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· MMS raises N10million for the less privileged
· How I became first female departmental president
By Kenneth Jukpor
This hope was re-echoed by several notable guests on Thursday, last week at the MMS Hall of Famers’ Day and Charity Night organized by MMS Woman of Fortune Hall of Fame (WoFHoF) Initiative to mark the 2018 United Nation’s International Women’s Day (IWD).
Drawing inspiration from other African leaders like; Nkosazana Clarice Dlamini-Zuma also known as ‘Mama Zuma’, first female chairman of the African Union (AU) who initiated WIMA (African Women in Maritime), and Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, former President of Liberia, most women at the MMS WoFHoF event said that a Nigerian woman can rise up to emerge President.
Speaking with MMS Plus newspaper on the opportunities for women in 2019 general elections, Barr. Jean-Chiazor Anishere, Principal Counsel, Jean Chiazor & Co. (Ofianyi Chambers) said she expected more women who have the pedigree and capability to come out for the position of President and governorship candidacy.
“I look forward to seeing a scenario where we have a female governor and a man as deputy. Nigerian women should also be bold enough to contest for the Presidency. We have people to look up to, like the Chancellor of Germany, Angela Merkel; the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Theresa May and in the African continent; women like Ellen Sirleaf, former President of Liberia and Mama Zuma who boldly came out to run for the Presidency in South Africa” Anishere said.
Anishere, a 2012 MMS Plus Hall of Famer, also commended the organizers of the event for taking the initiative to promote and celebrate the female brand, even as she noted that the onus lies on the women who have been identified as leaders to discover other women, inspire and mentor them.
Meanwhile, the Board of Trustees, Chairperson, MMS WoFHoF Initiative, Barr. (Mrs.) Margaret Orakwusi said Nigerian women should go into the next elections with a mindset to take-over because of their numerical advantage.
“Women should aspire to play a more significant role and show their capabilities. It is not going to be an election where everything would be about money. Several other factors would play crucial roles in the elections and most of these factors favour women”
Orakwusi, who was recently appointed as a member of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) Board of Directors, commended men who stood up to support women. According to her, the call for women to take up opportunities at various levels of corporate governance and public service was to complement the men and not unsolicited competition.
“Women aren’t substandard. We aren’t second-class citizens. I don’t like being handed things to; a woman has to work because I believe she should deserve whatever is given to her. This makes you gain acceptability and respect from men”, she added.
Another MMS WoFHoF, BoT member, Mrs Promise Anaroke expressed confidence that 2019 general elections would roll out surprises for men because women have realized that they have been dormant for too long especially as they turn out more than men to vote.
She said; “During elections, you find that most men stay at home to relax with friends while the women actually go out to vote and remain there until their votes are counted. Yet, they vote for men who end up disappointing them. This time around women have decided that they would no longer be disappointed. We wouldn’t disappoint ourselves because we would turn out en masse to vote for women irrespective of the party you come from”
Mrs Promise Anaroke who is also the wife of the Founder of MMS WoFHoF Initiative, Mr Kingsley Anaroke, was delighted at the turn out of women to support themselves at the event.
However, expressing worry over the recurring incidents of kidnapped school girls in the North Eastern part of the country by Boko Haram insurgents, she said it was unfortunate that men should display their strength on defenceless girls.
“As far I’m concerned, this act that the abductors see as their strength is actually a weakness because they shouldn’t display their strength by attacking helpless girls” she stated.
On her part, Mrs Ihuoma Onyearugha, a member of the Governing Council of MMS WoFHoF Initiative, admonished Nigerian women to take the acquisition of voter’s cards sacrosanct if they intend to maximize their numerical power at the polls.
“Women all over the world are doing big things and I see the same happening in Nigeria. I see a woman becoming the President and the men better watch out” she said.
Ihuoma, who is the Director, Human Resources and Medical – Chevron Nigeria Limited, subsidiary of Chevron Corporation, urged women to not only vote women because of their gender but look out for those who actually have the ability and resolve to work for the nation.
The event with the theme; “#Pressforprogress” also featured a fundraising segment for the less privileged who need about N10million. Although most of the participants supported this initiative generously, the amount raised fell short of the target and more sponsors are expected to participate.
The convener, Mr Kingsley Anaroke also admonished women to be keen on mentoring the younger generation as he lamented that the top women across various sectors of the nation’s economy are ageing and they barely have mentees.
“Every MMS Hall of Famer is a mentor and a role model. That is the essence of the recognition as a Hall of Famer. It is a recognition of your sterling accomplishments and potentials of what to give back to the society not an award for keeping, and keep silent while your fellow women languish in rejection and dejection” the convener said in his opening speech.
Mr Anaroke stressed that this knowledge and experience gap was what gave birth to the MMS WoFHoF mentorship initiative “Women In Leadership and Career Empowerment Programme (WILCEP)” which subsequently led to the production of a book; “MENTORSHIP: The Link to Effective Leadership”. The book is a collection of the presentations of talented women who have stories to tell, with a guide to effective leadership across various sectors.
Speaking to MMS Plus newspaper at the event, a mentee who attended the maiden edition of WILCEP Conference, Ms Olabode Deborah recounts her testimony from the programme; “I’m the President of the Transport and Logistics Department in Redeemers University. I was motivated to come out for the post after attending the WILCEP event last year. Chief (Mrs.) Shola Benson, an educationist and prominent female politician explained the role and opportunities for a woman in politics. I went back to school and picked up a Presidential form in my department. I ran against a guy and I won. There has never been a female president in my department and this is one of my greatest achievements that was inspired by Mrs Shola Benson at the MMS WILCEP event. This is why MMS is so dear to my heart.”
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