Daud Olatunji

ABEOKUTA – Former President , Chief Olusegun  Obasanjo, has said that the emergence of Iyalode Alaba Lawson as the first female president of the National   Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture, NACCIMA, would boost the Nigerian economy .

Obasanjo

Obasanjo, who was represented by his wife , Bola, stated this in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, at the 57th Annual General Meeting and conference of NACCIMA .

The former President,   who said he was not surprised about the emergence of Lawson as the national president, described her as a woman of great virtue and industry .

Lawson   was decorated as the new president of NACCIMA following   the expiration of the tenure of the   outgone president , Dr. Bassey Edem.

Obasanjo, in his goodwill message,   advised Lawson to see her new status as another challenge, urging her to change the face of the association.

He said “I was not surprised about the emergence .   It will propel new mission and vision to the service of humanity and the economy”.

The governor of the state, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, who was represented by the state commissioner for commerce, Otunba Bimbo Ashiru, described Lawson as a respected business woman .

Amosun, however, charged the new President to come up with good ideas and innovation that would move the chambers forward .

The new president,   in her remarks, said economic recession meant nothing to the association, adding that the association had already prepared mechanism to fight any economic meltdown .

Dignataries at the event included, but was not limited to Senior Special Adviser to President on   trade and Industry, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole; wife of the state governor, Olufunsho Amosun; president of Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, MAN,   Frank Jacob; patron of NACCIMA, Ahmadu Rufai; Second Deputy President of Benin Republic, Awawu Alabi; representative of United Nations Development Organisation to ECOWAS and regional director, Jean Bakole, among others.