By Josephine Agbonkhese

Top female executives from various sectors of the economy have emphasised the importance of hardwork, resilience, team spirit and collaboration/partnerships, as well as consistency, as catalysts for growth in business and career.

They spoke as panellists at the inaugural two-day Guardian Woman Festival organised by the Guardian Group, publishers of Guardian Newspapers, in commemoration of the Women’s History Month last weekend in Lagos.

Speaking at the event which attracted women from various walks of life, Bilikiss Adebiyi-Abiola, General Manager, Lagos State Residents Registration Agency, LASRAA, and Founder, Wecyclers, said women must learn to tap into their alpha-female to thrive in any field.

“I had to tap into my alpha-female — to be assertive, pushful and confrontational, to be successful as a leader when I started my own company. This side is often not well received by people but the truth is, that is really the side we have to tap into if we want to get results,” she said while speaking at a panel session titled ‘Leveraging Strength in Femininity for Success’.

Award-winning actor and radio host, Folu Storms, while emphasising the importance of imbibing team spirit, said women should engage more in team sports to develop their capacity for team work.

“Team sport helps you deal with people and teaches you to work with people to achieve your goal. I find that because men play a lot of team sports, they are naturally in-tune with working as a team. Men will, therefore, often do sports such as football and basketball once a week as standard,” she expatiated.
“Working as a group and as a team to achieve your goal is one of the skills you are going to need in growing in life and to be at the top of your game across board,” she further explained.

Hansatu Adegbite, Executive Director, Women in Business, Management & Public Life, WIMBIZ, on her part, reeled out strategies that could increase the representation of women at board levels.
“Identify the network in the industry you belong to and join any association within the context of your core area of expertise. This is necessary because most decision makers are in those networks. Also, when you join, volunteer and do not be invisible. Build capacity,” Adegbite said.

Also speaking at a panel moderated by Tosan Duncan Odukoya, Chief Operating Officer, Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Limited, Captain Ruth Adebanwo, Chief Pilot, Ibom Air, admonished women to always strive to be extra if they must attain outstanding outcomes and recognition.

Earlier at the event, Anita Ibru, Creator, Guardian Woman Festival and CSO Global, The Guardian, while speaking on ‘Passing the Torch; Navigating Generational Businesses in Nigeria- A Daughter’s (Genz) Perspective’, assured female executives leading generational businesses that challenges in any sphere will always be averted as long as there are set of rules, structures, enabling environments and documents that allow succession.
Above all, she advised that such generational businesses should be handled strictly as business without letting in emotions.

Speaking at a panel session on ‘Navigating Tough Economies, Driving Innovation and Embracing Inclusion’, Bukola Olatunji, Group Head, Partnerships and Integration, Wakanow, said amid struggles, women should make a resolution to thrive and offer their best, admonishing that they should be included in every sphere.

Reaffirming Olatunji’s view, Ifeoluwa Dare-Johnson, Founder/CEO, Heathtracka, said this is the best time to have women manage funds, stating that data has proven that they are better managers.

Speaking on ‘Investing in Women: Shaping National Development Through Gender Inclusion in Political Leadership and Public Governance’, Ibijoke Faborode, Founder, ElectHer, while also advocating inclusion for women and girls, said men must be represented in conversations around gender issues for their contribution to finding possible solutions, if progress must be recorded.

Senior Consultant and Nigeria Country Lead, Africa Practice, Agwu Ojowu, however, said there has to be intense and specific measures to focus on women development.

Folashade Ambrose-Medebem, Commissioner for Commerce, Cooperatives, Trade and Investment, Lagos State, while explaining why women should be involved in governance, said: “Women consider many perspectives, probe and get more things done.”

Omolara Oyekan-Olumegbon, Member, Lagos State House of Assembly, however, noted, while lamenting the number of women elected into public office, that gender equality or equity cannot be established without a legal frame work in Nigeria.

Corroborating the call for inclusion, Sara Ibru, Business Promotion Officer, Embassy of Sweden in Abuja, said Sweden was able to turn its economic tides by leveraging exports and involving women, almost at an equal level in politics and business.

At a panel discussion on ‘Breaking Barriers: Path To Creating Inclusive Boards, also, Ngozi Edozien, c-Suite Executive & Non Executive Director, Ftse 50, Ngozi Edozien, argued that diversity on boards allow firms make better decisions as women have a different way of approaching situations compared to men.

“Female diversity has been shown to have positive impact on financial performance, risk management and ability to attract and retain the right talent,” she argued.

Earlier in her address meanwhile, Ijeoma Thomas-Odia, Editor, Guardian Woman, admonished women to refrain from focusing on obstacles in pursuit of their goals.

“Instead of obstacles and limitations, focus on strategies and results. We cannot continue to talk barriers facing women all the time. We need to learn about success stories and know what works,” Thomas-Odia admonished.

Roll call

Also among panellists at the festival were Dr. Omoayena Odunbaku, Haman Settlement Officer, UN Habitat; Jadesola Adedeji, Co-founder, STEM Met Resources; Founder/Executive Director, Cybersafe Foundation, Confidence Staveley; Founder, Nexascale, Adaora Nwodo; Lawrence Amadi, Partner/Head, Tech Assurance, KPMG Nigeria; Founder, Author/Producer, Simone’s Oasis, Tonye Faloughi-Ekezie; and Tunde Onakoya, Founder, Chess in Slums Africa.

Others included Chinwe Egwim, Chief Economist and Head of Economic Research/Intelligence, Coronation Merchant Bank; Oler Oladele, CEO, Oleroladele.com; Ope Oduwole, CFA Associate Director/Head, Family Office and Private Client, KPMG; Dolapo Phillips, CEO, Alpha Fitness Studios; Jennifer Awirigwe, Founder, FinTribe; Eunice Adeyemi, CEO, Q21 Solutions; Keke Hammond, COO, Flytime Promotions and Road 41 Studios; Dakore Akande, actress and film producer; Frances Nwosa, Country Manager Nigeria, William Grant & Sons; and Natalie Torin, MD, Dunhill Ventures.

The highpoint of the festival was the conferment of the Seven Wonder Women awards to deserving women adjudged by an esteemed jury to have inspired inclusion in their chosen fields.

Among the winners were Oladiwura Oladepo, Co-founder at Technology for Social Change and Development Initiative; Tobi Amusan, track and field champion; Tara Fela-Durotoye, CEO, House of Tara; Chioma Ohakwe, Founder, Bethesda Home for the Blind; Funke Akindele, actress and filmmaker; Dupe Olusola, CEO, Transcorp Hotels Plc; and Titiola Vivour-Adeniyi, Executive Secretary, Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency.

The event was graced by Toke Alex Ibru, CEO, Guardian Nigeria; and Lady Maiden Alex-Ibru, Publisher, Guardian Newspapers, among other dignitaries.