The African Union/Diaspora African Forum (AU/DAF), in collaboration with the Republic of South Africa, African Union Commission and NEPAD Planning and Coordination Agency on Friday, June 12, 2015, hosted an awards banquet in line with the 25th African Union Summit Theme for 2015: “Year of Women Empowerment and Development Towards Africa’s Agenda 2063.”
The event was co-chaired by South African Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Maite Mashabane and Ambassador Dr. Erieka Bennett.
The African Women of Excellence Award Ceremony and Dinner was held during the 25th Ordinary Session of African Union Heads of States and Government at the Michelangelo Hotel in Sandton City, Johannesburg, Republic of South Africa.
According to Ambassador Dr. Erieka Bennett, Head of Mission (AU) Diaspora African Forum Committee, the Award was conceived as a platform to recognize women of Africa and African descent who have contributed to the struggle for political, social and economic independence at various levels of engagement with excellence.
The presentation categories were ‘The Living Legends Award’ in recognition of the elders who have paved the way and ‘The Women of Excellence Award’.
Recipients of the ‘The Living Legends Award’ were President of the Osigwe Anyiam-osigwe Foundation, Nigerian, Chief (Mrs.) Dorothy Chinyere Anyiam-Osigwe, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, President of Liberia and the first female Head of State on the continent, Joyce Banda, former President of the Republic of Malawi, Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, current Africa Union Chairperson and Winnie Mandela, South African anti-apartheid heroine and wife of former President of South Africa, late Nelson Mandela.
Recipients of ‘Women of Excellence Award’ were Saida Agrebi of Tunisia, Nardos Bekele-Thomas of Ethiopia, Dr. Arikana Chihombori of Zimbabwe, Graca Machel of Mozambique, Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings of Ghana, Sama Salifu of Ghana, Dr. Julieti Tuakli of Ghana and Justice Victoria Okobi of Nigeria,
Justice Victoria Okobi is a respected jurist, with experience as Social Development and Labour Officer with the Nigerian Civil Service.
She was the first Nigerian to be appointed to the United Nations Institute for Training and Research for the Advancement of Women and was on the Advisory Board for eight years. During her tenure as Nigeria’s representative to the United Nations on the Board of Trustees of the International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women (IRTIAW), Nigeria ratified the United Nations Convention on the elimination of all forms of discrimination against women, as well as on the rights of the child. She was also part of the team that midwifed the Ministry of Women Affairs in Nigeria.
Justice Okobi continues to play an active role in advocating the rights of women, children and the under-privileged, despite being in retirement.