Omowunmi Akinnifesi and Lagos Deputy Governor partner to empower women

Last week, Omowunmi Akinnifesi honoured an august invitation by the Deputy Governor of Lagos State Mrs. Orelope Adefulire. The former Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria and Lagos Environmental Ambassador met with the Deputy Governor at the latter's office at Roundhouse, Alausa, Lagos.

The visit was in continuation of Omowunmi's work to bring women, especially younger women in Lagos State, in touch with opportunities for self development and empowerment, which has been a focus of her work since 2008.


From your time in the Ministry as Commissioner for Women Affairs, you have clearly demonstrated a passion for women and girls in Lagos State," Ms. Akinnifesi told the deputy during their conversation. "You have served a role model in areas from public service to personal achievement, and you have clearly shown a consistency in your understanding of what that target group needs, and how society should meet that need. I congratulate you, ma, on your appointment as Deputy Governor and look forward to working you on
the outlined projects to empower Lagos women, especially younger women."

The Deputy Governor was visibly gladdened by Ms. Akinnifesi's visit, noting her "passion and resilience for women, as well as a track record of capacity to empower and encourage young up and coming women in the state and in Nigeria as a whole."

She reaffirmed her commitment and will to support Omowunmi's projects, and outlined areas of immediate and mid-term collaboration.

Ms. Akinnifesi has distinguished herself over the past three years as an entrepreneur overseeing a range of communication projects and brands for governments and Corporate Nigeria; in addition to this, she is also actively engaged with the Lagos Government, through its Ministry of Environment on matters of environmental advocacy and sustainable development, using her star power and engagement experience to drive the agenda of the state.

This engagement included representing the Governor of Lagos State, Babatunde Fashola at the Clinton Global Initiative Annual meeting which took place in New York in 2010. Omowunmi has also delivered a lecture at the Lagos Business School of the Pan-African University on "Personal Finance in the midst of a Global Recession - speaking to over 100 students.

"Clearly, I am excited to receive support in the work that I do," she said after the meeting. "Much of the work that I do as a business woman are decidedly low key because those are professional assignments, but the work that is ahead in terms of advocacy and empowering young women in Lagos with capacity and knowledge deserve a platform that a large number of Nigerians can buy into. I have worked with Lagos State over an extended period, and I am grateful to be able to deepen this work in conjunction with Her Excellency."

The Deputy Governor thanked Ms. Akinnifesi for her time and her visit, after which photographs were taken, and collaborations are now actively ongoing between Omowunmi Akinnifesi and the office of her Excellency, the Deputy Governor of Lagos State.