The African girl child must be deliberately equipped with education, skills, economic opportunities and the confidence to break through systemic barriers limiting her potential, the Coordinator of the Office of the First Lady of Akwa Ibom State, Lady Helen Eno Obareki, has said.
Obareki made the call on Saturday at The African Dream Network International Summit (TADIS 2026), held at Insight Bible Church, Uyo, where she said Africa’s transformation would remain incomplete unless the continent addressed the conditions that constrain the growth and aspirations of its young women.
Speaking on the theme, “Re-engineering the Heart of the African Girl Child,” she argued that Africa’s greatest challenge was not its natural resources but the restrictions placed on the imagination, capacity and self-worth of its young women.
“When you re-engineer the heart of a girl child, you do not simply empower an isolated individual; you recalibrate the economic, health, educational, and spiritual trajectory of an entire continent,” Obareki said.
She urged young women who felt overlooked or disadvantaged to concentrate on building their capacity, sharpening their intellect and attaining mastery in their chosen fields, stressing that sustainable leadership was founded on preparation, competence, resilience and a strong work ethic rather than titles or privilege.
Drawing from her experience in the banking, hospitality and pharmaceutical sectors and her two years as Coordinator of the Office of the First Lady, Obareki said her career had reinforced the importance of competence and continuous personal development in achieving leadership and impact.
She cited the interventions of the Patience Umo Eno Golden Initiative For All (GIFA) as an example of targeted efforts to improve the wellbeing and prospects of women and girls in Akwa Ibom State.
According to her, GIFA programmes across its eight thematic areas had reached 58,720 verified individuals, while interventions in social protection, healthcare and campaigns against gender-based violence were being implemented to safeguard the health, dignity, safety and educational aspirations of women and girls.
Addressing more than 2,000 delegates, Obareki also encouraged young Africans to acquire digital, financial and strategic skills, support the inclusion of girls in development opportunities and pursue their ambitions with patience, discipline and purpose.
She warned youths against fraudulent schemes and shortcuts to success, saying Africa’s future depended on young people capable of mastering their professions, embracing technology, promoting good governance and developing practical solutions to the continent’s problems.
The Convener of TADIS 2026, Emanamfon Akpan, said the summit was conceived to challenge young Africans to change the narratives about the continent and position themselves to contribute meaningfully to its development.
Akpan said re-engineering Africa did not mean abandoning its identity or uniqueness, but confronting the attitudes, systems and practices that continued to hold the continent back.
He urged youths to reject negativity, embrace service and honesty, and combine their ideas, resources and abilities to build stronger individuals, businesses, institutions, systems and communities.
In his keynote address, Fela Durotoye, speaking on “Re-engineering the African Mindset: ‘You Are Not Enough’,” challenged Africans, particularly young people, to accept responsibility for the continent’s future instead of dwelling on blame.
Durotoye said Africans had been conditioned to think largely as individuals, whereas the continent’s aspirations required collective action, adding that visionary leadership could unite people around a common purpose.
He called on Africans to re-engineer their mindset, work collectively to build a better continent and reclaim the African dream by becoming solution providers, problem-solvers, exemplary leaders and active participants in nation-building.
Other speakers, including Aniekan Usoroh, Jasper Ifeanyi, Williams Uchemba, Paul Udah and Barrister Onofiok Luke, represented by Udeme Okono, addressed issues ranging from leadership and wealth creation to influence, media and the role of young Africans in personal and continental development.
A fireside chat and panel discussion on “The African Youths: Skills, Start-ups and Wealth Creation” also examined practical ways of moving young Africans from job seekers to job creators, with Utonne Ekefre, Saviour Udoh, Miracle Edet, Ima Akpan, Abasiekeme Umanah and Rejoice Madara among the discussants.
The summit also featured musical and spoken-word performances by John Bassey and Precious Jumbo respectively.
Parents of the convener, Pastor and Mrs Samuel Akpan, commended Governor Umo Eno for what they described as visionary leadership and for creating an environment that encourages young people to pursue their aspirations.
They expressed appreciation to the guests and participants for honouring their son’s invitation and prayed for the reward of their contributions to the development of young people and the continent.
