Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Mr. Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, has been conferred with the maiden International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) Gender Champion Award in recognition of his pioneering effort and the sustainability of women empowerment, particularly in Nigeria.

Presenting the award to Mr. Sanusi at an impressive ceremony held at the International Conference Centre, Yaoundé, Cameroon, on Wednesday, November 6, the President of FIDA, Worldwide, Sheela Anish, commended him for consistently championing the cause of the womenfolk.

She said FIDA, the renowned body of women lawyers, elected to confer the award on the apex Bank Governor because his actions portrayed him to be an advocate of mainstreaming gender issues in the country.

While noting that Sanusi was recognised for the promotion of women in business and leadership, she urged other men in position of leadership to emulate the sterling example set by the multiple award-winning CBN Governor.

In his keynote address prior to receiving the award, Sanusi noted that the only realistic way to arrest the high incidence of poverty in the world is by focusing more resources on women.

This, according to him, is because women not only make up 50 per cent of the world’s population, but are also at the bottom of the demographic pyramid and the closest to the children.

Speaking further, the CBN Governor observed that womenfolk, especially career women, do far more work as they continue to do massive work at home after long office hours, for which they are not properly remunerated.

Sanusi assured that the CBN would continue to support global initiatives aimed at empowering women. He noted that only four women had ever been able to make it to the rank of director at the Bank prior to his assumption of duty as CBN Governor. Today, he said there is now a reversal as seven females now occupy director positions in the CBN.

Going forward, Sanusi called for the dismantling of several impediments, such as long hours at work and the patriarchal, which make it difficult for women not to compete fairly with their male counterparts.

The CBN Governor was accompanied to the event by the Nigerian High Commissioner to Cameroon, Mrs. Hadiza Mustapha, and top management staff of the Bank.

•Photo shows Gov. Sanusi with Hadiza Mustapha (Nigerian High Commissioner to Cameroon) after receiving FIDA Gender Champion Award.