My #WIMBIZ Annual Conference Experience.
The WIMBIZ Annual Conference is a flagship event, which holds in November of every year and is attended by over 2000 women from across the world to discuss a broad range of issues relevant to women in both private and public sectors.
I recently joined my friends at Women In Management, Business & Public Service (WIMBIZ) for their 2018 17th Annual Conference (November 1 & 2). Over the years, I have heard so much about the WIMBIZ Annual Conference and I have anticipated for a long time to attend. I finally attended and it has been one of my most amazing experience this year.
The mission of WIMBIZ is to inspire and empower women to attain leadership positions in business, management, and public service. For me, this got me interested from the very first day, and got me attracted to every activity and program of WIMBIZ.
This reputable platform for women empowerment in Nigeria for the past 17years has organized its Annual Conference to bring women together to inspire, empower and advocate for greater representation of women in leadership positions both in the public and private sector.
The Executive Council Chairperson, Olubunmi Aboderin-Talabi, told delegates at the conference that they have on aggregate directly influenced over 105,555 women since inception. They also have a contributory associate pool of over 670 accomplished women and more than 8100 women on its database. Amazing right?
So for me as someone who has unapologetically been a loud voice advocating for women inclusion, empowerment, and gender equality over the years, I knew I had no option than to be at this conference that has served as a Grammy Award Gathering for women across Africa.
The theme for the 2018 conference was – Unstoppable You, Reinvent and Reinvigorate — WIMBIZ says this was deliberately chosen to inspire, encourage and empower women as they build up their resilience and press ahead with reaching their goal. The experience the conference was overwhelming.
The vision of WIMBIZ is to be the catalyst that elevates the status and influence of women and their contribution to nation building, and this year’s Annual Conference to my evaluation went beyond the expectations of delegates to resound this vision.
As a man present at this conference of over 2000 women, it made me appreciate the existence of women even more. Hearing from this amazing, highly educated, and influential women, I have come to the conclusion that our society can indeed never function to its full capacity if we in any way try to neglect this greater part of us.
The biggest disservice we have done ourselves as a nation is an attention we have not paid to Women, and the education of the girl child. Women are at the core of our society and can change the narrative of Nigeria in many ways. They are more in numbers, and if we don’t pay attention to the rising population of women and make good use of it, and invest in them, we may be far away from solving our many problems.
This conference further reminded Women that there’s no height they can’t reach in leadership, business, management and public service regardless of their background. But women, please when you get there, do add your insignia and leave your mark, add value. Women must also use the influence they have with men for good. Don’t waste opportunities on short-term gains that do not add any value.
Women are blessed with the gift of decision making. Many of them today have not realized. They are in many ways stronger than men and are unstoppable in whatever they set their mind to achieve, but they need to make that decision themselves. They are phenomenal and specially made.
So much to share from the conference, and I will do my best to share them bit by bit.
Speech from one of the Keynote Speakers, Austin Okere was most interesting for me on Day 1 of the conference. Austin said, to break the gender divide, we need men and women to walk towards our discomfort by expanding our social and professional circles and embracing complete gender diversity in our networks.
Secondly, he told the women to claim their place at the table; he said, beyond giving the glory to God, do not look outside yourself to explain your success. I find that Women systematically underestimate their own abilities. And I totally agree with him.
I also agree with Mr. Austin on his view below on a better world for all of us. This affirms one of the reasons why I have advocated for Gender Equality as a Development Knowledge Facilitator of the SDGs.
I am an advocate because I believe that a world that has 50% of men and women involved in running Counties and the Businesses will be a better world for all of us. — Austin Okere
He concluded on the following note of caution:
The future should be about equal opportunities for both men and women. We don’t want to make the same mistake by just flipping the gender.
On Day 2 of the conference, I met the famous ADEBOLA WILLIAMS and I haven't been able to get it off my mind, Lolz. This one is not the official meeting sha, I am working on the official one. Lol!
I finally had an opportunity to briefly meet the famous DEBOLA LAGOS, as he fondly called. I wasn’t surprised to also meet him at the conference, even without a formal invitation from WIMBIZ (not sure though), Debola was there just like me to give support and show solidarity to the women.
Only in gatherings like this will you find strong men who are never intimidated by the rising influence and success of women, instead we see them as partners in building our nation, society and every single endeavor that will continuously lead us all on the path of success, growth, and development.
If you are an emerging professional in Technology, Digital Media and Communications like me, then you will understand the excitement of meeting Adebola Williams. He has over the years inspired me in many ways with his work, and the goal is to do more than he has some day.
Recently named by the UN as one of 100 Most Influential People of African Descent and profiled by Forbes as the man who helped three Presidents win elections consecutively in Africa, Adebola Williams is Co-Founder of RED, which is home to several well-known brands including The Future Awards Africa,YNaija.com, amongst others.
Adebola Williams is also the chief executive officer of StateCraft Inc, the communication agency that helped power Ghana’s three-time presidential aspirant Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to a victory, becoming President in January 2017.
He led the communication team too here in Nigeria that reshaped the national discourse and optimize media engagement that helped change longstanding perceptions and ushered in a President Muhammadu Buhari in 2015.
Young people like Adebola always serve as a reminder for me that nothing is truly impossible, and through determination and focus, the sky is the starting point. Hopefully, I will deliver in soonest time the next President of Nigeria. You better don’t laugh… Lol!
The President of Ghana, Nana Addo recently described him as “the man with the golden touch”, who has helped three African Presidents get elected. You can google the rest on Adebola.
Every time I have the opportunity to meet Japheth Omojuwa, it’s always a good time to learn something new. I have followed Omojuwa online on twitter for the past 4 years and mehn, he has shaped my mind set on a lot of things, especially politics.
Japheth Omojuwa is a Nigerian blogger, public speaker, socio-economic and political commentator, and social media expert. If you are a social and political commentator like me and you don’t know Omojuwa, please make it a duty to find out more about him.
I disagree a lot of times with his views on many national issues, but I can not help but appreciate people like him who have brought to the forefront a lot of national issues of serious concern. He is also a columnist with The Punch newspaper, Leadership newspaper, and Naij.com, Omojuwa’s articles have appeared on CNN, ThisDay and other platforms across the continent and beyond.
Omojuwa inspires my level of engagement on the social media space, especially on political issues. So I admire his person a lot.
He was at the Annual Conference on a panel to discuss/debate on the topic, New Technology: Disruptive Vs Distraction.
The below introduction formed the base of the discussion/debate.
New trends in technology have caused us to be in a constant state of learning and adapting. This applies to our work, businesses, social and personal lives. Information Travels faster than the speed of light, boundaries are almost non-existent and the things we thought impossible just a few decades ago have become reality.
However, paying attention to new tech disruptions means you are not paying attention to other things. There is an opportunity cost trade off: but it is worth it? The benefit of ‘human’ interaction, expressions of individuality and more traditional approaches are becoming extinct. Is there something to be said for ‘tried and tested’ vs. ‘innovate or die’?
In the journey to reach our personal zenith, is new technology a distraction? or does it positively disrupt our mindset onto the next level of achievement?
Omojuwa argued on the panel that Technology has no doubt been a distraction in many ways, and we urgently need to pay attention to how much this distraction is costing us a whole lot. From broken families and marriages today to broken friendships and business relationships. Some people get home, lay on the bed, things are pressing for attention but you are pressing your phone. Lol, I know I am guilty of this too.
Personally, I think the Disruption of technology is providing solutions for the future. So instead of focusing on how much technology can be a distraction, I would prefer to focus on how much technology has made easy our life’s and way of living. I would prefer to focus on how technology has helped us reduce corruption in government and improved transparency in many government activities. BVN and TSA saved the Nigerian Government billions of naira and help weed out thousands of ghost civil servants receiving salaries monthly.
Technology has helped improve our banking system and brought many innovations in the banking sector. Today using the UBA Leo on your facebook messenger, you perform any banking transaction seamlessly with no assistance in shortest possible time. I don’t want to bore you with talks of how mobile banking apps have saved us from spending many hours in a banking hall. So for me, technology can only be a distraction if you make it one for yourself.
Anyways, I would love to hear from you too. Has Technology been a Disruption or a Distraction? My Twitter handle is @mr_wizzo
I know I can not tell y’all everything from my experience at the WIMBIZ conference, but I will end here with this last one.
When you have an opportunity to meet someone like Mrs. Ibukun Awosika, don’t take it for granted.
Mrs. Awosika is a founding member and currently a board member of WIMBIZ. She is also currently the first female Chairman of the Board of Directors of FirstBank Nigeria Plc. One of the largest financial institutions in Africa.
She reminds me that WOMEN CAN INDEED HAVE IT ALL! She reminds me of the UNSTOPPABLE WOMAN. And she further breaks that general notion that being a woman is a sign of WEAKNESS.
When a woman shows COMPETENCE, CHARACTER, and CAPACITY, she breaks any limitation that stops her from achieving her goals and dreams. She will not only chair a board full of men, but she will also make decisions that they will abide by. So women know your worth and prepare yourself.
Have you heard Mrs. Awosika speak? Each time I do, it is always a time to rethink my life journey and evaluate myself. She has shaped my level of reasoning, especially in the area of personal development.
Throughout my adult life, women have top the list of my role models, and Mrs. Awosika tops this list as she has been a source of inspiration over this years. An opportunity to be mentored by her, and tap from her level of wisdom, I am sure will not be asking for too much. Lol!
I want to conclude by saying, women, you can own your own greatness by playing like a man and winning like a woman. And to be the #Unstoppableyou, you must be authentic and strive to be the very best of you. You will never know how many love you, watch you, and are inspired by you.
