By JKNewsMedia Reporter
TRAILBLAZING WOMEN converged at the Sheraton Hotel, Lagos, on Friday, 21 November, as the inaugural Sisters’ Hangout, convened by Ms. Ify Onyegbule, Director General of Imo Broadcasting Corporation (IBC), Owerri, officially launched.
The event attracted professionals, entrepreneurs, executives, and creatives from diverse sectors, all united by a shared purpose: to foster collaboration, mentorship, and growth among women.
Onyegbule, also the Founder, Women of Substance Initiative (WOS) opened the gathering by emphasising that Sisters’ Hangout was more than a networking event.
She framed it as a strategic platform for cultivating alliances, sharing opportunities, and dismantling entrenched stereotypes about women in professional and business spaces.
“Women-owned businesses and career trajectories thrive when we create rooms, share opportunities, and collaborate intentionally.
“Today is not just a hangout; it is the beginning of a new era of sisterhood, support systems, and shared success,” she stated.
Also, the session featured structured networking exercises, storytelling sessions, and interactive discussions designed to spark dialogue, build connections, and encourage actionable partnerships.
Participants engaged directly with one another, identifying collaboration avenues, exchanging contacts and sharing practical solutions to challenges commonly faced by women across industries.
Organisers also highlighted key commitments arising from the Hangout, including sharing opportunities and referrals, pursuing joint business projects, mentoring emerging leaders, and creating a community centred on accountability and empowerment.
The WOS initiative also sought to challenge and overturn negative stereotypes about women’s relationships in professional and social settings.
Attendees responded enthusiastically to Onyegbule’s call for intentional collaboration.
Furthermore, executives and entrepreneurs emphasised the value of mentorship, knowledge exchange, and peer-led support networks.
In fact, several participants indicated plans to establish ongoing collaborative projects that extend beyond the event, signalling the Hangout’s potential to evolve into a sustainable movement.
Onyegbule said she would be happier, going forward, to see the project announcing plans for Sisters’ Hangout 2.0, aimed at expanding the pioneer initiative’s reach and impact.
“This movement has begun. We are building a tribe of women who think big, grow big, and win together. Every woman who believes in support systems and purpose-driven networking is welcome to join us,” she said, stressing the Hangout’s commitment to creating an enduring platform for female leadership and collective advancement.
Additionally, networking sessions were interspersed with storytelling segments where women shared personal journeys, challenges, and successes, providing tangible inspiration to peers.
WOS organisers further emphasised the importance of creating spaces where women can address real challenges, cultivate meaningful partnerships, and drive measurable impact across sectors.
Also, participants reflected on the Hangout as a catalyst for both professional and personal development.
Other entrepreneurs cited opportunities to explore joint ventures, while executives noted the potential for building mentorship programmes and expanding professional networks. Creatives found a platform to exchange ideas and seek collaborations that could elevate their businesses and visibility.
By the conclusion of the maiden edition, women at the gathering had set a precedent for intentional, strategic collaboration among themselves.
Also, Onyegbule reiterated the commitment to continuity, signalling that subsequent editions of Sisters’ Hangout would expand in scope, attract wider participation, and deliver measurable outcomes for women across Nigeria.
As the women were at the tail end of the event wrap-ups, Onyegbule reiterated the commitment to continuity, announcing that Sisters’ Hangout 2.0 is underway to expand its reach and impact.
Participants expressed their pleasures with promises to explore collaboration opportunities, and commitment to mentorship, knowledge sharing, and joint projects beyond the event.
