4th December, 2022
By Adeaga Toyosi
African women have not been left out in political and corporate leadership roles. Some are making their mark in the corporate, Politics, business sector in different industries in global conglomerates all over the world.
There are numerous challenges women need to overcome in a male-dominated environment, from misogynistic comments and outdated attitudes to a lack of respect from male colleagues and an imbalance in pay. The communication differences between men and women can sometimes make it hard for women to be heard
We developed a list with 3 of the leading first African women that broke the barriers in male dominating fields. We need transformative feminist leadership to face the unprecedented challenges of our times. Here are just 3 African women leaders among many, many others, who inspire us.
1. Madam Ellen Johnson Sirleaf is the 24th President of Liberia and Africa’s first democratically elected female Head of State; is serving her second term as President after winning the 2011 presidential election. She’s one of the three who won the Nobel Peace Prize Laureate in 2011. Madam Sirleaf has throughout her career demonstrated passionate commitment to hard work, integrity, good governance and has been advocating for the rights of women and the importance of education to provide a better future for her country and its people.
Johnson Sirleaf is Chairperson of the African Leaders Malaria Alliance; having succeeded the founding Chair, Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete in January 2012. ALMA is an alliance of African Heads of State and Government working to end malaria-related deaths. She served as Chairperson of the Mano River Union where she leads the effort for political stability and economic cooperation among Sierra Leone, Guinea, Liberia and Côte d’Ivoire.
The Liberian leader is also Goodwill Ambassador for Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) in Africa. She was a founding member of the International Institute for Women in Political Leadership; was designated in 1999 by the Organization of African Unity (OAU) (now African Union) to serve on the committee to investigate the Rwanda genocide; was a Commission Chair for the Inter-Congolese Dialogue; and was selected by UNIFEM as one of two persons to investigate and report on the effect of conflict on women and women’s roles in peace-building.
Prior to her ascendancy to the Presidency, Madam Ellen Johnson Sirleaf served on many advisory boards, including the International Crisis Group (USA) and Women Waging Peace (USA). She is also a proud recipient of numerous prestigious awards including: the FAO CERES Medal (2008); the Crisis Group Fred Cuny Award for the Prevention of Deadly Crisis (2008) for outstanding leadership in democracy, development and peace-building in Africa; and the Presidential Medal of Freedom (2007), the highest civilian honor bestowed by an American President.
Sirleaf has been recognized amid numerous honors such as 14 honorary degrees from American colleges and universities. In 2010, Newsweek magazine listed Johnson Sirleaf as one of the ten best leaders in the world; Time placed her among the top ten female leaders; and the Economist called her “the best President the country has ever had.”
2. Meaza Ashenafi is Ethiopia’s first female President of the Federal Supreme Court, appointed by the Prime Minister of Ethiopia in November 2018. She was born in the Asosa zone in the Beninshangul-Gumuz region of Ethiopia in 1964. She was educated at Addis Ababa University, where she received her Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.), and then went on to receive a master’s degree in international relations and gender studies from the University of Connecticut.
Following her graduation with her master’s, Ashenafi served as a Judge of the High Court of Ethiopia from 1989 to 1992. She also served as a legal adviser for the Ethiopian Constitution Commission in 1993. In 1995, Ashenafi founded the Ethiopian Women Lawyers Association (EWLA).She became the executive director for the association and used the organization to campaign for women’s rights in Ethiopia, to contribute to legal reform, and to provide legal aid to impoverished women. Through the development of EWLA, Ashenafi represented a teenaged girl who killed her kidnapper who was attempting to force the girl into a marriage in 1997. By winning the case, she directly challenged the country’s laws surrounding forced marriage.
Ashenafi became an adviser for gender and women’s rights at the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa in the Capacity Development Division in 2011 and continues to provide a conceptual analysis of how to best protect women’s rights throughout Africa. Additionally, Ashenafi assisted with the founding of the first women’s bank in Ethiopia, Enat Bank, which was established in 2011, and on which she chairs the board of directors as of 2016. This previous history of advocating for gender reform and operating in the legal arena in Ethiopia enabled Ashenafi to be appointed by the new prime minister of Ethiopia to become the President of the Federal Supreme Court.
3. Dr Tinuade Toyin Sanda (Born on August 6, 1979, is the first woman to be appointed managing director in the history of Nigeria Power sector. She is an accomplished professional and business executive leader in the energy industry with over 22 years extensive experience in financial
management, financial reporting, treasury management and particularly over 14
years experience in leadership roles. With a Doctor of Philosophy in Financial Management & Entrepreneurship and Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) with specialisation in Strategic Planning from Edinburgh Business School, Herriot Watt University, Scotland, UK, Her professional experience spans banking & finance, oil & gas and power sector.
As a business leader, Dr Tinuade constantly provides innovative solutions to economic and energy related challenges in Nigeria, sub–Saharan Africa and the rest of the world. She is a strong advocate of renewable energy and believes energy should be affordable, reliable, and sustainable. She presently sits as a member of power- subcommittee for the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Dr Tinuade is the current Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of EKo Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC), the largest distribution company in the sub–Saharan African. Under her leadership as MD/CEO, EKEDC has achieved the highest-ever monthly collection of N16b, the lowest-ever ATC&C losses of 15.69%, successful relaunch of the Meter Asset Provider (MAP) Scheme, and installation of 110 transformers within EKEDC’s network to alleviate overload challenges.
Tinuade has worked for major organisations in Nigeria with international pedigree. She worked Within the banking sector, while she led different roles and at a time the relationship manager in Chartered Bank in 2001. She later joined Access Bank in 2003 where she gained extensive experience in branch operations, customer service, cash management and retail credit management. Prior to joining EKEDC in 2013, she was the Head, Finance and Administration at Vanguard Energy Resources, a leading oil and gas trading services company.
She holds awards and memberships of some professional bodies in Nigeria and abroad, she is a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria, Institute of Management Consultants, Institute of Credit Management Administration and Institute of Professional Financial Managers, United Kingdom. She is also an associate member of Risk Management Association of Nigeria and the Institute of Directors, Nigeria.
Dr Tinuade remains passionate about innovation, collaboration, and continuous improvements to drive success and achieve remarkable outcomes. In addition, Tinuade was named among the 5 most influential women in Nigeria and top 3 in the power sector. And was awarded by Nigerian books of Record for her positive contributions