17 September 2026 | Abuja, Nigeria
Another milestone was recorded on 17 September 2026 in Abuja, Nigeria, as the #Fathers4Equality Award and Traditional Leaders Conference, organised by the African Centre for Leadership, Strategy & Development (CENTRE LSD), successfully brought together traditional rulers, community leaders, fathers, advocates, and gender equality champions to recognise individuals making positive changes in their communities and homes.
The event provided an important platform to celebrate traditional leaders and fathers who are challenging harmful social and cultural practices while promoting gender equality, justice, inclusion, and positive transformation within their communities.
A major highlight of the conference was the powerful keynote address delivered by the oratorical and transformative Ocho-Idoma, HRM Agaba-Idu, Dr. Elaigwu O.O. The royal father continues to champion gender equality within his kingdom and has taken practical steps to ensure that women are recognised and appreciated for the value they bring to their communities.
As part of his commitment to inclusion and gender equality, HRM Agaba-Idu has crowned three women as Chiefs in his kingdom, demonstrating the importance of creating space for women to participate meaningfully in traditional leadership.
In his address, the Agaba-Idu emphasised that culture is made by man and not man for culture, stressing that harmful and outdated cultural practices should be replaced with positive practices that promote dignity, justice, equality, and human development.
“Culture is made by man and not man for culture. Wrong cultural practices should be replaced by positive ones.”
The conference also celebrated the contributions of members of the Neighbourhood Environment Watch Foundation (NEW Foundation) who have been trained under the Male Feminists Network (MFN) Project and have consistently identified themselves as Male Feminists while championing transformation, gender equality, and gender justice in their communities.
Among those recognised were Chief Hon. Valentine Ugoala Ukomah, recipient of the #Father4Equality Award, and #Arinze Nnia Ogbodo, the PG General – Enugu State, who was recognised for his contributions to community transformation and his commitment to gender equality and gender justice.
Their recognition reflects the growing role of men, fathers, traditional leaders, and community leaders in challenging harmful gender norms and supporting the creation of communities where women and men can enjoy equal dignity, rights, opportunities, and participation.
Another significant moment at the conference was the presentation of the impact results of NEW Foundation’s work across the South-East by the Executive Director of NEW Foundation, Dr. Kelechukwu Okezie. The presentation highlighted the organisation’s efforts and the transformation being driven through its programmes, including the Male Feminists Network project.
The event also brought together important development and civil society stakeholders, including the Ford Foundation, UNFPA Nigeria, and the Association for Research on Civil Society in Africa (AROCSA), further demonstrating the importance of collaboration in advancing gender equality, community transformation, and social justice.
The recognition of these fathers, traditional leaders, and Male Feminist champions is a reminder that sustainable transformation requires men to be active participants in creating equitable and violence-free communities.
The #Fathers4Equality movement provides an opportunity to redefine fatherhood and leadership—not simply as positions of authority, but as responsibilities to protect dignity, promote equality, challenge harmful practices, and support the full participation of women and girls in society.
NEW Foundation congratulates Chief Hon. Valentine Ugoala Ukomah and PG General Arinze Nnia Ogbodo on their well-deserved recognition and celebrates all the traditional leaders and fathers who continue to champion positive transformation, gender equality, and gender justice.
When fathers lead for equality, communities move forward. When traditional leaders champion justice, positive cultural transformation becomes possible.
