#InternationalWomensDay: Top 5 Nigerian Women Empowering Other Women
By Rita Chioma,
International Women’s Day is celebrated on March 8 every year. It commemorates the movement for women’s rights and support for women all over the world.
Allure Vanguard brings you top 5 celebrities who are championing women empowerments in their respective fields.
Betty Irabor
Evergreen and elegant Betty Irabor, is the Editor-in-chief of Nigeria’s pioneer glossy fashion and Lifestyle magazine, Genevieve Magazine and has won many hearts.
Through her Genevieve Pink Ball foundation she began a massive advocacy programme on breast cancer.
The foundation donated a Mammography machine valued at 9 Million naira to the Lagos state University Teaching hospital for early diagnosis of breast cancer.
The Genevieve Pink Ball foundation still goes on till today.
She has been married for over thirty years and blessed with beautiful kids. Betty Irabor is an icon and inspiration to several women.
Betty Irabor is a woman whose worth is great and should always be celebrated.
Oke Maduewesi
Ms Maduewesi is the leading Lady of Zaron Cosmetics comprising Zaron International Limited, Zaron Cosmetics Limited and Zaron Hair Limited, who is a firm believer of hard work and self-drive, which she has named as key values that helped her grow into the woman that she is today.
The mother of two started her career in one of the most respected banks in Nigeria, Zenith Bank International and worked her way up to the position of Senior (Branch) Manager. Sadly, in 2006, she lost her husband in a tragic plane crash, and was left to nurse a toddler and a pregnancy.
After her husband’s death, she quit her paid job and decided to get more managerial and leadership skills.
In 2011, she created Zaron, a cosmetics company for dark skinned women, particularly Nigerian women. Today she is at the tops.
As part of the brand’s community service, Zaron keeps empowering Nigerian widows.
Tara Fela- Durotoye
Tara is the Chief Executive Officer and Creative Director, House of Tara International. She is a veteran in the beauty industry, who pioneered the bridal make up profession in Nigeria.
Few years ago, House of Tara International in partnership with First City Monument Bank launched a new women economic empowerment initiative in Nigeria known as the ‘Beauty Business on the Go’ (BBOG).
The initiative was aimed at empowering women to become entrepreneurs, setting them on a path to realise their aspirations and dreams.
With this wonderful new initiative Tara aims to recruit and empower 5,000 women to become beauty representatives.
She has received several national and international Awards for her contribution to the industry and active role in Entrepreneurship and Empowerment.
Stephanie Okereke-Linus
Leading Nollywood actress and film director Stephnie Okereke was the runner up in the Most Beautiful girl in Nigeria (MBGN) pageant in 2002. In 2011, she was honoured by the Nigerian government with a National honour (Member of the Order of the Federal Republic, MFR).
In identifying Vesico vaginal Fistula, (VVF) as a dangerous condition amongst women, Stephnie started a foundation called “Extended Hands Foundation”.
Over the years, she has been campaigning to educate and raise funds for surgery to treat Vesicovaginal Fistula (VVF) which has been prevalent in Northern Nigeria due to early marriages.
She has also extended hands to aspiring youths who want to take up careers in the movie business through the Del York International programme in conjunction with the New York Film Academy.
Kudos!
Linda Ikeji
Popular blogger, Linda Ikeji, also recently started a project to empower young women who want to start their own small businesses and be entrepreneurs, under “Self Made” initiative.
Ms. Ikeji gave out Millions of naira to young girls to start up their respective businesses and be fully Self-Made.
In addition to that, she extended her good heart to ‘Secondary School Tour For Girls‘ under same ‘Self Made‘ initiative.
She visited 10 schools, educating and empowering them.
We love this brilliant initiative in empowering young girls who have dreams!
