Nana Yaa Owusu Ansah champions gender equality at National Women’s Summit

In a moment that married memory with mission, Nana Yaa Owusu Ansah—Marketing Director of Unilever Ghana PLC—delivered a stirring address at the just-ended National Women’s Summit that reminded us all that progress, especially for women in agribusiness, is not a race for the swift, but a marathon for the steadfast.

Though her entire speech brimmed with conviction, it was the final stretch—the last but one paragraph—that planted itself deepest in the hearts of many: “The road to equality isn’t a sprint—it’s a marathon. Our forebearers, many like my grandmother, ran their agribusinesses with just a hoe. Now, it’s our turn. Let’s pass the baton faster, dig deeper, plant and grow futures where every woman’s potential is unleashed. Because, remember when she thrives, we all rise.”

Let’s take a moment to unpack this powerful metaphor.

A Marathon, Not a Sprint

In just one sentence, Nana Yaa distilled generations of struggle, resilience, and quiet revolution into a single truth: change doesn’t happen overnight. It happens over lifetimes—across fields tilled by grandmothers, through marketplaces run by mothers, and into boardrooms and farmlands now being reshaped by today’s women.

The “hoe” she mentions isn’t just a farming tool—it’s a symbol of tenacity. Her grandmother, an agripreneur without a business plan or social media strategy, taught her that purpose is planted in persistence. That’s the torch women today are carrying. And unlike in a sprint, where the fastest individual wins, a marathon requires pace, endurance, and above all, collective momentum. 

Passing the Baton—Faster

But Nana Yaa didn’t stop at reverence—she issued a call to action. Her charge was clear: while the journey is long, the handover must be faster. The wisdom of our foremothers must now be coupled with the tools of today—education, technology, capital, and policy. The seeds of equality, already planted, must now be fertilized with intentional support.

Geisha, the Unilever brand she champions, is stepping boldly into this race by launching a nationwide program to identify and support 10 visionary young women in agribusiness. Training, mentorship, and seed funding—this is not just sponsorship; it’s baton-passing in action.

When She Thrives, We All Rise

It’s a truth echoed in every corner of Nana Yaa’s speech: women’s success in agriculture multiplies. Their impact is never just their own. When a woman thrives—be she a cassava farmer, a cocoa grower, or a smallholder turned entrepreneur—her community, her economy, and her country rise with her.

And so, as the summit echoed with applause and purpose, her words did more than close a speech—they opened a chapter. One where progress is not about crossing the finish line first, but ensuring everyone gets there. Especially the women who have always tilled quietly in the background.

Let’s Keep Running

So no, equality won’t be won in one season. But the soil is fertile, the batons are ready, and thanks to voices like Nana Yaa Owusu Ansah’s, the marathon continues—with purpose, with urgency, and with a promise that when women in agribusiness grow, they don’t just grow crops—they grow the future.

Let’s dig deep. Let’s pass the baton. And let’s keep running.

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