November 20, 2025
By Ayinde Adeleke
The HID Awolọwọ Foundation has announced plans to host a national dialogue focused on women’s political participation in Nigeria, as the country joins the global community in marking 30 years since the landmark Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action.
The dialogue, themed “Breaking Barriers or Standing Still? Nigerian Women in Politics 30 Years After Beijing,” is scheduled to take place on Tuesday, November 25, 2025, at Ẹfunyela Hall in Ikenne, Ogun State. The event forms part of activities marking the 110th posthumous birthday of Chief (Mrs.) Hannah Idowu Dideolu Awolọwọ.
In a statement signed by Ambassador Dr. Olatokunbo Awolọwọ Dosumu, Convener and Executive Director of the Foundation, the dialogue is positioned as an opportunity to reflect on progress, reclaim agency, and reimagine leadership in Nigeria through the experiences and perspectives of women.
Founded in 2016, the HID Awolọwọ Foundation was established to preserve and promote the legacy of HID Awolọwọ (1915–2015), a respected political actor, businesswoman, community leader, and influential matriarch of the Awolọwọ family. HID Awolọwọ is celebrated for her resilience, leadership, and enduring impact on Nigeria’s socio-political landscape, particularly in championing the roles of women in public life.
This year’s dialogue aims to interrogate the slow pace of progress in women’s political representation in Nigeria. Despite decades of advocacy and commitments under the Beijing Platform for Action, recent statistics show that women remain significantly underrepresented in both elective and appointive positions. The Foundation says the situation calls for renewed reforms, stronger institutional support, and actionable strategies to close the gender gap in governance.
The event will feature a distinguished panel of policymakers, academics, gender advocates, and women leaders. Senator Daisy Danjuma, former Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Executive Chairman of South Atlantic Petroleum, will chair the dialogue. The keynote address will be delivered by noted scholar and gender expert, Professor Qlabisi Aina.
