Fayemi, Fashola, others laud Nobel laureate

Wife of the Ekiti State Governor, Mrs. Bisi Fayemi, and her Lagos State counterpart, Mrs. Abimbola Fashola, on Friday urged Nigerian women to emulate the courage exhibited by one of the recipients of the 2011 Nobel Prize for Peace, Ms. Leymah Gbowee, in bringing peace to Liberia.They spoke at a reception in honour of Gbowee where other people also poured encomiums, on the Nobel Peace Prize winner in Lagos on Friday.Gbowee, 39, was awarded the prize on account of her role in ending Liberias 14-year civil war by mobilising women from across Liberias ethnic and religious divides for the cause.Gbowee, mother of six, in her speech titled, The journey to Nobel, described her childhood as challenging because her country started civil war two days after her graduation from high school.She said, Nigerian women must stand up and be counted like the Liberian women.What I want the younger generation to take from my story is no matter how many times you fall, your ability to rise and do something for yourself is what counts.Fayemi, said, One of the lessons we can learn here is that we cannot transform our country if we dont ensure that women have a say in how decisions are made.Fashola praised Gbowee for her contribution to African development.President of Wellbeing Foundation, Mrs. Toyin Saraki, represented by the Executive Director of WBF, Temitayo Arobola, said the award given to Gbowee should inspire the desire for achieving greater goals among Nigerian women.The event was co-organised by Gbowees organisation, Women Peace and Security Nework Africa, African Women Development Fund and WBF.Others, on the occasion included Liberia Minister of Gender and Development, Varbah Gayflor; Ekiti State Deputy Governor, Mrs. Funmilayo Olayinka; wife of former Governor of Ekiti State, Mrs. Angela Adebayo; and CEO TY Danjuma Foundation, Ms. Thelma Ekiyor.
Click here to read full news..