WILAN Global hosts National Head Girl Conference

Targeted at equipping young females in secondary schools across the country with skills they need to become future leaders and decision-makers in society, the Women in Leadership Advancement Network (WILAN), a nonprofit organisation that focuses on supporting women in leadership by providing them with valuable resources, essential tools, and a supportive network, recently hosted its yearly National Head Girl Conference (NHGC).

This transformative event was in commemoration of the just concluded 2024 International Day of the Girl Child themed ‘Girls Vision for the Future’ from which the conference carved out its own theme, tagged, “Girls’ Vision for the Future: Young Voices, Big Impact’, emphasising the importance of amplifying the voices of young girls and encouraging their vision for the future as they tow their leadership journeys.

The event, which featured a range of activities, including mentoring and panel sessions, as well as keynote addresses, had over 120 young girls and boys from more than 40 secondary schools across the country in attendance.

Founder of WILAN Global, Abosede George-Ogan, said: “investing in the next generation of female leaders is crucial for building a more equitable and prosperous society. Our vision is to inspire a shift to gender-balanced leadership across all levels of political, economic, and public life. The NHGC offers these young women a unique opportunity to grow, network, and gain invaluable insights from accomplished leaders.”

The keynote speaker, Iroghama Ogbeifun, CEO of Starz Investments Company Ltd emphasised the importance of representation for inspiring young girls.

She said: “Representation is crucial for motivating and empowering young girls. This event is vital for both the girls and the boys present, as it initiates the conversation about gender equality and the importance of male allyship.”

The competition, which called for Head Girls to apply and present innovative solutions to pressing social issues in their communities, had over 70 applications from all six geopolitical zones in the country.

The top five finalists presented their projects, competing for the grand prize of N1,000,000. Haddiyah Onono Mohammad, current Head Girl of Government Science Technical College Abuja, emerged as the winner at the end of the event. Runner-ups also received cash prizes and exciting gifts to support the implementation of their innovative ideas.