WIMBIZ 18th Conference emphasises empowerment, collaboration towards shaping the future
The 18th Annual Conference of Women in Management, Business and Public Service (WIMBIZ) drew to a grand close recently in Lagos with a renewed emphasis and increased demand on the women folk in Nigeria, across Africa and the larger world to rise up and get the more empowered through building enduring collaborative networks capable of putting them in the right stead in fashioning out the truly deserved greater future to themselves.
The two-day activity-pact event which ran with the theme: Shaping the Future, Strategising to win, has over time become the flagship program of the Wimbiz organisation holding in November of every year since it debuted in 2001. The event brought together in attendance a huge convergence of well over 2000 progressive women cutting across all social and economic strata across Nigeria and beyond.
The annual women’s program has increasingly enjoyed wide ranging support and relevance to major economic stakeholders and was made evident through the long role of corporate sponsorship for the program by well over one hundred independent public and private sector organisations, including various banks, oil and gas companies, the media, marketing and marketing communications companies amongst several others.
Addressing the huge gathering of women attendees, the Chairperson, Wimbiz Executive Council, Olubunmi Aboderin- Talabi, in her opening remarks pointed out long role of achievements so far recorded by the organisation just in the 18 years of its corporate existence, including among other things, the giant stride of building a contributory associate pool of over 768 accomplished women and more than 9,700 women on its database.
The organisation, she noted, had over time continued to collaborate regularly with credible local and multinational organisations to deliver programs which have reached more than 107, 465 women across Nigeria and beyond.
“Our vision is to be the catalyst that elevates the status and influence of women and their contribution to nation building. Our mission is to inspire and empower women to attain their leadership position in business, management and public service,” she declared, pointing out that the rationale behind the theme of this year’s conference was to point to the inherent ability that is latent within each human being to make something out of her or his future”.
Speaking in similar vein, special guest and keynote personality at the event, Her Excellency, First Lady and Wife of Ekiti State Governor, Erelu Bisi Adeleye – Fayemi highlighted the various successes which had resulted from the maiden global convention for women, the Beijing Women’ s conference that held 25 years ago, including the positive affirmation policy of gender equality across the nations, greater access to education opportunities for women as well as the increased awareness for women’s right and less discrimination against women.
Dwelling on the theme of the conference, Fayemi identified an eight point strategic policy agenda which she said were capable instruments towards enabling the women folk in strategising to win. These includes among other things, need to show greater understanding to patriarchal power and privileges, giving more serious concerns to existing legislative and policy frameworks and having in place a well thought out policy agenda and a legacy that is be focused on inclusive change.
She further suggested that attendees to the conference become more politically engaged through taking greater interest in happenings around them and in the public sphere.
Part of the event features of the two days conference included the N1million prized Impact Investment Award to outstanding woman enterprenuer sponsored by Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) manufacturing giant, Unilever and a raffle draw for two return tickets to Dubai for lucky members.
Established in the year 2001, WIMBIZ is a non- governmental and non- profit body that came to birth through the painstaking efforts of fourteen individuals to become a platform for professional women in Nigeria, whether they are in careers, or running their own businesses.
Photo caption – L-R: Member, Board of Trustees, WIMBIZ, Bola Adesola; Member Board of Trustees, WIMBIZ, Ibukun Awosika; Chairperson, Executive Council, WIMBIZ(2017 –2019), Olubunmi Aboderin-Talabi; WIMBIZ 2019 Female Achiever Award recipient, Engr. Ebele Okeke, OON, CFR, FNSE, FICE, FAEng, C.Engr; WIMBIZ 2019 FemaleAchiever Award recipient, Amal Inyingiala Pepple, CFR; WIMBIZ 2019 Conference Chairperson,Chief Judge, Federal High Court of Nigeria (2001 –2008),Hon. Justice Rose Ukeje, OFR;First Lady, Ogun State, Bamidele Abiodun; Member, Board of Trustees, WIMBIZ, Omobola Johnson; Member, Board of Trustees, WIMBIZ, Adeola Azeez; Member, Board of Trustees, WIMBIZ, Yewande Zaccheaus; Member, Board of Trustees, WIMBIZ, Ifeyinwa Ighodalo, at the presentation of Female Achievers’ Award during the Women in Management, Business and Public Service (WIMBIZ) 18th Annual Conference held recently in Lagos.
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