Last week I was in Abuja as a media participant at the Bold and Beautiful 2018, a week long program in commemoration of the international women’s day with the theme “Press for Progress” convened by celebrity host and wife of the senior Pastor RCCG Throne room Abuja Pastor Dayo Benjamins Laniyi. The program which is not the first in its series was an avenue to see another part of this woman many only known as a host and a Pastor.
Laniyi chose to celebrate the International Women’s Day with a series of events that centred around the Press for Progress theme before and after the day which geared towards the continuous development of womanhood as encouraged for by the United Nations.
On Monday 5th March 2018 it started with a prayer programme for women residing in Abuja which saw a huge turnout of women and men in their likes offering prayers for Nigerian women. The second day of events were held offsite at the# NYSC camp in Abuja where she held talks on career, life goals and education with over 100 corp members of both sexes. After her speech Laniyi segued into a question and answer session especially as it relates to the 2018 theme of the international women’s day. On the evening of the same day, she was at the University of Abuja teaching hospital where she took the same message of pressing for progress to an all female gathering of over 500 UniAbuja medical students which had a panel session of seasoned individuals that came with her to shape the students.
An Entrepreneurship training for women was held on the third day at the Abuja Civic Innovation lab in partnership with the hub and studio24 where about 100 women where empowered with various skills necessary for their financial independence. Thursday 8th March 2018, which was the main day commemorating International Women’s Day started with a session with female staff of Transcorp Hilton Abuja. Top of the meeting was a live Skype video from Mrs Chelsea Clinton daughter of former US President congratulating the attendees on the international women’s day celebration which took the audience by surprise.
As if that was not enough, the following day, there was a post celebration meet and greet with ladies of Abuja international community which was attended by many of them and there was another gathering in the evening with more female members of her BIG ladies club which had Mrs. Betty Irabor as a special guest.
According to Mrs Dayo Benjamins Laniyi fondly called Aunty D by her admirers, her decision to hold such a grand schedule of events to commemorate this year’s International Women’s Day was borne out of her desire to rewrite the story of the African woman as one that is Big, Bold, Beautiful and courageous while harping on the focal point of self independence for a quality life. The 2018 Bold and Beautiful program in commemoration of the international women’s day has come and gone but the memories remain indelible.
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