria has presented the award for actively supporting the AWP Network Vendor Programme. The AWP Vendor Programme enables the participation and inclusion of women manufacturers and entrepreneurs in the corporate supply chain by helping them to become qualified vendors.

In his appointed role as Director-General of the Ekiti State Bureau of Procurement, Oluwaseun ‘Egghead’ Odewale used his influence to organise a first of its kind vendor fair for women manufacturers and entrepreneurs in Ekiti State, Nigeria.

According to the founder, AWP Network, Mary Olushoga, “We are glad to know and work with these male allies, who are doing their part to advocate for gender equality in Nigeria and who are vested in the shared objective of advancing the inclusion of Nigerian women and girls. Male advocates for gender equality support, complement the efforts of women activists and champions.”