The Chairperson of the Lawyers Hub – Kenya, Dr Patricia Adusei-Poku, has rejected claims that women leaders who rise to the top tend to gatekeep and prevent others from reaching similar heights.
In an interview with GhanaWeb on the sidelines of the She Builds Conference on Wednesday, September 10, 2025, she said such views should not be encouraged, explaining that they breed negativity and do not promote support.
“It’s this same concept of gatekeeping with people thinking that you don’t want to be friendly, you don’t want to open the door, and that the gate is closed. We must shed these kinds of thoughts because it’s negativity and I don’t like negativity. I’m a very positive thinker, a confident person and I believe in myself,” she said.
‘We need to build confidence in the girl child’ – Dr Patricia Adusei-Poku
According to Dr Adusei-Poku, individuals must have confidence, believe in themselves, and be prepared to offer value as they work toward their aspirations.
She encouraged young women to reject such limiting mindsets and instead embrace communication and networking to create more opportunities for themselves.
“So, you go confidently believing in yourself with something to offer to that person. Even an explanation of your aspiration to be like her is a good way to connect with that woman but because we have this mindset that the gate is closed, you end up leaving that woman on her own and not having you to talk to,” she indicated.
She added, “So, it’s a two-way dialogue. It’s a communication that must come bottoms up and then top down for the floodgates to be open for younger women to get the opportunity. It is not receiving energy, it’s a give and take energy and so, be ready to do an internal self-assessment of yourself and what you have to give to that person in order for them to also open the floodgates for you.”
The conference, organised by the Academic Woman Foundation, brought together prominent women leaders from various sectors, including entrepreneurship, engineering, law, and high-profile government positions, to inspire young women.
Watch the interview below:
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