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On Saturday, October 11, 2025, Eko Hotels and Suites came alive with brilliance and purpose as Project LEAD gathered female students from six secondary schools across different local government areas in Lagos State, to mark the International Day of the Girl Child. The 2025 edition of the annual conference, themed “Heritage in Her Hands: Preserving Culture through Hospitality, Travel & Tourism”, brought together voices, experiences and dreams to remind every girl that her future truly lies in her hands.
Convened by the visionary Uzoamaka Amalu, and sponsored by Eko Hotels and Suites, the event featured professionals from the hospitality and travel industries who shared insights with bright young minds on leadership, self-worth, cultural identity, and diligence. In a world where the girl child often must fight to be heard, Project LEAD created a space where she could learn, speak, and lead boldly. The Director of Sales and Marketing for Eko Hotels and Suites, Iyadunni Gbadebo, in her welcome address, spoke about the beauty of Nigeria and the power of our passport. She explained that Eko Hotels and Suites believes in supporting and nurturing talents, especially women, to lead and innovate. She encouraged the participants to stay and fix Nigeria and watch the world come to us.
Delivering the keynote address, Adenike Macaulay, Chief Executive Officer of Wakanow, spoke passionately about heritage and the powerful role of culture in shaping identity.
“Your culture has a strong role to play in how you are positioned in life. Being a girl child today is no longer a limitation.”
She concluded her speech by leading the students in an inspirational affirmation about being bold, travelling far but never forgetting their roots, learning, leading and lifting others as they rise.
Guest speaker, Seun Fakorede, Executive Adviser to Oyo State Governor on Youth and Sports, further emphasized the importance of culture and hospitality:
“Every girl child is a guardian of values, of stories, of the soul of a people. Heritage is not a monument frozen in time; it is alive, it breathes through us, it travels with us, and often it rests gently in the hands of women…Culture is the first thing the
world notices about you and the last thing they remember when you are gone”.
One of the day’s highlights was the inter-school debate competition, a brilliant showcase of intellect and confidence. After rounds of compelling arguments and teamwork, Learn-With-Ease Islamic Academy, Idimu, emerged 1st position, followed by Successlink Bridge School, Ajah, in 2nd place, and Landmark College, Ikorodu, in 3rd. Beyond the prizes, the students left with a renewed belief in their voices and potential.
The conference also hosted multi-award-winning media executive, Funmi Iyanda, alongside Nneka and Isaac Moses of Goge Africa. Behind the scenes, Ifeoluwa Ayeyemi, Community Manager of Project LEAD, led a dedicated conference volunteer team – Ireti-Ogo Raro-Edo and Emmanuel Ayenigba – ensuring that every detail reflected the organisation’s commitment to excellence and empowerment.
Project LEAD’s mission as an NGO remains clear: to shape a generation of confident young women who recognize their worth, lead with courage and fulfill their potential. Special appreciation goes to our headline sponsor, Eko Hotels and Suites; our other sponsors – MTN, Fikraft Property and Elsie Ofulue – as well as partners, and supporters who made this year’s conference a success. Your investment in the girl child is an investment in a stronger tomorrow.
BellaNaija is a Media Partner for Project LEAD
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