Getting a woman to the top is one thing; allowing her to have a voice, exercise real power and open doors for others are a different kettle of fish. This is the sort of life Bola Matel-Okoh, a lawyer, a non-executive director on WEMA Bank’s board and an executive coach, has recognised, mastered and navigated with a deep sense of becoming. Vanessa Obioha writes.
Slowly, but with unmistakable surefooted confidence, women are changing the conversation about their role in the workplace. There was a time when there were movements to advance women’s careers. These efforts focused on removing systemic, cultural, and structural barriers that limit female representation in leadership and higher-paying roles. They gained global prominence during Second-Wave Feminism, between the 1960s and 1980s.
In every sphere of life and across nations of the world, history records trailblazers who helped to secure career protection for women. In the United States, there was Betty Friedan, author of the 1963 book, ‘The Feminine Mystique,’ that ignited the push for women to enter professional careers. There were other leading voices like Gloria Steinem, Simone de Beauvoir, and Eleanor Roosevelt who advocated for workplace equity, highlighting issues like the wage gap, sexual harassment, and barriers to male-dominated industries. Africa does not lack her share of heroines and fearless women rights activists like Nigeria’s Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti and her comrade Margaret Ekpo. Out of Kenya, Wangari Maathai emerged as the first African woman to win a Nobel Peace Prize.
Today, some of the shifting issues concerning women in the global workplace centre on persistent wage gaps, a widening digital and AI divide, rising pushback against equality gains, and the heavy toll of unpaid care work. In Nigeria, however, a particular titan by the name of Bola Matel-Okoh has identified a niche challenge to which she is devoting all her energy.
Here is the problem she is trying to solve: While it may be successfully argued that women are occupying more influential positions across business and corporate Nigeria, reaching the top is only part of the equation. Staying relevant, building influence, communicating value and navigating the complexities of leadership require a different set of skills. This is where Matel-Okoh has identified her speciality.
Drawing from a rich background of multi-disciplinary education and work experience, she has chosen to devote attention to a group of women who have reached the top. However, Matel-Okoh has chosen to go head-to-head in this fight armed with experiential understanding. She is basically using the circumstances of her multi-faceted career to guide women in the C-Suite or C-level. This refers to an organisation’s highest-ranking senior executives, for instance, Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer, Chief Operating Officer, CTO/CIO, Chief Technology/Information Officer and Chief Marketing Officer.
She has coached more than 250 female C-suite executives and senior leaders. Through it all, she has found a familiar pattern with women who have already achieved significant professional success.
The recurring conversation is about what comes next, and whether the success they have built still reflects what matters to them.
“These women know how to deliver. Many have spent years meeting demanding expectations. Yet beneath their accomplishments, questions emerge: ‘Am I using my full potential?’ ‘Why do I still second-guess myself?’ ‘How do I pursue more without becoming exhausted?’ ‘Who am I beyond my role?’”
The result of a soon-to-be-released study on the NGX-30 corporate landscape paradox confirmed her intuition. While female representation on corporate boards has reached a record 31.1%, women hold just 16.7% of CEO positions. More critically, women are disproportionately funnelled into support roles like HR, Legal, Corporate Communications, while being largely excluded from line-of-business, revenue-generating P&L seats that are prerequisites for chief executive succession. This revelation melted all doubts and helped to make up her mind.
Her decision was firm. “I wanted to create an intentional, safe space through BMO Advisory Services and The Women’s Lifestyle Hub where executive women can master corporate power dynamics, protect their well-being, and translate technical competence into true operational authority.”
This was a careful thought that grew out of her own experiences in law, corporate governance, and leadership. “I saw that a woman could be highly qualified, accomplished, and respected, yet still struggle to own her voice, communicate her value, or give herself permission to pursue something bigger.” Her intervention was intentional.
For Matel-Okoh, having a woman at the head of the table is not enough. To measure the impact, the searchlight must look beyond one appointment. These relevant questions must be answered: Are other women being developed, sponsored, and given opportunities to lead significant parts of the business? Her position is clear.
“Having a woman at the head of the table is an important milestone, but token representation is not the end goal; operational power is. We must rigorously audit what actual authority she commands. Does she control revenue-generating P&L budgets? Can she dictate strategy, allocate capital, shape corporate culture, and make consequential, long-term decisions? Or was she brought in as a reactive figurehead during a corporate crisis, only to be handed responsibility without the systems required to succeed?
Also, representation at the top must never be an isolated anomaly. The true measure of institutional progress is whether a female leader’s appointment builds a repeatable, sustainable pipeline for others.”
Matel-Okoh will explore these questions at the second edition of The Executive Woman Summit (TEWS), scheduled for Wednesday, October 28, in Victoria Island, Lagos. Themed “Playing to Win: Elevate Your Vision, Value and Visibility,” the summit is expected to bring together at least 400 executive women, founders, business leaders and emerging decision-makers.
Among the headline speakers are Bola Adesola, Chairman of Ecobank Nigeria; Ibukun Awosika, Founder of The Chair Centre Group and Convener of the International Woman Leadership Conference Dubai; Dr Mosun Belo-Olusoga, Chairman of MTN Foundation; and Folake Sanu, a transformational business executive and leadership strategist.
The programme will address executive presence, strategic relationships, organisational dynamics, personal well-being, leadership visibility and building a legacy beyond one’s title.
“Women have earned their seats at many tables, but earning the seat is only the beginning,” said Matel-Okoh, speaking ahead of the summit. “We must understand how to navigate those spaces, communicate our value, build strategic relationships and use our influence intentionally. Playing to win is not about competing with others; it is about having the clarity, confidence and courage to maximise your potential and make your contribution count.”
The TEWS sessions focus on transitioning from ‘playing not to lose’ to intentionally ‘playing to win.’ This is what participants are guaranteed. “We work on owning their value without apology, setting firm boundaries, and moving from passive hard work to active reputational positioning. My role is to help them curate their next chapter with strategic clarity, rather than simply adding another line item or achievement to an already impressive resume.”
A wife and mother of three sons, Matel-Okoh admits that she has made sacrifices to get where she is now. She often looks back at her career, which has traversed Nigeria, London and the United States, to learn how misconceptions were corrected. “I associated power largely with titles, expertise and formal authority. Legal practice taught me the importance of preparation, sound reasoning and understanding the rules. My experience in governance broadened that understanding. I came to appreciate how much depends on judgment, relationships, timing and the ability to build trust. Having a strong argument is important; helping people understand its significance and commit to action is equally important.”
She lives a different reality today. “I see power as a responsibility. The question I ask is: what can I make possible through the authority entrusted to me? Influence becomes valuable when it improves decisions, strengthens institutions, and creates sustainable pathways for others to rise.”
Her career’s transition from law into corporate governance, board leadership, and executive coaching, she said, was a deliberate combination of intention and discovery.
“I did not begin with a detailed plan that maºpped every chapter, but I approached each opportunity seriously and remained open to where it could lead. Law developed my analytical thinking, discipline, and ability to advocate. Governance expanded my perspective on strategy, accountability and institutional leadership. Coaching gave me a more direct way to help people develop their potential.”
The connecting thread is clearer: people, leadership, and meaningful impact. Each chapter revealed something about her capabilities and purpose.
One would have thought a question about deliberately reinventing herself professionally would rattle her. No. It actually brings out her polite behaviour, social grace, and tact. “Yes.” She humbly admits. “Becoming an executive coach in my early fifties was a deliberate reinvention. I had already built experience in law and governance, but I felt drawn to use that experience more directly to support other women.”
Participants in the second edition of TEWS will learn firsthand how Matel-Okoh’s courageous willingness to become a beginner again taught her that reinvention can grow from everything you have already done. “I brought my previous experience into coaching, and it became part of the foundation for a new expression of my purpose.”