In Her Element: When You Give, You Gain - Pause, Reflect, and Rise Together

That was the atmosphere as women across Unilever Nigeria Plc gathered to mark International Women’s Day under the theme #InHerElement. It was intentional and thoughtful. Designed around one central idea: creating space for women to stand firmly in who they are becoming.

The room carried a soft confidence. Professional headshot sessions captured women owning their presence. Massage sessions offered rare moments of stillness. Makeup artists added finishing touches as laughter floated easily between co-workers. For a few hours, the women in the room weren’t multitasking. They were simply present.

Then the conversation deepened.

On the panel sat women whose journeys have shaped industries and rewritten narratives: Adenike Ogunlesi, Non-Executive Director at Unilever Nigeria Plc and founder of Ruff ‘n’ Tumble; award-winning writer and producer, Jade Osiberu; and Founder of Herconomy, Ifedayo Durosinmi-Etti. Moderated by Zainab Obagun, Head of Corporate Affairs, Communications & Sustainability, the session unfolded less like a formal discussion and more like a room full of shared truths.

Adenike Ogunlesi spoke about structure “the invisible backbone of success”. She traced her journey back to her mother who nurtured her creativity and taught her to dream without apology. Her message was clear: the choices a woman makes, especially as a mother, shape the confidence, character, and future of her children.

Her guiding principle, “Give to Gain,” wasn’t theory; it was practice. She built systems around her long before her reality matched her vision. Growth, she reminded the room, is intentional.

For Jade Osiberu, the story was resilience. Over a decade in the creative industry has required grit, the kind that keeps you steady when recognition is slow and when the pressure is loud. Longevity, she explained, is built on consistency.

Ifedayo Durosinmi-Etti brought it home with a call to responsibility: when a woman opens a door for you, treat it with honour. The real way to rise is to lift with excellence and integrity.

In his remarks, Managing Director, Unilever Plc, Tobi Adeniyi, reaffirmed the company’s commitment to ensuring women are not just present, but influential, highlighting the continued growth of the Shakti Women’s initiative.

But beyond the speeches, what lingered was a feeling of reassurance, inspiration, and quiet determination. Being in her element isn’t about perfection. It’s about alignment between ambition and action, values and decisions, who you are and who you’re becoming.

And in that room, as the women bonded over making their own candles, they agreed to pay it forward because when you give, you gain!

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