The United Nations Deputy Secretary-General, Amina Mohammed has challenged African women to remain steadfast in leadership and service, stressing that courage, conviction, and results are essential to lasting impact.
Mohammed said this during an audience with women from Nigeria’s Niger Delta region, led by Dr. Timiebi Koripamo-Agary, on the sidelines of the 70th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women in New York.
Dr. Koripamo-Agary said the visit was to honour Mohammed’s global impact and inspire younger women.
Sha said; “We thought it important to come and acknowledge the impact you are making on behalf of women globally and to expose these younger women, who are my mentees to what is possible.”
Also speaking, the Director of Women and Culture at the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Mrs. Ahunna Imoni highlighted the realities facing women in the region.
Sha said; “I came into a department that was silent and inactive.
“Women in the Niger Delta suffer the hardest impacts of crises—floods, poverty, and displacement. Many pregnant women and children died in IDP camps. So, we came here to learn from global best practices, to seek collaboration, and to find ways to strengthen our network of women through strategic partnerships.”
Responding, Mohammed urged the delegation to prioritise structure and collaboration.
“You have to stop agonisng and start organising… Let’s make sure you are connected to the UN when you get back. The way you structure your programmes matters—because when they are coordinated and systematised, they can attract the partnerships and support needed to last beyond one administration,” she said.
On leadership and legacy, Mohammed emphasised impact over recognition saying “I don’t deal in legacies because they’re never really over until the day you die and someone tells the story,” she said. “What matters is: did I leave this place better than I met it?”
She further urged African women to lead with purpose and conviction.
“Everything you do, deliver for human beings and your environment. Your voice matters, and the courage of your conviction matters,” Mohammed said.
On global development goals, she expressed optimism saying; “We don’t give up until the day we miss it. It’s not yet 2030, and there’s still much we can achieve.”
Oyenike Oyeniyi