Broadcast Journalist convenes leadership, wellness summit

Broadcast Journalist, Ruth Onoshiorena Obozeghie, has organized a leadership and wellness summit for student leaders in Senior Secondary Schools.  The event, titled The Rena ShootUp Conference, took place in Abuja and gathered 40 girls from four senior secondary schools with the theme “Her Leadership; Her Wellness.” Obozeghie, a development journalist and advocate for good leadership, […]

Broadcast Journalist, Ruth Onoshiorena Obozeghie, has organized a leadership and wellness summit for student leaders in Senior Secondary Schools. 

The event, titled The Rena ShootUp Conference, took place in Abuja and gathered 40 girls from four senior secondary schools with the theme “Her Leadership; Her Wellness.”

Obozeghie, a development journalist and advocate for good leadership, explained that the conference aims to address the lack of programmes that support the leadership and well-being of adolescents, which often leaves them unequipped to make positive contributions to society.

Onoshiorena Obozeghie who is the Presenter and Producer of Kakaaki Social on Africa Independent Television, explained that the event will be yearly and the goal of “The Rena ShootUp Conference is to strengthen the leadership skills and wellness of students in leadership roles within Senior Secondary Schools across Nigeria.”

She emphasized the impact of the absence of leadership development for young people, stating that it hampers personal growth and reduces their ability to address social issues like inequality and governance challenges. She also pointed out that this gap often leads to low self-esteem and poor decision-making among adolescents, leaving them vulnerable.

The conference’s health and hygiene trainer, Udochukwu Okereke, highlighted the value of teaching young leaders about feminine hygiene and emotional management. Okereke said that these skills would be passed on by the prefects who attended the summit to other students in their schools, helping to destigmatise menstruation and correct the misconceptions around it.

The participants were equally enthusiastic, expressing that the lessons from the conference came at a crucial time. Okorie Adaeze from Peter Harvard International School shared that she learned the importance of independence, high self-esteem, and how to maintain good hygiene during menstruation, as well as the importance of helping others do the same.

Sharon Orji, another attendee, said the conference inspired her as a young leader and emphasised that girls of their ages are not too young to take on leadership roles. She expressed gratitude for the opportunity to attend.

She said “we came here to be inspired as women leaders. We came here to be inspired as young leaders. The conference was to basically tell us how young girls should lead in the society, and how we should not be oppressed. I really have learnt that we are not too small to lead. I want to say a very big thank you for inviting me, myself and my school. It’s a very beautiful opportunity and I’m really glad I attended.”

The highlight of the event was the presentation of certificates of participation as the girls were also provided with period products.