No fewer than 150 women in leadership positions across Ondo State have participated in a capacity-building and leadership empowerment retreat aimed at strengthening governance, improving service delivery and enhancing women’s contributions to public administration.
The retreat, organised by the Ondo State Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development at Nibanola Motherland Resorts and Golf, Ondo Town, brought together female permanent secretaries, heads of government agencies and parastatals, women political leaders and board chairpersons.
Speaking at the event, the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Mrs. Oluwaseun Osamaye, said the programme was designed to equip women leaders with the skills, knowledge and renewed commitment needed to drive development and support the state’s governance agenda.
According to her, the retreat focused on reviewing the impact of women in leadership, fostering collaboration among female leaders and building their capacity for greater effectiveness in their respective organisations.
‘This capacity-building workshop is to harness and reassess our shared commitments and unity of purpose, especially towards actualising the agenda of the Governor,’ Osamaye said.
She disclosed that 150 participants attended the retreat, describing it as a platform for leadership development, networking and strategic engagement among women occupying key decision-making positions.
A major highlight of the event was the revelation that Ondo State currently has 16 female permanent secretaries, the highest number recorded under any administration in the state.
‘Today we have 16 female permanent secretaries seated in this auditorium. That’s the highest number of female permanent secretaries under any administration,’ she said.
The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Mrs. Foluke Daramola, noted that the gathering offered opportunities for professional networking, mentorship and knowledge sharing among women leaders from different sectors.
‘It is a gathering of female leadership in Ondo State-top government bureaucrats, NGOs, local government representatives and even women from the political terrain,’ Daramola said.
She added that participants were expected to return to their various organisations better equipped to mentor emerging female leaders and improve performance in their workplaces.
‘We are also taking away from here lessons on how we can go back to our various duty posts to mentor and coach those coming after us, so that when we leave the stage, they too can step in with minimal stress,’ she stated.
Delivering the keynote lecture, Professor Bridget Awoshika of Adeyemi Federal University of Education assessed the state performance for over the past 18 months, awarding the administration 18 points out of a possible 20.
Awoshika pointed to investments in healthcare, education, employment generation and women’s empowerment as evidence of progress, while also praising the government’s approach to gender inclusion.
She encouraged women to continue investing in personal development, skill acquisition and entrepreneurship to enhance their economic independence and contribute to poverty reduction.