Many woman are still basking in the euphoria of the just concluded ARISE Women’s Conference, 2023. The annual event may have finally come and gone, but the memories it left behind will continue to linger in the minds of all those who attended for a long time to come. The 15th edition, put together by the convener, the amazing Amazon herself, Dr. Siju Iluyomade, last Saturday, 28th October, 2023 inside the magnificent Trinity Towers of City of David, has continued to be the subject on the lips of everyone who either physically attended and those who watched the event live on Channels television or online via streaming.
Expectedly, Dr. Siju Iluyomade, as always, did not disappoint. Indeed, this time, she beat the expectations of many who feared the biting economic realities in the country would have a major negative impact on the quality of the event this year, especially in terms of gradeur and the quality of the take away items loaded inside the traditional pink buckets for the close to 10,000 less privileged women who stormed the City of David’s Trinity Towers, Victoria Island, to partake in the philanthropy of the amazing Dr. Siju Iluyomade, a woman who is fast earning a reputation of being one of the loudest voices of the voiceless Nigerian women. But Siju Iluyomade, a woman known for detesting doing things in half measures, shocked everyone who feared the quality of the event could drop. For Siju, she would go the whole nine yards to achieve whatever she has set her mind to achieve. She pulled out all the stops, gave out thousands of food iems that must have set her back by several millions of naira, invited quality female speakers to come in and inspire and charge up the women folk and also contracted some of the most talented and wave making gospel artistes in the land to bless the women with some of their soul lifting hit songs.
This year’s Arise Women Conference will forever be remembered for it’s several highlights as take-aways. For those stepping inside the Trinity Towers for the first time, the breath taking ambience and enthralling aesthetics of the Sanctuary was simply mind blowing.and enough to charge all the participants. Things got even better with the inspiring educative speeches, sensational renditions, praise & worships and inspiring admonitions took the over 10000 guests spellbound for hours. The paraded not less than 10 Powerful Speakers, many of whom are some of the best female voices you can find within and beyond the shores of Nigeria. And every single female speaker that stepped on the podium was incredible. They all had powerful stories to tell and offred very compelling words of inspiration to the women, urging them all to be bold, to step up and take their rightful place in the society.
The gorgeous and brilliant Siju led the distingushed ladies, including former first Lady of Akwa I bom to the event as well as important dignatries. It will forever be memorable in the minds of thousands of women who gathered to network, praise God and help their fellow women at this epoch making event.The conference whose theme was tagged Step Up was as impressive as it was successful. City People’s Senior Editor, WALE LAWAL (08037209290) was at the ground breaking and awesomely inspiring event and brings you a comprehensive report of all that went down.
ARISE WOMEN SHUT DOWN LAGOS YET AGAIN
The entire Lagos Island axis was put on a lock down last Saturday when Arise Women founder, Dr Siju Iluyomade staged her annual epic event in Lagos, Arise Women Conference 2023. It was an event whose success was in multiple dimensions as its attendance surpassed the previous years. As usual it was an event full of women and almost10, 000 women stormed Trinity Towers,Victoria Island, the venue of the grand event.It was so colourful that any where you turned to in Victoria Island, it was all about Arise Event. It also made all roads busy as everyone was trooping towards Oniru axis to witness the conference. ARISE is a Faith-based charity Organization which is committed to accelerating nation building through the empowerment of women in the society. Arise has over the years provided a forum where thousands of women have been impacted, inspired and encouraged to achieve their God given potentials, by the words and teachings of carefully chosen and proven speakers.ARISE has been passionate about the health of the women in the State and free preventive medical care have been offered to thousands of women.
DR. SIJU ILUYOMADE- THE AMAZON, URGES WOMEN TO STEP UP
In her theme for this year event which is “STEP UP” a call urging the women to get out of thwir shells to actualise their true potentials. Dr Siju Iluyomade has emerged the new voice of the voiceless Nigerian women, an agent of change and Empowerment and a compassionate personality who defintely occupies a special place in God’s heart. Over the years, she is one who replicates a” practice what you preach approach in her conduct in life. No wonder, she took the message of ‘Step Up” to every Nigerian woman who attended the event. She is the Convener of Arise Women conference and this was the 15th edition since inception. And you just have to give it to this absolutely enchanting woman, she sure knows how to look good. And it is no surprise because she is a fashionista herself. Siju has been in the fashion business for over 3 decades. She strutted into the venue looking like a billion dollars. She looked so beautiful for the event and dazzled in her exquisite Chantilly lace mixed with Ankara dress and adorned herself in priceless and exquisite diamond jewelries. Shew matched it with a Louis Vuitton shoe, little wonder the paparazzi never let her out of their sight for a moment.
Siju Iluyomade is not just a beautiful woman, she is also very bold, brilliant, confident, and has a large heart and gives effortlessly to the needy and everyone around her. No wonder many women in their thousands trooped to Arise Women Conference to celebrate with her. She has a listening ear and has empowered many women in different fields. This incredible woman of substance is also a mentor to many and deals with all in a Christ like nature. Very loving and very generous, she distributed many gifts to thousands of guests and made sure she put smiles on their faces. In her speech, she admonished women to step up and step out. She stressed that women should remove fear from their psyche and make fear ineffective in order to pursue their goals.
WHY EVERY WOMAN MUST STEP UP
The theme for the Arise Women Conference was Step Up. It was anchored by two stunning and i9ntellkigent ladies, Ayo Mairo- Ese of ARISE News television and the equally smart and articulate Sabrina Ozma. It was such a joy to see many women who lit up the whole hall basking in the joy of the occasion. They all made style statements at the event. The theme of the event #step up is not just a hashtag but a clarion call to all women to step out of their shells and step up. Women need to shine brighter and shine collectively in different spheres of human endeavours. Women need to be strong and empower themselves, rally round each other to create for themselves an atmosphere where they can all flourish together.
OVER 4 VENUES WERE USED
Due to the large crowd of women who besieged Trinity Towers, the venue for the conference, other adjoining venues which belong to the church like the, RCCG City of David parish, Havillah, incubator and others were also used to accommodate the thousands of less privileged women who thronged the event to benefit from the large heart of the irrepressible Siju Iluyomade. All the venues were all filled to the brim. Before the event started, free medical services were also given out to participants. As promised by the convener, no fewer than 10,000 less privileged families were given free Arise Pink bucket full of different food stuff like rice, beans, tomato paste, Semo, groundnut oil and many other items.
IT WAS AN ANKARA PARADE
The event was such a colorful one that almost 10 different ankara were picked. All the beautiful women stunned in their various Ankara which was sewn into beautiful styles. That the show was also more of a fashion statement event is simply stating the obvious because it later became an urbane fashion runway where celebrities strutted with so much ease and finesse as they made their way into the hall. The event paparazzis had a fun filled time photographing their subjects.And it must be noted that thse various Ankara fabrics were given out free to all participants by the Convener.
MEET THE POWERFUL GUEST SPEAKERS
Prominent at the event were Special Adviser to the President on SDGs, Mrs Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, Former First Lady of Akwa-Ibom. Mrs Martha Udom, Wife of Deputy Governor of Kwara State, Mrs Tokunbo Alabi, Wife of Former Deputy Governor of Kogi State, Mrs Tokunbo Awoniyi, Mrs Stella Okoli, Iyalode of Lagos Chief Bintu Tinubu among others.
Speaking under theme of this year’s edition, #StepUp, all the speakers urged Women to always seek for knowledge and not be afraid to take up leadership positions. In her welcome address, the Convener of Arise Women, Dr Siju, as this trained Lawyer and hugely accomplished business woman is often called, said ” success is key to survival, Women should never succumb to low standard of life, never allow any gift God gave you to lie low. Do not bbe afraid, it is time to Step up,” she charged the women.
Other Speakers at the event includes Pastor Eno Jerry-Eze. Memunat Kadiri, Shivangi Walke from Switzerland, Glaspie Kimberly from UAE and many others from Italy, India and Finland. Also women were educated on prevention, management and treatment for fibroid by specialist Doctors which generated interesting discourse on the day.
PASTORS ENO JERRY AND TINUKE ASEGIEME BROUGHT THE ROOF DOWN
At the event were 2 popular female Pastors based in Abuja who spoke at the event. They were electrifying. Pastor Eno Jerry, wife of the popular Pastor Jerry Eze and Pastor Atinuke Asegieme stunned many in the auditorium with their very powerful and inspiring personal real life stories. They told the women how to overcome their tribulations and triumph over their battles of life. They both urged their fellow women never to give up on their goals in life, but instead, they must rise up and step up to achieve the purpose for which they were created for.
ARISE WOMEN COMMITTEE ON POINT
Give it to all these women, they made the event a hitch free one. It was well coordinated and activities lined up was fully observed. They gave their all as weeks rolled into months of preparation and Arise 2022 came out bigger and better. Amongst the committee members were Ayinke Almona, Iyabo Ladipo, Yinka Adesanya, Teresa Ayanru, Omowunmi Adewole, Helen Adesanya, Feyi Osinupebi, Tope Akinbola,Ronke Olusile and Lolade Wakama, Arinola Izevbigie and Festus Peter Aseni.
A GLANCE ON THE ARISE PROJECTS ALL OVER NIGERIA
ARISE has established Mobile Clinics that have delivered free primary health care to the doorsteps of many communities like Ebute-Metta, Makoko, Lagos Island, Surulere LGA, Iwaya, Apapa, Yaba, Itedo village Lekki, Queens College Lagos, Amuwo Odofin/Festac area, and for Masha/Kilo Community and all over the Nigeria. Arise also operates a bimonthly Arise Women’s Clinic at the Healing Stripes Hospital Victoria Island as an outpatient clinic for women and this is done at many other states as well.Arise adopt a village project where boreholes are constructed, classrooms renovated and furnished, while free medical care was given to thousands of residents, Distribution of Arise Pink palliative bucket, Ultra modern women and children hospitals, building of a fully computerized literacy resource centre, Arise farmers foundation and Arise Skills Acquisition and Empowerment Academy.
OVER 6 GOSPEL ARTISTES THRILLED GUESTS
The conference had many gospel artistes who not only made everyone dance but had a splendid time in the presence of God. It was an atmosphere where praises were in high heavens and worship session was unlimited. From BJ Sax leading the praise and worship to the Voices of Zion, Mike Abdul, Adeyinka Alaseyori, Bidemi Olaoba, Sunmisola Agbebi, Chigozie Wisdom, BJ Sax, Emma Oh My God were among gospel Musicians who thrilled participants at the Conference. .
MEET THE 14 CHAIRPERSONS OF ARISE SINCE INCEPTION
Arise has been chaired by many powerful women who have not only taken the vision of the conference to another level but have supported it with great passion in the last 15 years since it was founded.Pastor Siju Iluyomade chaired the first conference themed wisdom for today’s women. Others with their yearly theme are pastor Joy Ikiebe in 2010 for the Kings daughter, Pastor Mrs Dolapo Osinbajo in 2011 for Divine Harmony, Pastor Yinka Adesanya in 2012 with women on the cutting edge, Pastor Tope Akinbola in 2013 for Tiny seeds, big impacts, Pastor Mrs Teresa Anyanwu in 2014 for Seasons and reasons, Mrs Iyabo Ladipo in 2015 for The Set Time, Mrs Feyi oshinupebi in 2016 with Grace to grace, Mrs Yinka Almond in 2017 for Branded for Christ and Mrs Helen Adesanya for Arise Now in 2018, Mrs Ronke Olushile for Bloom in 2019, Mrs Lolade Wakama for Deeply Rooted in 2020 and Revive in 2021 then Mrs Iyabo Ladipo for By Appointment in 2022.
