Expert Makes Case For Maternal Surnames  For Children As The World Celebrates IWD

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Renowned political economist and scholar, Prof Anthony has advised women to fight for giving their surnames to children they give birth to.

Prof. Anthony Kila, who is also the Commonwealth Institute Director gave the advice while delivering the key note address at the International Women’s Day (IWD) celebration organised by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) in Lagos.

According to Prof Kila “women need to embrace their identity, defend their diversity and reject assimilation”.

The Don observed that women must resist the urge to always and merely react to the male narratives, urging them to “identify strong out of the box battles and push their agenda”.

“While we might dispute the paternity of a child it almost impossible to dispute the maternity so I think it will make sense to name children after their mothers”.

Also speaking at the event, Managing Director of FAAN, Mrs Olubunmi Kuku announced a new mentoring programme aimed at bridging career gaps for women and equipping them with the skills needed to excel in leadership roles.

According to Kuku, the programme, which will be open to both men and women, will focus on capability building and on-the-job shadowing to help women advance their careers.

Mrs. Olubunmi Kuku emphasised the need for a workplace culture that fosters equal opportunities for both men and women, and called on women to earn their place at the table through competence and resilience.

She also rejected any form of preferential treatment based on gender, stressing that both men and women should be evaluated on performance and ability rather than stereotypes.

“Men and women should be given the same opportunities, I do not speak of women having a better opportunity or certain privileges that the men don’t have, asking that we are put on the same pedestal”.

While agreeing with the FAAN MD Prof Anthony Kila urged women to be gatekeepers of merit and values against those women want to use their femininity instead of merit and gossip instead hardwork to outdo others.

The theme of the event, “Accelerate Action Through Career Development & Strategies for Women Entrepreneurship,” highlighted the importance of gender equality and career advancement for women.

The event was attended by management of FAAN and other organisations and stakeholders.