To commemorate International Women’s Day 2026, MMELI Arts Foundation, in
collaboration with Alliance Française de Lagos, has held the Women, Words and Wealth
workshop in Ikoyi, bringing together women writers and creatives for an intensive focused on
craft, voice and pathways to publication.
Designed as a practical workshop, the programme focused on helping participants strengthen
creative identity, develop a distinctive voice and navigate publishing opportunities. Sessions
centred on Creative Identity, Developing Your Voice and Publishing Pathways, led by
storyteller and filmmaker Phoenix Ezendu; actor, writer and filmmaker Richard Mofe-
Damijo; and award-winning author and journalist Nina Anyianuka.
Speaking on the workshop’s significance, Richard Mofe-Damijo, chairman of MMELI Arts
Foundation, said the organisation was focused on building structures that move African voices
“beyond potential into tangible influence”, adding that creative talent must be matched with
institutional support to compete globally.
Victor Mark-Onyegbu, head of grants and community building at Africa No Filter, urged
participants to recognise the power of narrative in shaping global perception, and to tell
grounded stories that challenge long-standing stereotypes about the continent.
Founded by Nina Anyianuka, MMELI Arts Foundation says it supports cultural renewal and
professional development for creatives. Partners for the workshop included Nestlé Nigeria,
Rite Foods, Alliance Française Lagos and Africa No Filter.
Anyianuka said the foundation was pushing for greater rigour in creative practice. “The goal
is not simply to encourage expression, but to equip women with the tools to produce work that
can stand in professional and global spaces,” she said.
.“That is why we created Women, Words and Wealth: to help women writers move from private
expression to public authorship, with an emphasis on discipline, structure and intentionality,”
she added.
Participants described the workshop as a timely boost for women in the creative sector,
blending cultural grounding with practical frameworks for building sustainable careers in
storytelling.
Dorothy Ughenu, a television and screenwriter, said: “Women, Words & Wealth was a first-
of-its-kind programme that developed and nurtured a safe space for women in the storytel
