By Joshua Olomu
Ogochukwu Eloike, a renowned Nigerian gender equality advocate, has clinched the highly coveted ‘Change Maker Gender Advocacy’ category of the prestigious Change Maker Awards.
Eloike was recognised alongside other eminent Nigerians from different background at the award ceremony organised by The Industry Women Conference in Lagos.
According to Mr Goddie Ofose, Covener of the conference, the award was to honour those who have contributed towards making positive changes in their various industries of practice.
He said Eloike was honoured for her passionate quest to entrench healthy systems that enable women to grow and thrive without the existential sexist impediments that relegate the efforts of women to the background.
“It is a well-deserved recognition that highlighted her unmatched commitment and efforts towards propagating gender parity in Nigeria and across the continent.“
In her acceptance remarks, Eloike who thanked the organisers of the Industry Awards expressed delight for the recognition.
“It is an honour and an applaudable feat to be recognised for your value addition to society.
“Over the years, I have worked with different stakeholders to provide facts and insights on the negative effects of silence culture amongst women and how this culture affects women, families, and society at large.
“It is also based on the cumulated insight that I wrote the powerful self-help book for women called Ichabod: Daughters Who Did Not Inherit Their Mothers’ Silence.
“The aim is to ensure that across all our touch-points, we are constantly interrogating the effects of silence culture on women and proffering viable solutions to it.
I honour Mr Goddie Ofose for providing a platform where women can be celebrated for the value they add to society,” she said.
Eloike, who was a keynote speaker at the event, delivered a speech on how women can effectively establish a work-life balance through precise decision-making and thinking.
She said it was imperative for women not to leave their lives’ outcome to chance or their expectations of meeting a man who can solve all their problems, as that was delusional and unhealthy.
Eloike is feminism, education reforms advocate and an astute communications strategist who constantly makes argument for women, noting that they are the core of every society and relationship as they bear the burden of sustenance.
Through her unique voice, she creates truth-based content for various platforms where she confronts various barriers to human mental and spiritual emancipation.
She is the author of the acclaimed book ‘Ichabod: Daughters Who Did Not Inherit Their Mothers’ Silence’.
Through the book, she staunchly advocated for an absolute right of choice and self-determination for women and girls without being subjected to societal validations and approval.
The book ‘Ichabod’, is considered one of the most powerful self-help books for women as it intrinsically interrogated the silence culture and its generational effects on women.
In 2023, she was listed among the top 50 Industry Women driving positive reforms and changes within their industry and also received the Gender Change Agent award by The Industry Media.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
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Edited by Ekemini Ladejobi