By Stanley Onyekwere
The Africa Women Conference (AWC) has issued an official reaction to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s recent appointment of a new leadership team and governing council for the Maryam Babangida National Centre for Women Development (MBNCWD).
In a statement released in Abuja Friday, the pan-African organisation noted that the appointment of media executive and communications strategist Ms. Adedayo Benjamin-Laniyi as Director-General/Chief Executive Officer, alongside Princess Joan Jummai Idonije, who takes over as Chairman of the Governing Council.
According to the AWC, these leadership changes reflect an institutional shift toward utilizing established competence and long-term track records in gender advocacy to direct public policy in Nigeria.
The statement, signed by AWC Convener Dr. Jumai Ahmadu, indicated that both Laniyi and Idonije have historical ties to the Africa Women Conference initiative.
The AWC operates as a regional platform designed to track and accelerate women’s integration into public governance, international entrepreneurship, and sustainable policy development across Africa.
”Both appointees have operational experience in inclusive leadership, mentorship, and social development programs.
“Their administrative presence at the MBNCWD is expected to create a direct link between Nigeria’s domestic gender initiatives and wider continental development frameworks”, Dr. Ahmadu stated.
The statement also detailed the full composition of the incoming all-female Governing Council, which will oversee the strategic policy direction of the Centre.
The council consists of:
Princess Joan Jummai Idonije (Chairman), Ms. Lois Auta (Disability rights advocate), Hon. Jamila Sarki,
Aisha Baiyee, Hon. Jumoke Okoya-Thomas, Hon. Princess Anne Agom-Eze.
The body also acknowledged the administrative role of the Minister of Women Affairs, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, in the ongoing selection process for strategic appointments within national women-focused institutions.
It further noted the federal government’s current policy stance on maintaining female representation across public agencies and statutory bodies.
The AWC statement concluded with an assessment of the Centre’s immediate objectives, stating that the newly formed executive team is positioned to update institutional capacity, introduce data-driven administrative processes, and establish collaborative regional partnerships.
The primary focus of the new board remains the implementation of targeted welfare, economic, and social programs for women, children, and vulnerable demographics across the country’s 36 states.
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