Life Coaches Association of Nigeria elects 71% women to its new Executive Committee

The Life Coaches Association Of Nigeria (LCAN) has hopped on the inclusivity train as it elects more women on its team of executives, including the president and vice president positions. The announcement was made by the chairman of the association’s 2022 electoral committee chairman, Sola Oyegbade, who said it was a welcome development for many association members.

Held at the end of June 2022, the newly elected executives include Omawumi Ogbe and Iniobong Josiah, who emerged as president and vice president, respectively.

Incorporated in 2006 by Dr. Lanre Olusola, a change catalyst himself, the Life Coaches Association of Nigeria began operations fully in 2016. From 2016 to date, LCAN has proven innovative and futuristic and has been steadfast as the professional body to standardise coaching in Nigeria.

The elections resulted in 71% of women being voted into executive and leadership positions. The 2022 LCAN electoral body was a five-person panel that organised what association members have tagged the “most innovative and exciting election in LCAN history.”

Headed by Oyegbade, the association ensured that “a lot went into the planning to birth the quality of the new leadership set to take LCAN to higher heights unprecedented.”

According to Oyegbade, “the result you all see is a product of a deliberate process intended to capture equity and inclusiveness. Women are no longer looking from afar but are playing active roles in leadership today.”

The association’s presidential election winner, Omawumi Ogbe, is a certified coach, NLP practitioner, and managing partner at GLG Communications. She also served as head of Branding, PR, and Social Media for the outgoing Executive Committee. Ogbe has been integral to the association’s executive committee since 2016, receiving a coaching icon award for her contributions to the industry. Incoming vice president, Iniobong Josiah, is a certified life coach, John Maxwell leadership expert, and clinical pharmacist with over two decades of experience.

This year marks the beginning of LCAN’s election of women as its president and vice president. The outgoing president, Enahoro Okhae, commented on how essential women’s inclusivity is in all spheres of life, including the coaching industry.

He added, “As we all know, achieving gender equality and women’s empowerment is integral to each of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. We do not doubt that there is a flavour in leadership that is purely associated with women’s care, love and protection. I’m excited about this development, and I delightfully look forward to the growth LCAN will record under a leadership largely occupied by women.”

On her part, incoming president Omawumi Ogbe disclosed that she was honoured to have been voted President by the LCAN members to lead the association to its next level.

“I have immense pride and pleasure in being part of a diverse and forward-thinking organisation where everyone has equal opportunities to lead. LCAN is on a mission, and we will achieve our goal of transforming lives, the coaching profession and our society at large through sustainable and ethical coaching,” she added.

Other women and men elected as executives of the association are Osarume Akenzua as General secretary; Adetola Ogbebor as Head of Membership; Tayo Abobarin as Head of Information Technology; Shalom Asuquo as Head of Finance; Collins Alunomoh as Head of Empowerment; and Folake Ighodaro as Head of PR and Branding, among others.

The newly elected executives were presented their certificates of election at the Life Coaches Association of Nigeria (LCAN) inauguration held on the 31st of July 2022 in Lagos.