Olukemi Ibikunle: Competence has no gender

Olukemi Ibikunle, a Corrections Unit Engineer at the UN Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO), is the winner of the 2025 UN Trailblazer Award for Women Justice and Corrections Officers. In her work, the Nigerian UN Peacekeeper prioritizes safe, secure, and humane prison infrastructure, with a focus on the rehabilitation, reintegration and long-term stability of inmates.

In this iteration of the Expert Take, Ms. Ibikunle discusses the role model she strives to be for women and girls around the world. Her message is clear: competence has no gender.

Question: Ms. Ibikunle, what led you to work in UN Peacekeeping?

Olukemi Ibikunle: I decided to work in UN Peacekeeping because I wanted to contribute my experience to the peacekeeping mission. Before deploying to the UN Peacekeeping, I already had about 10 years of experience working at home (Nigeria), working in different parts of prison management, especially in rehabilitation of inmates for social reintegration, and also in prison facilities. So, deploying to the peacekeeping, I was able to contribute my skills, my experience, to improve the detention conditions in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

One project I would like to draw attention to is the biogas project in Uvira prison in South Kivu, in the DRC. I had already worked on a couple of biogas projects back in Nigeria. When I got to the mission, there was this prison with sewage problems, and we saw that it would be a good way to show the DRC government what could be done. It was a pilot project, the first in the DRC, the first in this prison or any government establishment. So, I was able to draw on my biogas experience from Nigeria to manage this project, and it was successful.

I was also deployed to the peacekeeping mission (in the DRC) because I wanted to serve as a role model. I have always believed that women can make a difference so I wanted to put myself out there to show other women that we can make a difference, that we can contribute to peace and security.

Question: What does winning this Trailblazer Award mean to you?

Olukemi Ibikunle: Winning the Trailblazer Award means a lot to me. It means that my efforts are noticed. It also means to me that I can serve as an encouragement for others to say: “Oh, she did this, that means I can do it too.”

It means a lot to me because it is an inspiration for other women to be bold enough to step out and to remember that whatever they are doing can be recognized.

Question: What would you say to young girls who would want to follow in your footsteps in a field that is usually dominated by men?

Olukemi Ibikunle: To young girls I would say to, first of all, develop competence. When you are competent in any field, it gives you the confidence that enables you to step out and be counted. Always remember that competence does not have gender. Even if there are gender biases, if there are stereotypes, people will have no other choice than to give you a chance to prove yourself when you are competent. Once you prove yourself, you get bigger opportunities and bigger roles.

I would encourage young girls to develop competence, which leads to confidence. Believe that women can make a difference and be bold enough to step out and make that difference.

Learn more about the work that MONUSCO does in the DRC.