Maiden Ibru, Folake Solanke, others to headline WIMBIZ’s 20th anniversary

Chairman/Publisher of The Guardian Newspapers, Lady Maiden Alex Ibru, (MFR) and Nigeria’s first female Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Chief Folake Solanke, (CON) will be chairpersons for the Women in Management, Business and Public Service (WIMBIZ) conference billed for the 4th and 5th of November, 2021.

The 2021 conference which also marks its 20th anniversary aptly themed ‘Celebrating Legacy’, also features an interesting line-up of iconic events and other legendary personalities to grace the week-long celebrations specially curated to spotlight the non-profit’s 20-year contribution to elevating the status of women in Nigeria and Africa.

Other personalities for the conference are Director-General of the World Trade Organisation, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala; Economist and Founder, Stanbic IBTC Bank Plc, Atedo Peterside, CON; former Chairman, First Bank of Nigeria, Ibukun Awosika, as well as founder, Guaranty Trust Bank Plc (now GTCo) and FATE Foundation, Fola Adeola.

For the first time in the history of WIMBIZ, five pre-conference events will be rolled out as part of its 20th anniversary. They include Legends Ball, Art and Fashion Exhibition, Golf Tournament, Virtual Masterclasses and a special edition of its Big Sister (a corporate social responsibility programme).

The Chairperson of the Executive Council WIMBIZ, Ngover Ihyembe-Nwankwo at a recent briefing stated: “We are excited to reflect on the WIMBIZ story and our journey thus far, it has been an awesome run; but where do we go from here? We are still very challenged. When we look at the numbers of representation, particularly in politics, we are still significantly underrepresented. So, on the one hand, we are celebrating progress, on the other hand, there is still a lot to be done. We encourage everyone to join us so we work as a collective to build a new narrative for women; the power is in our hands,” she enthused.

Speaking to the WIMBIZ legacy and its impact on the wider community, Executive Director, WIMBIZ, Hansatu Adegbite, said, “WIMBIZ is focused on nation-building and one person or group can’t build a nation, we all have a role to play in the development of our nation especially as it concerns gender parity and inclusivity.”

The 20th WIMBIZ Anniversary and Annual Conference will tell the stories of pacesetters and celebrate women who have shattered ceilings, overcome adversity, broken stereotypes, enabled empowerment and creating opportunities for all. To be a part of the exciting activities follow our online platforms, more importantly as a hybrid conference you can register to attend online or offline on www.wimbizannualconference.com.”