By 
Female trail blazers from all walks of life in the state have been celebrated by the First Lady, Mrs Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu.
They include Princess Catherine Oladunni Odu, the first female Secretary to the State Government, Chief Mrs Mobolaji Osomo , first Female Federal Minister in the State, Mrs. Bosede Daramola, the first female Chairman of the Nigerian Labour Congress, Ondo State Chapter and Miss Mary Ogung, first female President of the National Association of Ondo State Students.
Others are, Chief Mrs Kosemani Kolawole, first female Head of Service in the state, Mrs. Helen Tinu Olowofela , first female General Manager of the Nigerian Television Authority, Akure, Mrs. Janet Febi Adeyemi, first female House of Representatives, Justice Folasade Aguda-Taiwo, first President of the State’s Customary Court of Appeal, Dr. Mrs.Funmi Daudu-Williams, first female commercial integrated farmer.
Mo Abudu was equally honoured as the State’s female Media Mogul, Mrs. Abiye Ademoyegun, as a female Philanthropist, Pastor Mrs. Jumoke Aborode, as Ondo Woman of Substance, Hon. Olawunmi Olatunji-Ohwovoriole, as Ondo Female Political Ambassador, amongst others.
Chief Mrs Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu, noted that Nigerian successful women weren’t usually being celebrated like their male counterpart, hence, the need for women to start celebrating themselves.
” Ours is a society where women are rarely recognised, let alone celebrated, not even when she makes equal exploits as the male counterpart. This reality has motivated me towards identifying deserving heroes amongst us and placing them on the global page for the world to acknowledge.
She stated further, “In making our voices more audible, beyond rhetoric, and telling the world that women matter, we are celebrating these accomplished women who have grown to comparable statuses in spite of life’s many vicissitudes”.
The First Lady charged women to be their sister’s keeper in the struggle towards emancipation of the female folk, assist the weak ones and mentor girls, in order to ensure that women’s status improved in all fronts.
Highlighting some of her efforts in ensuring larger inclusion of women to be relevant in politics and governance in the State, Mrs. Akeredolu averred that, ” I have demo ” I have demonstrated women empowerment through the Foundation for Wives of Ondo State Officials and Female Political Appointees, FOWOSO; I have prioritised girl child development through the BeMore Initiative, a yearly summer bootcamp that has raised about two thousand girls as experts in renewable energy and other pivotal skills “.
” I have been unflinching in my stand against sexual and gender-bdevising the popular “Yellow Card” , as preventive measure and ensuring that Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Law become operative in Ondo State”.
Mrs Akeredolu, while analysing the level of discrimination of a girl child is subjected to in her childhood environment and the Nigerian society as a whole, by being treated as inferior to the male child coupled with denial of opportunities to make exploit, narrated how her late parents shunned the belief and rather provided their children with equal opportunities.
