Be focused to develop Nigeria, WIMBIZ charges women

Women have been charged to deliver in every capacity for Nigeria’s development.

The 21st Women in Management, Business and Public Service (WIMBIZ) conference with the theme, ‘Firing Forward –The future in focus’, reminded the gender, yesterday, in Lagos, to be focused all time.

The Executive Director, Hansatu Adegbite, charged: “In firing forward, one of the things you need to do is focus on where you want to be, without having limitations in your mind. When you focus on the future, you keep moving until you get there.”

She added that women should get wisdom through networks, opportunities and capacities, besides surrounding themselves with the right people.

On women’s participation in politics, Adegbite advised: “We should avoid voter apathy. We’ve heard the statistics. My advice to women is that they should not think that their votes do not matter. So, women should run and get involved.”

Managing Director/CEO, Ashgrove Group, Mahmud Tukur, regretted that politics has almost been classified as a no-go area for women, adding that the few in public offices had been successful.

Managing Director, Procter & Gamble, Mokutima Ajileye, harped on gender sensitivity for change, referencing her organisation’s policy.

Speaking on leading beyond borders, Namibia’s High Commissioner to Nigeria, Humphrey Geiseb, submitted: “We are coming from a country where women have played a leading role to the betterment of the country.”

Nigeria’s High Commissioner to Jamaica, Maureen Tamuno, lamented that the nation had not achieved 35 per cent affirmative action.

United States Consul General in Nigeria, William Stevens, said: “For so many years, we have talked about African solutions to African problems, but we need to be talking about African solutions to global problems and that is what leading without borders is about.”

Musician, filmmaker, entrepreneur and politician, Olubankole Wellington, advised: “We have to move from protest to power and bring like minds into the system.”