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Foundation Advocates Property Rights and Gender Equality for Igbo Women
The Obele Women Empowerment Foundation has called for an end to discriminatory cultural practices in Igboland, especially those that deny women the right to inherit family property.
Speaking at the official launch of the foundation in Awka, Anambra State, over the weekend, the founder, Ms Amara Oyeka, decried age-long traditions that marginalise women and girls. Ms Oyeka, who also serves as Senior Special Adviser to the Governor of Anambra State, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, on Internally Generated Revenue, said the foundation seeks to empower women and promote gender equality across the region.
“We aim to challenge harmful traditions that undermine women,” she said. “Our vision is a society where the birth of a girl child is celebrated just as much as that of a boy, and where the eldest daughter can sit at the decision-making table alongside her male counterparts.
“With today's launch, we begin a journey toward becoming a strong voice for women. We will push for equal inheritance rights and broader societal recognition of women’s value beyond just obtaining a degree, marrying, and bearing children.”
Dr Greg Ezeilo, co-founder of the foundation and Chairman of the Anambra State Internal Revenue Service, also emphasised the group’s commitment to educating women about their rights and equipping them to become self-reliant.
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