The 2022 Annual Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association Women Forum (NBAWF) kicked off yesterday, the 31st of March, 2022 at the Civic Center in Lagos.

The two-day event themed; “The Invisible Hand of Gender Bias: Championing Collective Change” is built on the 2022 International Women’s Day theme #breakthebias and will feature 6 plenary sessions with over 25 Speakers drawn from Law, Policy, Advocacy and the business community.

At the opening event yesterday, several distinguished personalities such as the First Lady of Imo State, Mrs Chioma Uzodinma, the deputy Governor of Ogun State, Engineer Noimot Salako-Oyedele alongside other legal luminaries were in attendance.

The Deputy Governor of Ogun State, Engineer Noimot Salako-Oyedele being one of the keynote speakers gave her address during the conference.

In her keynote address, the Deputy Governor urged women to take giant steps aimed at breaking gender biases, rather than merely applauding the successes of other women making a difference in society.

She also noted that a hand full of notable women in society have strived to keep the door “ajar”, even after their contributions to society. She encouraged that more women should tap into these legacies, and seek to do more, rather than only sitting back to applaud efforts of women breaking these bias.

In her words: “Women can do it; but what we do, we are not getting the numbers that we want.” So, we have to find a way to ensure that in any place we find ourselves, we support ourselves; that is the first step.”

What we as individuals have100 per cent control over, is “how I support the next person, or how I support other woman”; forget about what society is doing but how can you as an individual help other women,” she said
Salako-Oyedele added that once we begin to do this and we get more women to show what they can do, it is a good milestone in breaking the bias.

According to her, going by the 2022 International women’s day theme, we are called upon to imagine a gender equal world, a world free of bias, stereotypes and discrimination.

“A world that is diverse, equitable and inclusive; this is what it means not to have gender bias; we are women and nobody can take it away from us,” she said

In addition, she described women as holding the fabric of society, adding that they are also very strategic in financial decisions even in the home.
“Women should also be allowed to derive the benefit of society: So, as individuals let us support our women,” she said.

Also delivering her keynote address, Mrs Chioma Uzodinma, the First Lady of Imo State urged women to push religiously in a bid to break the bias bedeviling gender.

In her goodwill message, the Imo state first lady, described the NBAWF as being one of the notable forum for women in society. According to her, the forum has fought and struggled to help women attain their current level. Recognising other notable women in the legal space who she said had facilitated the struggle for women, she expressed delight that women have continued to move at a remarkable spate.

According to her, “I am proud that in our nation exist a space where women within the same community and with the same issues and same enthusiasm to heal the broken system, coexist,”

She added: “Our individual goal to impact the women within and outside our reach becomes more attainable when we have others around us pushing for the same results.

“I am optimistic that as we continue to identity and provide innovative solutions to the key issues that affects us such as the gender paying gap, the gender based violence and sexual harassment in the work place, the equality we seek will become a reality,” she said.

She equally described the NBAWF as being a powerful group of sisters from different parts of the country who are aligned with the same mission of being a mouth piece of women in Nigeria.

She therefore, congratulated the forum for the apt theme of the conference and wished them a successful deliberation.