Obiajulu Jane Okonkwo is
the founder of Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) Awareness Organisation also
known as Systers Corner. It is a group that creates awareness about PCOS and
also provides support for women who have been diagnosed with PCOS in Nigeria.
PCOS is a common endocrine system disorder that affects
women of reproductive age. Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) affects 5% – 10%
of women of childbearing age, with less than 50% of women diagnosed, which
leaves millions of women undiagnosed. PCOS is also responsible for 70% of
infertility issues in women.

This not-for-profit organisation (systers corner) was borne out of
the experiences she has been through having been diagnosed with PCOS in 2007.
She has found out that so many women are unaware of this condition and most
doctors in Nigeria will not give women the necessary information they require.
Systers Corner provides the information through our website,
systerscorner.org and also by organising seminars and workshops aimed at
creating awareness about PCOS.
Ms. Okonkwo is also a certified Human Resources Practitioner.
She works for the Federal Inland Revenue, in the Human Capital Management
Department. She has a Masters’ Degree in Strategic Human Resources from the
South Wales University, UK and a Bachelor’s degree in Communication Arts from
the University of Uyo, Nigeria. She is also an Associate member of both the
Chartered Institute of Personnel Development, UK and the Chartered Institute of
Personnel Management of Nigeria.
WHAT FUELS ME?
Faith – I have absolute faith in God that he can do exceedingly,
abundantly above all we can ever ask or imagine, I have faith that God’s words
cannot change and that He cannot lie since he is not man. I have faith that
children can ONLY come from God Almighty. So while I create awareness about
PCOS and support women with that condition, it is done with the faith that God
in His own time will make all things beautiful.
Love – I love being a woman, I love the strength that God gave
women to withstand certain things that a man cannot even imagine. I know what I
am going through having been diagnosed with PCOS that I wish to reach out to
fellow women, just to let them know that they are not alone, that they should
fight and they will in God’s time eventually have the babies that they need.
Passion – I am very passionate about issues concerning women –
health, empowerment, child bearing marriage etc. My life have been full of
miracles that I want to reach out to fellow women and add value to their lives
somehow.
MY GREATEST INFLUENCE:
Who: God and Family.
What: God chose to favour me and gave
me a home and children, even though I am unworthy. It never seizes to amaze me
at the almightiness of God. He said I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy
on. It is His decision or choice about who to give children, He does not
consult a Board of Director or some Stakeholders. That has the biggest
influence in the work I do in Systers Corner.
MY TOP THREE ROLE
MODELS:
My Husband, Chukwuemeka Ikwueto – He
is my constant source of strength, very optimistic, there is no problem that I
take to him that he will not give me a solution to. He was very instrumental to
the starting of Systers Corner.
Ms. Chiaka Okoye – a friend and a very
senior colleague, she is a patron of Systerscorner, she pushes me to be goal
oriented and reach for the top at all times. She is very brilliant and a
feminist to the core. She believes in women and our potentials.
Oprah Winfery – Her success shows me
that women should never give up on themselves, no matter what has happened in
your life, you dust yourself up and continue.
IN THE NEXT FIVE
YEARS…..
My goal for the next five years is to
get Systerscorner to be where it should be as an advocacy and support group for
PCOS.
I am accountable to God and my conscience, I will continually
strive to do what is right no matter what. I also discuss with my Husband,
knowing that he will give a sound advice, I tap the heads of my friends, and
they have always come through.
THE AFRICAN WOMAN’S CHALLENGE:
The African woman has the challenge of
balancing work and the home. We often make the mistake of giving too much to
our careers than we give our homes. I know that we can manage both successfully
and I have seen women who have done.
I took it upon myself to mentor ladies
in my office. I always find time to encourage to put family first, and the rest
will follow.
WHAT
I DO TO RELAX:
I love watching movies, so I can stay
at home the whole day and just watch movies. I enjoy cooking and entertaining,
so I love trying out new recipes for my family and friends.
MY   –
I.C.E. [INSPIRE|CELEBRATE|EMPOWER] VISION
The African women have been relegated
and trampled upon for a long time, some of us do not realize the innate
potentials that we have, and so we still hide under traditions, cultural bias
and religion and fail to impact on our society. We need to be inspired to do
more, we need to celebrate the ones that have done more and we need to empower
the ones that show readiness to do more.
MY
AFRICAN UNION PLANS:
I would want the responsibility of
training the girl child on how to reach their highest potentials in life
through education and making good choices.
I believe that the choices we make as
a girl child will determine how far we can go to reach our potentials.
FINAL WORDS OF ADVICE:
You are beautiful, intelligent and
powerful. There is nothing you set your mind to that you cannot achieve. Don’t
ever let anyone tell you different.