As March marks the month of women, from International Women’s Day (IWD) to Mother’s Day, Tony Elumelu, the chairman of Heirs Holdings and United Bank for Africa (UBA), has dedicated the rest of the month to honouring the influential women in his life and business.

In a heartfelt message on his social media platform, Elumelu expressed gratitude and appreciation for the women who have made a significant impact on his journey, including his mother, wife, sisters, and female colleagues at Heirs Holdings.

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He acknowledged their role in shaping his entrepreneurial spirit and leadership style, highlighting the positive influence of strong female figures throughout his life.

Elumelu also emphasized his commitment to advocating for inclusion in every aspect of life, citing his firsthand experience of the transformative power of investing in, working with, and learning from women.

“I am and will always be a strong advocate for inclusion in every area of life. I have witnessed first-hand the impact of investing in, working with, and learning from women.

“My first influence was my mother, whose experience as an entrepreneur served as my initiation into a world where hard work translates to success.”

As a father of five daughters, he stressed the importance of fatherhood in shaping the future of his children and empowering them to realize their potential through hard work and resilience.

At his firms, Elumelu celebrated the achievements of women who have shattered ceilings in leadership roles, while highlighting the significant representation of women in key positions within the organizations, with 40% of CEOs at Heirs Holdings being women and 50% of UBA Group’s board members being female.

“These women, including eight remarkable female CEOs, play a pivotal role in steering Africa’s most formidable financial institutions.”

Gender inclusion is not only a priority within Elumelu’s businesses but also extends to his philanthropic endeavours through the Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF).

Since its inception, TEF has disbursed USD 40 million to support female entrepreneurs across 54 African countries, providing technical assistance and creating over 150,000 jobs on the continent.

Elumelu reaffirmed his belief that gender inclusion is embedded in the DNA of his organizations and remains committed to creating a future where every individual, regardless of gender, can achieve their full potential.

As International Women’s Day is celebrated worldwide, Tony Elumelu extends his wishes for a Happy Women’s Month and continues to champion the cause of women’s empowerment and gender equality in Africa and beyond.

Rtn. Victor Ojelabi

Ojelabi, the publisher of Freelanews, is an award winning and professionally trained mass communicator, who writes ruthlessly about pop culture, religion, politics and entertainment.