TheCable

Hafsat Abiola-Costello, Nigerian civil rights and democracy activist, has been appointed executive president of Women in Africa (WIA) initiative.

WIA is a network of women across Africa and around the world that has strong relationships with companies and organisations, especially in Europe.

It is dedicated to economic development and supporting women, mostly in Africa; but has always been headed by non-Africans.

The organisation described Abiola-Costello’s appointment as a key step for the initiative.

“This is the stage of maturity. Since the beginning of WIA initiative, I have always said that I would give my place to an African woman, because it is in the logic of WIA to have an African president,” Aude de Thuin, her predecessor, said.

”It is with women that Africa will develop in trust and in complementarity with men.”

According to her,she chose Abiola-Costello “first because of her personality; she was one of the first WIA ambassadors, and joined WIA council a year ago.”

“Secondly, because of her career as an activist for human rights, civil rights and democracy, and values so close to ours made her the ideal candidate.

“Finally, for her analysis and her vision of the role of women in the economy. All this combined made it obvious that she is the right person at the right place.”

The new president said she accepted the post because she believes in the vision of the organisation.

”It could very well be the game-changer that unleashes the long-anticipated rise of the continent.”

She added that her primary goal is to learn in the first year of her tenure.

“My goals for 2018 are understandably modest; it is primarily to learn,” she said.

”To learn how the organisation currently operates, to meet our partners and listen to their vision and interests, to engage with our members across the continent and learn what they see as the biggest opportunities and the toughest challenges.

”In the coming year, my focus will be on building out the structure for the future and beginning to tie that structure to performance.

“I’ll be focusing on ensuring that we have ambassadors in all the countries of Africa, that we have active councils in at least a third of these, and that we expand the network of partners that we engage on behalf of our members.”

Abiola-Costello is the daughter of Nigeria’s democracy icon, Moshood and Kudirat Abiola, who died in the struggle to restore civil rule in Nigeria.