Don warns Nigerian women’s potential remains under-utilised
Nigerian women continue to demonstrate resilience and excellence across education, family life, politics, and the economy; however, much of their potential remains under-utilised due to deeply internalised social expectations, Professor
Nigerian women continue to demonstrate resilience and excellence across education, family life, politics, and the economy; however, much of their potential remains under-utilised due to deeply internalised social expectations, Professor of Lifespan Developmental Psychology at Baze University, Prof. Agatha Ogechi Ogwo, has said.
She made the assertion on Tuesday, February 10, 2026, while delivering the 6th Inaugural Lecture of Baze University, Abuja, where she called for greater focus on psychological education, structured mentoring, and personality development as key drivers of women’s empowerment.
Speaking on the topic “Unleashing Her Potential: The Place of Self-Efficacy, Mentoring, and Personality in the Psychology of Women Empowerment,” Prof. Ogwo noted that many female students perform exceptionally well during their academic years but gradually withdraw from leadership and professional ambition after graduation.
According to her, this trend is driven not by marriage itself but by the belief that marriage is the ultimate measure of success for women, often relegating education to a transitional phase rather than a lifelong foundation.
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She described empowerment as both a personal and collective process, anchored on self-efficacy, mentoring, and personality, stressing that confidence, guided support, and resilience are essential for sustained growth.
As part of her recommendations, Prof. Ogwo urged universities to establish structured mentoring programmes, integrate self-efficacy, emotional intelligence, leadership, and personality development into academic curricula, and create university-based centres for gender empowerment.
She also called for stronger support for grassroots mentorship initiatives linking professional women with girls and young women in rural and semi-urban communities.
In her closing remarks, Prof. Ogwo emphasised that educating women must go beyond academic instruction to include psychological empowerment, noting that true empowerment moves women from dependency to agency, and from potential to purpose.
Earlier, the Vice-Chancellor of Baze University, Prof. Jamila Shu’ara, welcomed guests and members of the university community to the sixth edition of the inaugural lecture series.
The Deputy Vice-Chancellor Academics, Prof. Osita Agbu, commended the lecture, describing it as timely and relevant to national conversations on girl-child education and women’s leadership.
The event concluded with a vote of thanks by the Registrar of the University, Prof. Abiodun Adeniyi.