WIMBIZ CELEBRATES LEGACY AT 20TH ANNUAL CONFERENCE
Women in Management, Business and Public Service (WIMBIZ) held its 20th Annual Conference on Thursday 4th and Friday 5th, November 2021. The hybrid event, themed Celebrating Legacy, was a celebration of 20 years of impacting women in Nigeria and beyond, based on the foundation built by 13 visionary founders.
Speakers charged delegates to build formidable legacies and emulate pace-setters who have shattered glass ceilings, overcome adversity, broken stereotypes, enabled empowerment and created opportunities for all.
Speaking to WIMBIZ’s legacy, Chairperson, Executive Council, WIMBIZ, Ngover Ihyembe-Nwankwo, in her welcome address acknowledged WIMBIZ’s intentionality as a catalyst which inspires, connects and empowers women, as well as its resoluteness in the promotion of gender diversity, sustainability and inclusive prosperity.
In his keynote speech, Founder, Guaranty Trust Bank Plc (now GTCo) and FATE Foundation, Fola Adeola, OFR, mni. lauded the seamless transitions of leadership within WIMBIZ’s 20 years’ existence and the sacrifice of personal ambition for the common good in this regard. In his view, the WIMBIZ vision was clearly worked for, shared and realised in a society that scavenges on insecurities.
The Annual Conference is WIMBIZ’s flagship event which holds in November of each year with an average attendance of over 1500 delegates to deliberate on a contemporary theme with a broad range of topical issues that are relevant to women in the business, corporate, public and development sectors.
WIMBIZ RECOGNIZES AND CELEBRATES 20 FEMALE TRAILBLAZERS AT LEGENDS BALL
Women in Management, Business and Public Service (WIMBIZ) held its iconic Legends Ball in recognition and celebration of twenty female living legends in Nigeria.
The exclusive evening-gown event, to mark WIMBIZ’s 20th Anniversary, held on October 30th in Lagos. Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Lady Maiden Alex Ibru, Prof. Ibironke Akinsete, Onyeka Onwenu, Chief Mrs Kofo Olawoye; Dr Sarah Jubril, Chief Nike Davies-Okundaye and Chief Dr Onikepo Akande, OON, CON were among the recognized female pioneers, who through sheer audacity have broken barriers for women and achieved incredible feats in their different endeavours.
Speaking about the legends, Ifeyinwa Ighodalo, Chairman, Board of Trustees, WIMBIZ said: “We are celebrating female legends who dared to challenge the status quo when nobody else could and succeeded.”
In addition to recognizing the female legends, Mrs. Ighodalo emphasized that WIMBIZ has built an institution that is beyond its trustees. “As a founding trustee, I am excited to see younger women take on leadership roles within the WIMBIZ community, 10 years ago, having mentored and worked with our current leaders, we passed on the baton of leadership to them and its been graceful watching them flourish.”
Source: Marketing Edge
WIMBIZ MENTORS YOUNG GIRLS IN 6 NIGERIAN CITIES
Women in Management, Business and Public Service (WIMBIZ) held the Lagos edition of its 2021 Big Sister Programme on Friday at the Girls Senior Secondary School, Ikoyi and New Era Secondary School, Surulere.
The programme, a three-day mentorship event, was held in six different parts of the country (Abuja, Uyo, Bonny, Lagos, Ibadan and Port Harcourt) from October 20-22nd, 2021. Targeting girls aged 13-17 in select secondary schools; the program was developed in commemoration of the 15th anniversary of WIMBIZ.
Giving the opening remarks at the welcome ceremony in Ikoyi, Lagos, Ngover Ihyembe-Nwankwo, chairperson of the executive council, WIMBIZ said they were targeting making the world a better place and achieving the Nigeria of their dreams.
“We believe that if all girls were inspired and empowered with the knowledge and skills they require, we would be several steps closer to making our dreams a reality,” Ihyembe-Nwankwo said.
Speaking on the impact of WIMBIZ and its initiatives, Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, wife of the governor Lagos State, said she was delighted to identify with the different initiatives of WIMBIZ, designed to support women and girls and help them to continue significantly towards national growth and development.
“In the last two decades, it is reckoned that WIMBIZ has performed significantly well when it comes to empowering and inspiring women through the various initiatives especially the annual conference and the Big Sister Program (BSP),” she said.
Source: BusinessDay
COMMUNIQUE BY WOMEN IN MANAGEMENT BUSINESS & PUBLIC SERVICE (WIMBIZ) ON THE TRAVAILS OF DRIVING GENDER INCLUSION IN PUBLIC SECTOR LEADERSHIP
Women in Management, Business & Public Service (WIMBIZ) continuously advocates for Gender Inclusion in both Private & Public Sector Leadership across various sectors in Nigeria.
Though there has been some significant progress in women attaining leadership positions & contributing their quota to nation building, the journey has not been smooth sailing for most women. Especially for the women in the public service.
WIMBIZ hereby issues a Communique on the travails that women in the public service face once they occupy executive leadership positions & dare to do the right thing or challenge the status quo.
Our combined efforts will address the under representation of women In leadership positions and continue to encourage those of them who are doing the right thing to inspire the younger generation to make a difference.
It’s time for us as a nation to balance for better & end the practice of victimization of women in leadership