Reshaping the Future of Global Women’s Leadership – Interview with Princess-Anne Emeka-Obiajunwa
- Brainz Magazine
- Apr 4
- 6 min read
Updated: Apr 21
Princess Anne is a global leader in women’s leadership, personal development, and social change. After years in education and community transformation, she created the SheLeadership Framework™ to equip women and girls with the tools to lead boldly and close the gender gap in leadership. She is the founder of SheLeadership and the Birthplace Empowerment Foundation, and has dedicated her life to empowering purpose-driven changemakers across the world.
Princess-Anne Emeka-Obiajunwa, Leadership Expert, Speaker and Founder
Introduce yourself! Please tell us about you and your life, so we can get to know you better.
I am Princess-Anne Emeka Obiajunwa. I am a speaker, author, and leadership strategist. As a speaker, I focus on leadership, faith and spiritual growth, gender equity, and women’s empowerment.
My books explore the intersection of faith, personal development, leadership, and social change, offering insight, challenge, and tools for growth.
I’m a wife, a mother, and a lifelong learner.
I enjoy conversations that challenge perspectives, spark growth, and disrupt systemic inequalities embedded in policy, culture, and leadership structures.
You’re the founder of SheLeadership. What is it, and what inspired you to launch it now?
Yes, so SheLeadership is my contribution to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 5, which aims to “achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls” by 2030. At its core, SheLeadership bridges the gender gap in leadership through education.
SheLeadership is a culturally intelligent, gender-aware leadership framework designed to equip women, especially those in traditional, patriarchal, or under-resourced environments, to lead intentionally, effectively, and sustainably in Government, Education, Technology and Business. It centres leadership development around the lived realities of women navigating cultural expectations, religious structures, systemic barriers, and a kind of social invisibility that often makes leadership feel out of reach.
The idea was born during research for my doctoral studies. I discovered that, despite global efforts to close the leadership gap, systemic barriers, particularly those rooted in culture, religion, and patriarchy, remain some of the most difficult to overcome.
That insight got me thinking about how women can lead within these environments, rather than waiting for perfect, barrier-free opportunities? You see, most leadership trainings or programs for women focus on motivating and building confidence and while those are important, they are not enough when a woman is navigating systems that were never designed with her in mind.
In addition, women face unique pressures such as childcare, family responsibilities, and societal expectations that often aren’t placed equally on men competing for the same leadership roles. Our fight is different. And if the fight is different, then the strategy must be different too. That’s how the SheLeadership framework was born to equip women with the with the clarity, tools, and structure to rise strategically, even in the most complex environments.
Before SheLeadership, you led The Birthplace Empowerment Foundation for over a decade. What are some of the most transformational things you’ve accomplished through it?
Absolutely. The Birthplace Empowerment Foundation is where everything began. I started one of its arms when I was just 18, not because I had all the answers, but because I saw a level of decadence in my neighbourhood and decided to act.
I grew up in Olodi Apapa, Lagos, Nigeria, generally referred to as Ajegunle, where I witnessed firsthand the decay in youth culture, violence, broken homes, and a deep sense of hopelessness. I remember watching teenage boys fight on the streets with bottles and charms, and I couldn’t stop asking, “Why are they like this? Why are they so angry? So lost?”
The answer to why became the seed of my purpose.
I founded Eagles Soar to inspire young people and equip them with the mindset and tools to lead purpose-driven, fulfilling lives. What started as a monthly gathering in 2007 has now become a youth development conference that has taken place in over 10 cities across West Africa, East Africa, and Europe, transforming mindsets and awakening young people to purpose. To date, we have hosted 24 conferences in 3 regions, and I have had the honour of seeing so many young lives inspired and equipped.
By the time I was 19, I had experienced a heartbreak that forced me to confront my own pain, and in that brokenness, I saw that I wasn’t alone. Many women were carrying invisible wounds. That led me to launch Tamar’s Pouch, a healing space for women to transform their pain into purpose. What began as a weekly gathering while I was on campus at the University of Nigeria Nsukka grew into a decade long movement that impacted over 1,000 women through mentorship, counselling, and conferences. We helped women rise beyond all forms of abuse, heartbreak, and rejection, and today, many of them are leading in different sectors.
Under our social intervention campaigns, we have tackled real issues such as juvenile behaviour, low self-worth, and peer pressure. With the help of our trained ambassadors, we have been able to reach students with values-based leadership and vision. By June 2025, we would have witnessed the transformation of 50,000 teenagers all across 15 states in Nigeria.
Another pillar of our work is JTOW Community, where we respond to humanitarian crises in urban slums and underserved areas. We have reached over 8,000 people across 7 communities, providing food, clothing, educational materials, and healthcare.
From inner city schools to remote villages, urban slums to global stages, this journey has taught me that transformation does not start with a crowd. It starts with a question. And when we are bold enough to act on the response to that question, we do not just change lives. We influence systems.
The Birthplace Empowerment Foundation gave me my voice. And now, SheLeadership is where I scale that voice into a global movement.
What is your long-term vision for SheLeadership and what excites you most about the road ahead?
Oh, thank you for asking. I see us building Leadership Cities, global hubs both digital and physical, where women are trained, mentored, and activated to lead in ways that shift culture and systems.
We are developing courses, mentorship pathways, and programs that can reach women in rural and urban communities, religious institutions, corporate sectors, and everywhere in between. We have already launched the SheLeadership BoldMoves Program, which is a six-week online leadership and grant opportunity designed for women from OECD recognised developing countries between the ages of 18 and 45.
The future is about scaling this vision without losing the soul of it. You know, keeping it personal and transformational.
What excites me most is the thought that in ten years, we will look around and see thousands of women from countries where patriarchal, religious, and cultural barriers still exist, leading in Government, Education, Technology, and Business sectors. And many of them will say, SheLeadership gave me the tools and strategy that made this possible.
For those interested in joining or supporting SheLeadership, what steps should they take, and what can they expect from becoming part of your community?
Joining SheLeadership is about stepping into a community where you are seen, stretched, and supported to lead with strategy and purpose. Whether you are just starting your leadership journey or looking to scale your impact, there is a place for you here.
The first step is to visit our website or connect with us on social media to learn about upcoming programs, especially our flagship initiative, the BoldMoves Program. It is a six-week online leadership and grant opportunity designed for women from developing countries, and it is a great place to start.
Beyond that, we are building mentorship cohorts, virtual learning circles, and local communities in different regions. Our goal is to meet women where they are and walk with them as they grow.
Those who join us can expect honest conversations, strategic training, and a leadership model that gives structure to potential.
For those who would like to support, we welcome partnerships, mentorship contributions, and sponsorships that help us empower more women. You can reach out through our website to explore how we can collaborate.
What key message do you hope to leave with every audience you speak to?
I want people to leave the room with the understanding that leadership is not reserved for the most visible, the most resourced, or the most connected. Leadership belongs to those who have the courage to take responsibility for the future, whether that future is in a home, a classroom, an open market, a boardroom, or a broken community.
My message is simple: If you want to lead, especially in complex environments, you need more than motivation. You need vision, capacity, structure, and resilience to build where no blueprint exists. That is what I teach. That is what I model.
I speak to people who are ready to rise, not just for themselves, but to unlock breakthrough in others. And when they leave, they know and have exactly what it will take to do that.
What does legacy mean to you, and what kind of legacy are you building through your work?
Legacy is not only a name we leave behind. It is a future we make possible for the next generation.
To me, legacy means building blueprints in the form of structures that endure, systems that awaken and empower potential, activate wisdom, reinvent possibilities, and outlive applause. I am building blueprints for life and leadership that are ethical, inclusive, intelligent, and transgenerational.
Read more from Princess-Anne Emeka-Obiajunwa
