As part of a planned African Tour, tennis icons, Serena and Venus Williams Tuesday arrived the shores of Nigeria, Tuesday October 30 and will be in the country till Friday, November 2.
Their visit is part of tour concerning the recently launched ‘‘Breaking The Mould’’ (BTM) campaign, a women’s empowerment initiative that has already garnered international support.
The visit to Nigeria of the tennis idols is majorly facilitated by Chain Reaction, a Public Relation outfit, with support from other partners, including the Lagos state government.
Explaining the rationale behind the visit of the William Sisters, Lere Ojedokun, group head, communications services, Chain Reactions Nigeria, said the sisters are in Nigeria to inspire young talents, particularly the women folk.
Williams sisters visit was far more than socialising, their visit also provided an opportunity to provoke women into activating and mobilising their own energy and resources towards breaking the mould and making a lasting difference. As individuals who had gone through same, Venus and Serena were perfect role models for this.
At an A-Class event organised in their honour, the Williams Sisters and their mother, Oracene Price stepped into the event hall at Federal Palace at 8:15pm after a brief Red Carpet Reception during which they were received by the MD of Nigerian Breweries, Nicolaas Vervelde.
After a short profile of the sisters was read by Dr. Shola Gbinigie, they were invited up stage for a brief interview session during which the sisters narrated the story of their journey to the top. Gbinigie who was also the moderator for the chat session, a medical doctor and amateur tennis player. she presented the chat session in a fashion reminiscent of the Oprah show.
Two exemplary Nigerian mould-breakers were honored Nike Okundaye of the Nike Art Gallery and Dr. Ola Olakunrin of Air Ambulance Nigeria / Flying Doctors were both honored for their courage and resilience in the face of adversity, and for daring into sectors that many deemed were reserved exclusively for men.
The host for the evening was on-air personality, Tolu Oniru, fondly known as Toolz. Entertainment was provided by Yinka Davies and Timi Dakolo. As guests dined, the Williams Sisters expressed how excited they are to be playing against each other at Friday’s exhibition match slated at the Lagos Lawn Tennis Club, Ikoyi.
Increased empowerment for women…
Accompanied by their mother, Oracene Price, the Williams’ sisters described Africa as a great continent that has produced many great mould breakers, even as they declared that their African descent was never a disadvantage in any way. Visiting tennis champions, Venus and Serena Williams, advocated adequate empowerment of women in Africa , stating that the presence of women in eminent positions around the world is a demonstration of the significance role which the female gender can play in the scheme of things.