By Victoria Agyemang
Cape Coast, Aug 02, GNA – Mrs Mattie Mcffadden Lawson, a renowned USA Philanthropist, has made an urgent call for a leadership rooted in integrity and bolder voice for women to shape the future of Africa.
She said that would help create a safe space where the next generation of women could speak, lead and thrive without being afraid of intimidation and harassment.
Speaking at the Women’s day at Pan-African Historical Theatre Festival (PANAFEST), Mrs Lawson reminded women to celebrate their African heritage, confront the legacy of slavery, and encourage healing and development through arts, culture, and dialogue.
The event was on the theme: “African Women Leading Society beyond Survival to Reparative Justice.“
“Integrity in leadership is not just about honesty, its about courage, its about standing for the truth even when it’s uncomfortable,” she added.
Women leadership, she noted, must be critical to ensure full accountability, transparency, and representation in all aspects towards building their welfare and wellbeing.
This year, the celebration took on a direction not only to reflect on the past, but to confront the injustices of the present and honour the resilience of the African spirit and the painful memory of slavery.
She said as the continent celebrated its past and embraced its global family, it must also confront the internal challenges that hindered progress such as corruption, inequality, and exclusion.
“Africa cannot afford to remember its pain without learning from it through lifting women higher, demanding integrity in leadership, and building a future where freedom is felt not just remembered,” she stated.
During a panel discussion on the theme, Professor Esi Sutherland-Addy, an Associate Professor of the Department of African Studies at the University of Ghana, urged Africans to be bold and force the British to apologise for their past actions against African ancestors and stop acting like slaves when they encountered them.
She underscored the need for Africans to learn to acknowledge their struggles, stories and roots to help them overcome their challenges for resolution.
The panelists took turns to take the participants through the struggles and challenges they went through while rising to the top, and how they motivated themselves to support each other to achieve their aspirations.
They were Nana Ama Egyirba Armstrong Mensah, a renowned broadcast journalist with Asaase Radio, Professor Abena Busia, a mentee of the late Mrs Afua Sutherland.
“Women have over the years been their own enemies and it is time to break that cycle and change the narrative to their benefits,” they challenged all women.
For his part, Mr Rabbi Kohain Nathanya Halevi Executive Director of PANAFEST Foundation, advised men to pull women along while climbing the ladder for all to thrive together.
He said over the years, women have been the solid rock for men’s growth and it was time to push them forward to thrive in their careers.
GNA
Edited by Alice Tettey/ Lydia Kukua Asamoah