Nigerian civil rights and democracy activist, Hafsat Abiola-Costello, has been appointed Executive President of Women in Africa (WIA) Initiative.
WIA is a network of women across Africa and around the world. It has strong relationships with companies and organisations, especially in Europe. It is dedicated to economic development and supporting women, mostly in Africa; but has always been headed by non-Africans.
The organisation’s website stated Mrs Abiola-Costello’s appointment was made on Wednesday and described the development as a key step for the initiative.
She is the first African to lead the organisation.
Her predecessor, Aude de Thuin, noted she always said she would hand over to an African woman.
“This is the stage of maturity. Since the beginning of WIA Initiative, I have always said that I would give my place to an African woman, because it is in the logic of WIA to have an African President. It is with women that Africa will develop in trust and in complementarily with men,” she said.
She explained that Mrs Abiola-Costello was chosen first because of her personality and the fact that the latter was one of the first WIA Ambassadors, who joined WIA Council, a year ago.
“Secondly, because of her career as an activist for human rights, civil rights and democracy, and values so close to ours made her the ideal candidate.
“Finally, for her analysis and her vision of the role of women in the economy, all these combined made it obvious that she is the right person at the right place.”
Reacting, Mrs Abiola-Costello said, “Women are the greatest untapped resource the continent has. So I want to help lead the organisation that is working to harness their potential. It could very well be the game-changer that unleashes the long-anticipated rise of the continent.”
On her goals as president, Abiola-Costello said her primary goal is to learn in the first year of her tenure.
“My goals for 2018 are understandably modest. It is primarily to learn. To learn how the organisation currently operates, to meet our partners and listen to their vision and interests, to engage with our members across the continent and learn what they see as the biggest opportunities and the toughest challenges. In the coming year, my focus will be on building out the structure for the future and beginning to tie that structure to performance.
“I’ll be focusing on ensuring that we have ambassadors in all the countries of Africa, that we have active councils in at least a third of these, and that we expand the network of partners that we engage on behalf of our members”, she said.
She also said her background in advocacy for democracy in Nigeria at the time of military rule, women and youth empowerment, and service as a member of cabinet in Nigeria’s industrial state, Ogun State, has practically prepared her for the role of WIA President.
