ARISE TV WOMEN of IMPACT AWARD: The Omission of Col. Onyechi Appolonia Anele, Matter Arising
…an omission suggestive of institutional bias
The annual ARISE News Channel Women of Impact Awards has over the years, positioned itself as a prestigious platform celebrating women whose work has shaped institutions, influenced policy, and driven development across Africa. In 2026, the platform again honoured influential African women across governance, business, healthcare, technology and other sectors as part of activities marking the 2026 International Women’s Day.
The stated goal of the initiative is to spotlight women who have significantly influenced society and contributed to Africa’s development trajectory.
However, the omission of Onyechi Appolonia Anele, the Nigerian Army’s first female spokesperson and one of the most distinguished contemporary military communicators in Africa, raises important questions about the criteria, inclusiveness, and depth of the award’s evaluation framework; better still an omission suggestive of institutional bias against military institutions.
Her omission according to Pan Afric Teporters analyst is not merely a case of an individual overlooked. It raises broader concerns about whether certain spheres of national serviceparticularly security and military communication are being sufficiently acknowledged in conversations about women’s impact and leadership.
Note, the rise of Col. Onyechi Appolonia Anele within the Nigerian Army represents a historic breakthrough in one of the most traditionally male-dominated institutions in Africa.Military public relations and strategic communications have long been controlled by men due to the hierarchical and combat-driven culture of the armed forces. By emerging as the first female Army Public Relations Officer, Anele shattered a structural barrier that existed for decades.
Her appointment therefore, represented a structural shift in the Nigerian military’s communication architecture , an institution central to national stability.
Through this role, she has coordinated strategic military communications during critical national security operations, improved transparency and professionalism in military-media relations, reinforced public trust through consistent, structured, and disciplined information dissemination in an era where information warfare and public perception shape security outcomes, the role of a military spokesperson carries enormous national importance.
conspicuously, the award platforms seems to emphasizes impact in areas such as business, finance, politics, or philanthropy. Yet national development also depends heavily on security architecture and public trust in state institutionswhich military communication serves several crucial functions amongst which are public ccountability where Anele ensures citizens are informed about security operations and national defense issues, information Integrityto combats misinformation, especially during conflict situations, national morale tempo to reassures citizens and strengthens confidence in national institutions as well as civil-military relations where she bridges the gap between the armed forces and the civilian population.
The extra large impact making first female military communicator, Col. Anele through her professional conduct and intellectual depth has significantly advanced these functions excellently with her communication style often described as disciplined, clear, and strategic which has helped in redefining the narrative around the Nigerian military’s engagement with the public.
One of the most compelling aspects of Col. Anele’s career is its symbolic impact on the girl child across Africa where many young girls grow up in societies where military service is perceived as exclusively male territory. The emergence of a female colonel serving as the face of a national army challenges this stereotype, and communicates a powerful message that institution is beyond the reach of women.
Impactfully, for young girls in Nigeria and across the continent, her story reinforces several key lessons among which are
•Leadership is not limited by gender.
•Intellectual excellence and discipline open doors in even the most rigid institutions.
•Courage and competence can dismantle long-standing institutional barriers.
This symbolic impact alone places her among the most influential female figures in contemporary African public space and private space.
The Arise Women of Impact Awards which honoured numerous distinguished women in governance, finance, diplomacy, and global development but omitted the bravery and gallantry impact of the Army Spokesperson calls for concern weather the award is a mere political patronage or …
However, the concept of impact must be multidimensional.While conomic leadership is important and political influence is vital, national security communication especially in a country confronting insurgency, terrorism, and complex security threats is equally critical and much more deserving of recognition.
In many ways, the influence of a military spokesperson during national crises can shape public perception, social stability, and even international diplomatic narratives.
When viewed through this lens, the exclusion of Col. Anele appears not merely surprising but analytically inconsistent with the award’s stated mission of celebrating women shaping Africa’s future.
The omission may reflect a broader structural bias often seen in recognition platforms as awards tend to focus heavily on sectors such as corporate leadership, politics and governance, Philanthropy, media and entertainment.
Yet critical sectors like national security, military diplomacy, defense communication, crisis managementrarely receive equal attention in recognition frameworks.
This creates a narrow interpretation of impact, one that undervalues the strategic roles women play in safeguarding national stability.
Recognition platforms do more than celebrate individuals. They shape public narratives about what forms of leadership matter.
When women who break barriers in security institutions are overlooked, it unintentionally sends a discouraging signal to young girls aspiring to careers in defense, intelligence, and security management.
In contrast, recognizing figures like Col. Anele wouldbroaden the definition of female leadership, highlight women’s roles in national security architecture, inspire girls interested in military and strategic careers.
Rethinking the Meaning of “Impact”constitutes the central question raised by this omission, “what truly defines impact?Is it corporate success, political power, or international recognition? Or should impact also includes institutional transformation, breaking structural barriers, strengthening national institutions, changing perception positively and inspiring future generations.
By these measures, Col. Onyechi Appolonia Anele clearly represents a formidable example of women redefining leadership in Africa.
The Arise Women of Impact Awards remain an important platform celebrating female excellence across Africa. However, the omission of Col. Onyechi Appolonia Anele highlights a gap in how impact is measured and recognized.
Her journey from breaking a historic barrier within the Nigerian Army to redefining military public relationsembodies the very essence of leadership, courage, and transformational influence which defines impact in it entirety.
Recognizing women like her would not merely honour an individual officer; it would affirm that Africa’s progress depends on women excelling in every sphere of national lifeincluding the defense of the nation itself.
Until recognition platforms fully embrace this broader vision of leadership, the story of Africa’s women of impact will remain incomplete.
Onwe Wisdom
Public Affairs & Gender Analyst/ Publisher, Pan Afric Reporters writes from the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
