At last, the She-EO train is making its first stop in Nigeria’s Capital City! On March 21st 2020, the City of Abuja will celebrate Women’s History Month differently this year. To help make this our biggest and most impactful stop till date, we are honored to unveil our anchors and hot seat guests!
SHE-EO 8.0 SPEAKERS
AISHA DAHIRU ATTA {Segment Anchor}
Aisha is an Educator, Author and Premarital coach who facilitates deep, powerful conversations between couples to help them build stronger, more connected and blissful relationships. Aisha is also passionate about education, self-development and sustainable empowerment for communities. She is a co-founding trustee of Al-Amanah Academy, an innovative primary school in Kaduna State, Nigeria that provides integrated faith and educational excellence for children. She is also an active co-founder of a number of non-profit charity organizations in Nigeria such as F.R.E.E (Foundation for Refugee Economic Empowerment), a charity for displaced persons and SALKA ACADEMIES (free schools for underprivileged communities). Aisha’s debut book, ‘An Affluent Heart’ flows with evocative writing that draws from her personal experience, as well as that of many who have honored her with theirs. She considers every conversation a privilege and every interaction an opportunity for meaningful change. Aisha is a lifelong learner, a mum of 2, and her family motivate and inspire much of what she does. She works, lives and loves between the U.K and Nigeria.
Dr. Amina is a physician and public health professional with extensive experience in designing and managing health system and sustainable development programs funded by international and national donors and multilateral agencies. She is currently the Country Director at Pathfinder International where she provides overall strategic leadership and oversees the programmatic and operational management of Pathfinder activities in Nigeria. Dr. Amina served as the Employee Advisory Committee (EAC) Representative for the Africa Region of Abt Associates. She is a board member of Empowered to Empower Initiative, a member of the Nigerian Medical Association, Medical Women’s Association of Nigeria and the American Public Health Association.
Dr. Amina holds a Bachelor of Medicine; Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) degree from the Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, Nigeria and a Master of Public Health (MPH) degree from the University of Liverpool, UK. She has also attended various national and international professional development courses, including one on improving quality of health services at Harvard School of Public Health in Boston. She is married to Dr. Mustapha Jibril and they have three children.
AMINAH GBAJABIAMILA {Segment Anchor}
Aminah is a qualified Speaker, Trainer, Coach and Mentor; who is particularly compelled to Youth and Women Self Leadership & Development, Holistic Wellness, Empowerment and Emancipation. This is evidenced via her multiple legacy projects, particularly ‘PINK Rocks’ the outcome of her long-term commitment to Breast Cancer Awareness and Advocacy; as well as various Youth engagement programs. She is skillful, entertaining and purposeful with anchoring events, moderating and/or conducting interviews in professional and private (social) settings.
Prior to her relocation to Nigeria in 2008, she held roles with Fortune 50 entities in Atlanta, Georgia. Notable of which are United Parcel Service Inc and Goldman Sachs as she also began her early forays into Entrepreneurship and Community Service with the establishment of Nattieʼs One Stop Catering & Events Management - and the incorporation of La Femme Africaine (The African Woman) a 501 (c) (3) Non- Profit organization.
She holds a Bachelor of Science in Health Education (University of Lagos), and a Masters of Public Administration (The Ohio State University). Aminah obtained her Public Relations Officer Certification via the Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM) in Dubai. She has just recently concluded the reinforcement Public Speaking Workshop: ‘Speak for Ultimate Impact and Profit’, culminating in attendance of the riveting live ‘Motivate the Masses: Speak and Write to Make Millionsʼ Conference - by world renowned Transformational Coach, Lisa Nichols. Aminah is a Cherie Blair Foundation for Women Mentee.
Bashirat is a trained journalist turned Helping Practitioner, Corporate Trainer and Social Entrepreneur. She holds an M.Sc. in Mass Communications and has evolved over the years with certifications and competencies in neuro linguistic programming, bereavement/grief counseling and management, emotional intelligence, mental health first aid, writing and self-publishing, community development and psychosocial work. Bashirat is an accredited practitioner by the Complementary Therapists Accredited Association (CTAA). She is the founder of “Hands for Life”, The Bashirat Abdulwahab TV Africa and The Purple Network for Muslimah – TPNM.
In 2017, she published her life's story titled “From Pain to Purpose”. She has since published several other books and e-books. Her new title - Dispossessed was published in November 2019. She currently hosts various master classes across Nigeria and teaches life transforming online course via her web-based platform. She also helps Corporate organizations and teams infuse Emotional Intelligence into their work ethics for improved performance and growth.
She lives in the capital city of Abuja, Nigeria with her two adorable sons.:
Bisi is a Healthcare Provider licensed in the state of Maryland, U.S.A and has been practicing medicine for over 15 years. Dedicated and passionate about promoting the importance of living a healthy lifestyle through preventive medicine and wellness travel. Bisi’s work over the years spans 3 different countries, and she gains her inspiration through travel having visited over 15 countries. Bisi is the Founder of Community Health Advocate, (CHA) an educational not-for-profit organization dedicated to increasing awareness of chronic diseases, communicable and non-communicable, and promoting preventive medicine to young adults and communities. CHA focuses on health development and improving the quality of personal healthcare globally.
Bisi is also the founder of ÀJÒ, a Wellness Travel Company birth from her journey of finding balance as an individual, a career woman, a wife, and a mother trying to live a life of wholeness physically, spiritually, emotionally, socially and financially. She is also a firm believer in preventive medicine most especially heart disease prevention in women.
“I strongly believe looking after yourself, taking time out and developing your health and wellness IQ can make a huge difference in living a whole life”.
Bisi obtained her medical degree from Howard University, Washington DC and has a Masters in Healthcare Administration from University of Maryland, U.S.A.
Following a successful career in the Oil and Gas industry, in diverse roles, Eziafakaku retired from full-time employment and went back to school to pursue a newfound interest in developmental disabilities. This interest in autism and developmental disabilities stems from her personal experience of having a daughter with autism. She is currently the only Board-Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA©) in Nigeria.
Eziafakaku is currently a full-time PhD student at the Tizard Centre, University of Kent Canterbury. Her PhD research interest lies in validating screening tools for Intellectual Disability (ID) and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) for the Nigerian adolescent. She completed her MSc in Applied Behavior Analysis (IDD) at the Tizard Centre 2017 and her BSc with the University of Nigeria Nsukka 1990. She has three gorgeous daughters who are extremely brilliant and talented and a very loving and supportive husband.
Fatima, the eldest of 12 children had the advantage of moving around Nigeria, because her father was in the armed forces. She later got the privilege to learn about various cities and cultures around the world while traveling with her expatriate spouse. Fatima is passionate about women empowerment through education and skills acquisition. She has also collaborated with female medical doctors, to perform free surgeries on women with different levels of VVF. Fatima, who enjoys dancing and yoga, is the Founder and CEO of Rhythm N Flow, a dance and yoga studio in Lagos, Nigeria.
Ganiyat, fondly called “Ogbonge” GNT is an ardent believer in the mantra: "Africa can feed herself healthily and be wealthy". She is on the journey of changing the narrative of the food systems and processing in Africa for a fair exchange of value, profit and wellness. She broke heavy brick walls and became a formidable leader in her industry when she launched GNT Spices in 2015. She is the Managing Director/Chief Formulator of a first of its kind premium, 100% Monosodium Glutamate free food Seasonings using African spices and herbs, the number 1 choice for consumers who want to ditch artificial food seasonings and cubes in order to embrace a healthy lifestyle. Ganiyat is also the brain behind the conversion of the body itchy plant called African Mucuna plant/velvet beans into a super-food supplement for sexual and body wellness.
Maryam is an accomplished professional with over 12 years experience in senior management and leadership positions. Her wealth of human resource experience in both private and public sectors, manufacturing, education services, oil and gas equips her with a unique understanding of the challenges of managing diverse groups. Maryam obtained an MBA with specializations in Marketing Management and Human Resource Management from the Cardiff Business School; and a certification in Coaching from the University of Cambridge with a specialization in Executive Leadership and Developmental Coaching. She is a member of the European Mentoring and Coaching Council, and the Chartered Institute of Coaching and Mentoring in Nigeria. She is also the Executive director at Mariacutty Empowerment Foundation (MEF), a Non- Governmental Organization whose objective is to create employment opportunities for the youth through a series of programs and interventions.
Maryam is a poet and fiction writer who has been named as one of Nigeria’s emerging female poets to watch. Her work has been published in local magazines in Nigeria, as well as internationally based online platforms including the ANA Review, Kalahari Review, and in Jalada Magazine’s 2015 “Language Issue.”
Hajiya Maryam Lemu is an internationally sought-after motivational speaker, counselor and an accomplished facilitator of seminars and workshops. She began her career in Sales, Marketing and Management in 1991 when she relocated to the United States of America with her husband. Hajiya Lemu was appointed as the District Sales Manager for Avon Products in 1995 with a sales force of 320 sales representatives. In 1999, she was employed as an Executive Level Recruiter and Marketing Manager for Pro-Staff Employment Agency, coordinating the recruiting efforts and marketing plans for 4 branch offices. During her years in the United States, Hajiya Lemu undertook professional courses in Public Speaking, Human Resource Management, Business Administration, Sales and Marketing and Life Skills training.
She has shared big stages with renowned speakers and scholars like Mufti Ismail Menk, Sheikh Muhammad Salah, Naima Roberts, Bilal Philips and many more. She is a regular on the Nigerian Television scene where she frequently speaks on personal development and marriage related topics. Hajiya Lemu who is an international consultant to private schools, is strongly committed to character development, social responsibility and value-driven leadership.
Mohammed N. Mijindadi is the Managing Director of GE Gas Power Systems (GPS) Nigeria, responsible for driving the growth and development of the Nigeria power market while working with critical commercial functions to execute transactions and implement power projects.
With GE’s strong presence in the Nigeria Power Industry, Mohammed has led the development and support on several heavy duty IPP and distributed power plants in Nigeria leading to significant MW’s added to the Nigerian national grid. Prior to his appointment, Mohammed was the Regional Sales Director for GE Power Generation Products (PGP) in Africa and began his career with GE in the Transportation business as the Nigeria Country Leader. He has held several positions including Commercial Excellence Leader, Strategic Sourcing Leader and in Business Development, driving growth globally. Prior to joining GE, Mohammed worked in several US multinationals in the Transportation, Services, Construction and Entertainment industries.
Mohammed earned a Bachelor of Science degree (BSc.) in Civil Engineering from Temple University in Philadelphia and an M.B.A in Marketing and Strategic Leadership from Pennsylvania State University (Penn State) in State College, PA. He was inducted into the Nigerian Leadership Initiative (NLI) in October 2011, Institute of Directors in January 2014 and serves on the Board of Directors for GE International Operations Nigeria, Free Trade Zones and the ‘Kid for Kid’ foundation. In his spare time, Mohammed enjoys travelling, watching sports, and spending time with his wife, children and dogs.
Ngozi is a leadership/performance/career coach who leverages a combination of approaches depending on the situation in providing clarity to my clients including a unique Core Energy Coaching™ process that helps our clients achieve real, sustainable and transformation. She is also certified by the International Coach Federation as an ACC.
HR Executive turned HR Consultant & Leadership Coach whose goal is to revolutionize HR in Nigeria by developing business leaders & employees to achieve transformation from the outside-in. Her experiences with business leaders and employees across multinational organizations in Nigeria, USA & Brazil attest to her unique passion for Human Resources, Consulting & Coaching. In March 2019, Ngozi was featured in Forbes Africa’s list of top 20 wealth creators. She previously worked as the HR Director (Central Africa), Reckitt Benckiser; Head HR, KPMG Professional services Nigeria; and HR Manager at Guinness Nigeria Plc (a Diageo Company). Ngozi’s career began with Arthur Andersen. She later worked for Wal-Mart, USA after obtaining an MBA from Mercer University, Atlanta USA.
In her spare time, she enjoys providing better opportunities for underprivileged kids as a trustee of United for Kids Foundation. Ngozi enjoys reading and brisk walking
Mrs. Osai Ojigho is a lawyer, gender equality advocate and human rights expert with a special interest in the African Human Rights system. Currently, the Country Director of Amnesty International Nigeria. Prior to joining Amnesty International, she served in various roles with Oxfam including as interim Pan Africa Director of Oxfam GB’s Pan African Programme. She was the Coalition Coordinator for the SOTU (State of the Union) Coalition, a human rights observer to the African Union Mission to Mali and the Sahel and Deputy Executive Director of Alliances for Africa. She is well travelled and widely published, contributing to various publications including the Commonwealth Law Journal, The AU ECHO (Newsletter of the African Union Commission), “ThisDay” Newspapers, The East African and Agenda. She is a member of the Association of Women in Development (AWID), the West African Women Elections Observation (WAWEO) team, the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and a life member of the Pan African Lawyers Union (PALU). She is also a consulting editor with Open Global Rights and a mentor to Mandela Washington Fellows. She holds a Law degree from the University of Lagos, Nigeria and a Masters’ in Law degree from the University of Wolverhampton, UK.
Mr. Wonodi is the Founder and CEO of ZKJ Energy Partners Ltd, an energy advisory, investment and power development firm. He was the inaugural Managing Director/CEO of the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Plc. (NBET). Among the highlights of his achievements at NBET are successfully implementing the trading and commercial arrangements for the Transitional Electricity Market and putting in place the first World Bank Partial Risk Guarantee for an infrastructure project in Nigeria and in the process developing bankable agreements for the sector through the Azura-Edo IPP and other front-runner IPP projects.
Prior to NBET, Rumundaka led the Regulatory & Transactions Monitoring team of the Presidential Task Force on Power (PTFP), charged with driving the power sector reform roadmap of the Federal Government of Nigeria. In that role, he led the teams of Bureau of Public Enterprise (BPE) and PTFP in establishing the Bulk Trader. Mr. Wonodi was a Director, wholesale power origination with Constellation Energy Commodities Group and subsequently Director, Commercial at Geometric Power Limited. He was also a J. Olin Research Fellow at Yale University where he studied the deregulation of North America’s power and gas markets.
Mr. Wonodi holds a Bachelors in Civil Engineering (B.Eng) from the University of Benin, Nigeria and an MBA from Yale University School of Management.
SADIQ ‘DIPO MUMUNEY
Dipo, a trained Engineer turned farmer and agri-business entrepreneur is the CEO of Yahfatmin Farms in Northern Nigeria. He obtained a Bachelors of Science degree in Engineering from the University of Lagos. Dipo is a proud #girldad, a supportive husband to his wife, Modupe; and a lover of Tennis.
Ms. Stella Duru is currently the only female Partner in the Energy Practice Group of Banwo & Ighodalo (“B&I”). B&I is a top-tier and one of the biggest (in revenue and size) law firms in Nigeria, with two offices and about 100 lawyers. As a Partner in the Firm and part of the management of the Firm, Stella is responsible for the overall direction and growth of B&I including the implementation of the Firm’s strategic plan and delivery of the Firm’s annual business plan and achievement of the Firm’s financial and other targets. Prior to be being admitted into Partnership, in recognition of her stellar leadership and influence, she was made the Team Lead in Banwo & Ighodalo.Stella holds a bachelor’s degree in law from the prestigious University of Lagos (“UNILAG”) and was admitted to the Nigerian Bar in 2001. Prior to undertaking her law degree studies in UNILAG, during which time she held the office of the Vice-President of the Law Society. Stella attended the prestigious Queen’s College in Yaba, Lagos (“QC”). Stella is a member of the Nigerian Bar Association, the International Bar Association (Section on Energy and Natural Resources Law), and the Association of International Petroleum Negotiators. She is also an Associate of the Nigeria Leadership Initiative (a leadership development not-for-profit, affiliated with the Aspen Institute) as well as an Associate of “WimBiz” (An association of Women in Management, Business & Public Service).
SURUURAH YINKA OGUNFEMI {Segment Anchor}
Suruurah graduated from the University of Lagos with a B.Sc (Upper Division) in Civil Engineering and registered as a corporate member with the Nigeria Society of Engineers and Council for Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN), Suruurah proceeded to acquire professional qualifications in Human Systems and certified as an Emotional Intelligence & Anger Management Coach, Master NLP Practitioner and a Certified Results Coach.
With over 15 years in the Public Sector rising to the rank of Chief Engineer, Suruurah has reinvented and carved a niche for herself in the practice of Life Coaching and Behavioral Therapy.
She has consulted and provided training extensively for individuals, families, schools and other groups on influencing behavioral change through process development or direct personnel interventions and solutions. Suruurah is also a Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) practitioner, a trained Social Sector Manager, a Purpose & Potential Discovery Specialist and author: “How to Raise Better-Behaved Children”.
She is very passionate about children and Education and she utilizes this tool as a regular columnist in the Leadership Newspaper where she writes on parenting and child development issues and also blogs on same at www.guidedbeginnings.com. Suruurah is the Director at “The Guided Beginnings School & Islamiyah”in Abuja, Nigeria and she is happily married to her greatest cheerleader- Adewale Sulaiman and blessed with children.
Toyin Bashir obtained a law degree from the University of Lagos in 1999 after which she was called to the Nigerian Bar in January 2001. Toyin is one of twelve (12) partners in the law firm of Banwo & Ighodalo. She joined the Firm as an Associate in November 2005 after which she rose through the ranks before being elevated to partnership in January 2016. She currently heads the Firm’s corporate offices in Abuja, Federal Capital Territory.
Toyin has advised several local and international companies on matters pertaining to the legal and regulatory framework for doing business in Nigeria. Her core areas of practice include Corporate and Commercial Law, Investments and Divestments, Finance and Regulatory Compliance.
Toyin supports the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC), an initiative of the Federal Government of Nigeria, chaired by His Excellency, the Vice President, Mr. Yemi Osinbajo SAN GCON, on its mandate to make Nigeria a progressively easier place to do business. She provides this support by acting as a Reform Leader and Head of the Legal Cluster at the Enabling Business Environment Secretariat (EBES), the implementing arm of PEBEC, where she provides technical supportin implementing legal reforms involving the Judiciaryand Legislature; as well as regulatory reforms across select sectors of the Nigerian economy. These reforms include the establishment of Small Claims Courts in Lagos and Kano; and more recently Edo State. She was a key member of the team that supported the Federal Government in implementing reforms which has led to Nigeria moving upwards by thirty-nine (39) places in the World Bank Ease of Doing Business index since PEBEC was established by the President in 2016.
Toyin is a member of the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators and has authored several articles in the legal space. She loves to travel and continues to support several local initiatives aimed at improving the lives of women and children in Nigeria.