At the just concluded Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Annual General Conference in Port Harcourt featured a strong conversation on women’s leadership, with speakers urging women in the legal and professional space to embrace their ambitions and lead with confidence, competence and purpose. The message came during the “Big Energy; Women Who Lead” session, moderated by Wendy Kuku, SAN.
The session featured Prof. Akolokwu, represented by Dr. Timothy, Dr. Aisha Jahun, Amina Oyagbola, Dr. Vera Sam-Dike and Dr. Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe, who examined the qualities required for women to make meaningful impact in leadership. They described “Big Energy” as the confidence to advocate fearlessly, maintain professional presence, build credibility and influence, ask difficult questions and hold people accountable.
Dr. Aisha Jahun emphasised the importance of understanding the dynamics of different environments while maintaining confidence and authenticity. She noted that effective leadership requires an awareness of relationships, power structures and the prevailing circumstances, particularly when women find themselves navigating challenging professional spaces.
The speakers also placed mentorship at the heart of developing the next generation of female leaders. They encouraged established women professionals to create opportunities for younger women while urging emerging leaders to acquire knowledge beyond their core professions. Technology, marketing, business and innovation were identified as important areas that could help women identify problems and develop solutions with wider social and commercial impact.
The panel further acknowledged that leadership comes with pressure, resistance and setbacks, urging women to remain anchored in integrity, courage, optimism and strong moral values. Speakers stressed that ambition alone was insufficient, noting that women seeking leadership positions must combine their aspirations with hard work, resilience, continuous learning, strategic relationships and a commitment to solving problems.
The session ended with a call for women to “own their ambition” while supporting others pursuing worthy causes. Rather than viewing “Big Energy” as something that should be restrained, the speakers presented it as a force that can drive positive change when guided by purpose, discipline, values and courage. The discussion ultimately reinforced the message that women can lead boldly while remaining grounded in integrity and responsibility.