By Ere-ebi Agedah Imisi
Ijaw women have been strongly encouraged to embrace leadership responsibilities, unite across communities, and actively shape governance as a pathway to transforming both the Niger Delta and Nigeria at large.
This call was the central focus of the Global Leadership Conference of Ijaw Women Connect Worldwide (IWCWW), a three-day gathering in Abuja that drew participants from across Nigeria and the diaspora. The conference theme, “Strengthening Women in Leadership for Good Governance and National Development,” guided discussions on women’s leadership, economic empowerment, political participation, and environmental justice.
Founder and Pioneer President of IWCWW, Princess Rosemary John-Oduone, described the event as the beginning of a movement to position Ijaw women as catalysts for sustainable development. She explained that IWCWW was established over 13 years ago on the conviction that “when Ijaw women are united, educated and empowered, the Ijaw Nation rises.” Delegates came from Bayelsa, Rivers, Delta, Ondo, Lagos, and diaspora communities in London, Houston, and Canada, reflecting the global commitment of Ijaw women to community development.
John-Oduone stressed that the conference was foundational, setting the tone for future work. She urged participants to see themselves not merely as attendees but as champions who would return home prepared to lead. “Sisters, let Abuja 2026 be the moment we said, ‘Enough of waiting. Ijaw women will rise,’” she declared.
Delivering the keynote on behalf of former Chairman of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, Dr. Kingsley Kuku, Mr. Lawrence Pepple of the Rivers State Sustainable Development Agency described the theme as “a battle cry” for women determined to reshape governance. He urged women to stop waiting for leadership opportunities to be handed to them and instead deliberately prepare for public office through mentorship, education, and collaboration. Pepple proposed the creation of an “Eagle Eyes” Political Mentorship and Mentee Network to groom young female leaders in public speaking, policy development, and campaign management. He also called for a political campaign fund to support credible female candidates, literacy and digital sensitisation programmes across riverine communities, and an economic development and agribusiness fund for women entrepreneurs. He further advocated for the implementation of a minimum 35 per cent affirmative action quota in governance.
Environmental rights activist Annkio Briggs decried decades of marginalisation of Ijaw women despite their immense contributions to community development, environmental protection, and the economy. She lamented the continued environmental degradation across the Niger Delta, noting that women remain the worst affected by pollution despite being excluded from decision-making in the oil and gas sector. “Our land, which was meant to feed us yesterday, today and future generations, is destroyed every day. Yet our voices are neglected and drowned out,” she said.
Briggs recalled her 2000 essay Women Are in a Struggle Within a Struggle, noting that little had changed in 26 years. She argued that Ijaw women deserve equal participation in politics, governance, environmental protection, and the rebuilding of the Ijaw nation. She cited the environmental crisis in Bille Kingdom, Rivers State, where residents have faced severe groundwater contamination and gas bubbling since October 2025, forcing schoolchildren to relocate and exposing communities to unsafe drinking water.
The conference concluded with a strong consensus that meaningful development in the Niger Delta will remain elusive unless women are recognised as equal partners in governance and environmental decision-making. The communiqué expected from the gathering will serve as a blueprint for advancing women’s leadership and empowerment across the Ijaw Nation and beyond.
