Women leaders and professionals have called for stronger action against gender-based violence and economic dependence, insisting that Nigeria must move beyond laws, declarations and public campaigns to create practical systems that empower women and protect vulnerable citizens.
The call was made on Wednesday at the two-day Diamond Assembly, organised by Connect Network Foundation in partnership with the Maryam Babangida National Centre for Women’s Development from September 23 to 24, under the theme, “Catalysts of National Transformation”.
The gathering brought together women from different professional and leadership backgrounds to examine their role in national development, with discussions focusing on leadership, mentorship, economic empowerment, mental health, self-esteem and the need to translate influence into measurable social impact.
Speaking at the event, Commissioner for Environment and Natural Resources, Nasarawa State, Princess Margaret Elayo, said women in leadership must deliberately empower younger professionals and build legacies that survive the positions they occupy.
“Leadership is temporary, but legacies are enduring,” Elayo said, warning leaders against allowing official titles to obscure the people their decisions ultimately affect. According to her, every office would eventually be handed over to another person, but the institutions strengthened, opportunities created and lives transformed could continue to bear the imprint of those who served before. “To every woman here today, I say: Know your purpose, protect your vision, cultivate your courage, lift as you rise, and above all, leave every place better than you found it,” she said.
Founder of Diamond Assembly, Amb. Dr. Ojiah Victoria Ogwuche, said the initiative was conceived as a structured institution rather than another conference or social gathering.
She said the Assembly would connect women across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones, promote collaboration and mentorship, and encourage members to identify needs, mobilise resources and execute measurable social-impact projects.
Ogwuche added that the ultimate test of Diamond Assembly would not be the number of women around its table, but what they collectively build from it.
Discussants who spoke during the Panelists Session also challenged women to pursue economic independence, stressing that becoming earners could strengthen their capacity to meet personal needs and make difficult choices, particularly in abusive relationships.
They argued that mentorship should also be understood beyond financial assistance, saying effective mentorship requires knowledge-sharing, guidance, access, relationships and a willingness to help others grow.
On gender-based violence, the panelists said the existence of laws such as the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act would not, on its own, eliminate abuse without a corresponding change in societal attitudes and practical support for victims.
They stressed that telling an abused woman to leave an abusive relationship was inadequate if society could not provide safe alternatives, economic opportunities, counselling and other structures to help her rebuild her life.
The panelists also urged women to take their mental health and self-esteem seriously, while calling for an end to victim-blaming and the stigma often faced by survivors of abuse.
Another highpoint of the Assembly was the induction and oath-taking of new members.
