Get Guardian on GoogleStakeholders have called on Nigerian organisations to dismantle discriminatory workplace practices and create opportunities that allow women, persons with disabilities and young professionals to develop their potential.
The appeal formed part of discussions at Leadership Reboot 6.0, held in Lagos, where speakers examined how personal resilience, mentorship and institutional support could transform lives.
One of the most compelling testimonies came from engineer Dolapo Agbede, who recounted her journey from working on electrical power systems to helping build Nigeria’s early telecommunications infrastructure.
Agbede recalled encountering gender stereotypes while studying engineering, where she was one of only two women in her class.
She said some male colleagues questioned her place in the profession, but those experiences strengthened her determination to demonstrate her capabilities through performance.
Her career took a difficult turn in August 2007 when doctors diagnosed her with advanced glaucoma and warned that she could lose her sight within two months.
Despite the diagnosis, Agbede said her employer supported her continued professional development, enabling her to remain productive and advance into leadership positions.
She subsequently worked on an international assignment in West Africa, where she was responsible for developing local professionals who could eventually assume her responsibilities.
Agbede said her experience demonstrated that disability should not automatically exclude qualified individuals from demanding professional roles.
“Your circumstance does not define what is received from you,” she told participants, urging them to make excellence central to their professional identity.
Another speaker, Atunde Shamsideen Olayinka, founder of Yikodeen Company Limited, shared how he resisted family expectations that he pursue postgraduate education immediately after university.
Instead, he chose to develop his interest in footwear production, eventually undertaking practical factory training.
Olayinka said his decision initially generated concern within his family, but the experience helped him identify opportunities in Nigeria’s industrial sector.
His business subsequently evolved into manufacturing safety footwear, demonstrating how unconventional career choices could create employment and economic opportunities.
In her keynote address, Founder of the International Forum for Women in Energy, Oil and Gas, Dr. Oladunni Owo, drew attention to the barriers women encounter in male-dominated industries.
She recalled serving as the only female fire marshal at an Apapa terminal for several years and stressed the importance of preparation, professional knowledge and access to opportunities.
Owo also encouraged young women to seek mentors, develop their voices rather than wait for recognition, and pursue leadership opportunities even when they are excluded from established networks. “If they don’t call you to the table, what do you do? Carry your stool,” she said.
Convener of the Leadership Reboot programme, Engr. Jamiu Badmos, said the initiative was designed to make leadership development accessible to professionals and young people, particularly those who might struggle to afford conventional training opportunities.
He explained that the programme complemented the tuition-free professional development activities of QHSES Leadership Academy, while emphasising on the importance of competence, integrity and personal development.
Former Director of Occupational Safety and Health at the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, Alhaja Nofisat Arogundade, urged experienced professionals to mentor younger colleagues and prepare them for greater responsibilities.
“Leadership is not just about the position we hold, but what we do with the position, the people we influence and the difference we make,” she said.
Arogundade stressed that effective leadership required continuous learning, mentorship and a commitment to developing others who could sustain institutional progress.
Also speaking, actress Apostle Dr. Eucharia Anunobi challenged participants to recognise their responsibility for improving society rather than leaving national development entirely to those occupying public offices.
She also emphasised the importance of continuous education and translating acquired knowledge into practical achievements.
