Women in IMC champion ‘Accelerate Action’ to foster positive change
By Asokomhe Khairat
As the world prepares to commemorate International Women’s Day 2025, women leaders within Nigeria’s Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) sector are amplifying the global theme, “Accelerate Action,” emphasizing its critical relevance to the ongoing pursuit of gender equality.
Themed “Accelerate Action”, it emphasises the importance of taking swift and decisive steps to achieve gender equality.
This deliberate and transformative theme also calls for increased momentum and urgency in addressing the systemic barriers and biases that women face, both in personal and professional spheres.
It therefore urges all to come together, so as to take actions that will speed up the rate of progress worldwide.
It is on this premise that these women are calling for immediate and sustained efforts to dismantle persistent barriers that hinder women’s advancement in the workplace and throughout society.
Their core message being delivered is that symbolic gestures are no longer adequate; tangible, measurable change is imperative.
Lending her voice to the theme, Eunice Okunlola, Director of Operations at Brooke and Blake, stressed the necessity for organizations to establish robust support networks, empowering women to voice their concerns and advocate for progress.
“Organisation should encourage building supportive networks where we can have a collective voice to hear their sentiment and create a women advocacy group to make their voices stronger to be heard in the society.”
She strongly recommended the creation of women advocacy groups, asserting that a unified voice is essential for driving meaningful transformation.
While acknowledging incremental progress, such as increased female representation in leadership roles, she cautions against complacency, urging continued momentum until women’s voices are not only heard but acted upon.
Dayo Oladele-Ilori, Director-Business Development at Brooke and Blake, reinforced the call, emphasizing the importance of cultivating inclusive and equitable environments.
She indicated that leadership is defined by skill and merit, not gender, and encourages women to confidently demand fair compensation and equal opportunities.
Oladele-Ilori addressed the misinterpretation of the gender equality movement, clarifying that the pursuit of parity is not about automatic entitlement but about ensuring equal opportunity based on competence.
” There was an assumption that the fifty percent clamour was an automatic thing whether you have the performance/ skills or not. We just have to balance it, you come to the table because you have something to offer.
She highlighted the crucial need for women to proactively bridge the skills gap, ensuring they are well-prepared to contribute valuable expertise.
“It is important for women to be bold and ask for their pay. Leadership is not about the gender but about the skill you have to offer.
Women should be ready to close the skill gap. So in pushing you to the table, you are not just occupying space instead you are adding value to it.”
Moreover, she stressed that organizations must invest in training and development programs to facilitate women’s professional growth.
The “Accelerate Action” theme serves as a powerful call to action, demanding a collective commitment from individuals, organizations, and society to expedite the journey toward gender equality
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