On Wednesday, March 20th, 2024, The FAME Foundation, a youth development-focused education nonprofit dedicated to developing the kind of leaders we wish we had in Nigeria, hosted its much-anticipated Ibadan Head Girl Conference 2024.
Held at the American Corner in Ibadan, Nigeria, this maiden event was not only a celebration of International Women’s Day but also a mind-shifting mentorship initiative to educate and empower over 50 Head Girls with the resources and right knowledge they need to succeed as aspiring leaders in their current roles and become better leaders.
The conference’s theme, “’Invest in Girls; Impact the Future,” perfectly captured the essence of the event. It underscored how investing in today’s young girls can harness the potential of girls to lead and become global changemakers who start from their local communities. The conference served as a strategic platform for aspiring and accomplished women leaders to connect, explore, discuss, and learn from one another.
“At FAME, we recognize everything rises and falls on leadership, and we have made an audacious commitment to developing 1,000,000 leaders in our secondary schools by 2030, and we believe that the Head Girl Conference is a strategic part of that journey, together we have equipped over 20,000 girls with leadership values and skills in over half a decade in nearly 200 secondary schools across Nigeria,” said Raphael Stephen, Founder, and Executive Director of The FAME Foundation.
The Ibadan Head Girl Conference 2024 featured an impressive lineup of speakers, each sharing their invaluable insights and experiences from their leadership journeys. From accomplished corporate leaders to influential academic leaders, the speakers left an indelible impact on the attendees, inspiring them to break glass ceilings and dare to aspire to greater heights in their leadership roles.
Some of the distinguished guests and speakers included the Principal Partner Funmi Roberts & Co., Funmi Roberts; Regional Operations Director of Airtel Nigeria, Tolu Adeniyi; Professor of Law and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Prof. Oluyemisi Bamgbose; Director Kea Group, Kemi Irinoye and Builder Bimbo Kolade: Federal Commissioner representing Oyo State, who served as the Chairperson of the Conference.
The conference also covered several activities including inspiring talk sessions, breakout sessions, impromptu debates, and conversations. Cash prizes were given to the winning participants, sponsored by Hermes Advisory and Starks Associate.
Commenting, Ore Adeyemo, Executive Director, Partnership & Growth, Starks Associate: “At Starks, we recognize the importance of impactful and diverse leadership throughout Africa. Cultivating strong leadership skills at a young age is essential for creating a better Africa. Partnering with The FAME Foundation allows us to support and empower young girls who have already shown leadership potential as head girls. By providing them with the necessary tools, resources, and mentorship. We aim to enable them to become effective leaders within their schools and communities.”
The 2024 edition of the Ibadan Head Girl Conference is sponsored by The FAME Foundation, Hermes Advisory, Starks Associate, Nigerian Breweries Plc with support from the Oyo State Ministry of Education, Foodie’s Haven, Yes FM, Branding Brands, Ayanphe Media, Saamu Onifoto, Nimmie Craft, The Flourishing Mishe, Kulikuli Alata, Zenergy Tour, and friends of the organization.
This year, the Ibadan Head Boy Conference will also be held, and over 1,000 newly selected prefects across secondary schools in Ibadan will be equipped with leadership and management skills through the FAME Lead Project which has impacted 2,074 aspiring leaders directly and 16,680 aspiring leaders indirectly.
