A Professor of Sociology at the University of Ilorin, Prof. Deborah Shade Adekeye, has called on Nigerian women to push past long-standing social and structural barriers limiting their rise to leadership positions.
Delivering the University’s 293rd Inaugural Lecture, titled “Breaking The Glass Ceiling For African Women: Insights From Gender Studies”, Adekeye said women must confront obstacles such as restricted access to quality education, low self-esteem and poor time management if they hope to reach the peak of their careers.
The lecture, held at the University Auditorium last Thursday, highlighted what she described as the steady but significant progress of Nigerian women, especially in the corporate world. She noted that over ten women now head banks and financial institutions, a feat she said was unimaginable decades ago.
Adekeye also commended UNILORIN for its commitment to gender equity, revealing that the institution currently boasts no fewer than 76 female Professors. She added that three female academics from the University are serving as Vice Chancellors within and outside the country.
The Editor-in-Chief of the Ilorin Journal of Business and Social Sciences urged organisations to dismantle hostile workplace cultures that slow women’s advancement, including gender discrimination and biased corporate policies. She stressed the need for strong mentorship systems, balanced work–life policies, and inclusive leadership models.
Adekeye also called on the Federal Government to prioritise female education in STEM fields, saying doing so would widen opportunities and close gaps in higher education. She further encouraged society to actively challenge harmful patriarchal norms and eliminate gender-based violence, including female genital mutilation, child marriage and widow inheritance.
Pushing for full implementation of the 35% affirmative action for women in governance, she said increased female representation will strengthen Nigeria’s political and developmental outlook.
Encouraging Nigerian women to stay focused and ambitious, she declared: “There is no limit to what women can achieve in any field of their choice.”
The lecture was presided over by the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Wahab Olasupo Egbewole, SAN, represented by the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic), Prof. Moji Taibat Bakare-Odunola. It drew academics, students, administrators and members of the public.
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