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Unstoppable You: Towards Gender Equality
By Austin Okere
In commemoration of this year’s International Women’s Day, I would like to honor our womenfolk by sharing the essence of my keynote at the last annual WIMBIZ conference at the Eko Hotel in Lagos, aptly themed UNSTOPPABLE YOU: REINVENT & REINVIGORATE.
To start with, I was deeply impressed by the preparation leading up to the event and by the attention to detail during the event; starting on time, to the full attendance and seamless coordination.
No small feat for an event of over 2,000 participants. Well done to the Board of Trustees and Executive Council of WIMBIZ. Having said this, Women do not seem to be making it in any large number to the top of any profession anywhere in the world, even though the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) number five is Gender Equality.
The numbers tell the story quite clearly: Sahle-Work Zewde, Ethiopia’s first female president is currently Africa’s only female head of state; of 190 Heads of State in the world, only nine are women; of all the people in parliaments in the world only 13% are women; in the corporate world, C-Level Jobs and Board Seats, only 15% are women; there are only two female CEO’s in the banking sector in Nigeria; even in the nonprofit world, where you expect more women to be in leadership positions, there are only 20% of women at the top; last year just 2% of Venture Capital funding went to startups founded by women, this is not surprising, since women comprise just 9% of the decision makers at U.S. Venture Capital Firms; and the numbers have not moved very much since the turn of the 21st century.
The other problem that women face is having to make tougher choices between professional success and personal fulfillment. A rent survey in America showed that of married senior managers, two thirds of the MEN had children and only one third of the WOMEN had children.
Verna Myers, an African-American Diversity Consultant once told a revealing story at a TED talk; Verna was on a long-distance flight; and having settled into her seat, the voice of a female pilot came over the public announcement system. Wow! she thought to herself, we women are indeed breaking through the class ceiling. We are now rocking stratosphere! With that she settled into a book. Not very long after, the plane went through some very severe turbulence.
The first thought that came to her mind was “I hope this sister can drive this thing”. And then she caught herself. What bothered her was that this thought will not at all have crossed her mind at all if the pilot had been male; and these are the hidden biases that many of us carry and have been carrying for centuries. We are mentally associated with the male as competent, and successful.
In the work place men seem to be overwhelmingly our default. Rightly or wrongly, we trust the strategic roles to men, cementing stereotypes and prejudices in which we have been schooled over and over. I usually get this from our womenfolk in the workplace.
“I prefer to hang with the guys because…” Well, this is who you feel implicitly connected to; that is your default. Do not be hard on yourself for falling into this category because a lot of research on implicit association test, which measures unconscious bias seem to suggest that our default are indeed men.
We need to get out of denial that these stereotypes exist and rather look within; and be willing to change ourselves and who we trust and feel connected to.
Scientists tell us that instead of denying our gender biases, we should be changing our mental associations of who women are; by staring and memorizing the faces and names of the most awesome women we know.
This helps us to dissociate the automatic associations that happens in our brains. It helps us to relearn a new awesome trust and break the stereotypes associated with women.
When we see a woman in a successful role, say a leading role in a hit movie, our thoughts seem to drift to “who did she have to sleep with” but we hardly ask that of successful men.
Unfortunately, both men and women are guilty of these associations, whether inherent or expressed; implicit or explicit. Biases are the stories we make up about people before we know who they actually are; but how are we going to know them without being willing to embrace them? This is why we need to get disconfirming data that proves that our old stereotypes are wrong.
While I do not entirely agree with all her viewpoints, I daresay I admire the good work done by our own Chimamanda Adichie to greatly move the needle forward in this regard.
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.
We need to build the type of relationships that reveal the holistic person and goes against the stereotypes. Wherever you are, ask yourself who is here and who is missing.
How many authentic relationships do we have with aspiring young women? How many do we have in the Boardrooms and in top management positions? How many do we have in politics? We need to get off the fence and become actors and advocates in this journey of diversity and gender equality.
We must call things out when we they are wrong because the other people who see, and perpetrate these stereotypes are our children. Biases are planted and nurtured by none other than us.
Children are born with a mind that is a clean slate, and most of their developing years are spent with their mothers. What do we write on these slates that so strongly reinforces these biases and stereotypes between the genders?
The elephant in the room is how are we going to fix this? I will make bold the following suggestions: Firstly, stand up to be seen, speak out to be heard – keep your hands raised. Sheryl Sandberg of Facebook tells the story about a talk she gave, and after that a young lady in the audience came to see her backstage.
She was upset because Sherly said she would take only two questions more. The lady (and all the other women in the room) put their hands down after the two questions.
But guess what? the men kept their hands up; and guess what else? Sheryl took more questions; and all from MEN. Perhaps this is how the men get ahead. Secondly, claim your place at the table. Beyond giving the glory to God, do not look outside yourself to explain your successes. I find that Women systematically underestimate their own abilities.
This matters, because no one gets to the corner office by sitting on the sidelines. No one gets the promotion if they do not believe they deserve their success. Perhaps this is not unrelated to the fact that while success and likeability are positively correlated for men, they seem to be negatively correlated for women.
People seem to love to be around successful or powerful men. They however, seem to hold successful women to be difficult bosses and not fun to work with. But that should be their problem and not yours. You owe yourself to be the best you can be; but certainly not be a dollar bill that is liked by everybody.
According to the Great Physicist Albert Einstein, Genius is 1% talent and 99% hard work. If you’ve worked hard for it sister; enjoy it! People may say for instance, that Serena Williams is a Tennis World Champion because she was coached by her Dad. If you watched Serena’s interview with a reporter when she was barely 13, you will realize that this could not have been the only factor in her success.
When Serena was asked which tennis Great she would like to be like, she said no; I want to be the greatest tennis player so that other players will like to be like me; how aspirational! Secondly, make your spouse or partner a real partner. Even with all the shocking statistics, women seem be doing much better in the workplace than in our households.
In a home where both spouses work, the woman does much more, because she comes back from work to cook and do the housework. We tend to put more pressure on Boys to succeed than Girls.
We generally do not welcome men in hospitality and in caregiving. Do you notice that when men go for Parent Teachers’ Association meetings or other such events which have been traditionally performed by women, the women do not talk to him or make him feel welcome?
He feels like a misfit, even though his action choice goes a long way in alleviating gender imbalance; it seems that we are not sure where we want our menfolk. Just imagine the look on the face of your Mum or Mother-in-Law when they come to visit and see your husband in the kitchen sweating over a cooking pot, perhaps because you have a very important project to turn in at the office the next day. And they are women!
We must make it as important a job in the home as it is outside. The man should not be perceived as a low flier if he opts to do the job at home. We must learn not to feel ashamed of him if this were the case. We must make it comfortable for both sexes to choose to contribute fully in the workforce or at home.
The partners that have understood this have a much healthier relationship. Thirdly, do not leave before you leave (i.e. mentally quitting before you actually quit to go and start a family).
In other words, keep your foot fully on the gas pedal at work until you are finally decided and ready to leave. Do not start leaning back because you are planning to get married and start a family.
Remember that the thought and the action could be quite far apart. Success is never going to be easy. As Denzel Washington says; fall down seven times get up eight. Without commitment you will not start, and without consistency you will not finish.
Borrowing a page from John Maxwell, I made the following tradeoffs in seeking to leave my footprints in the sands of time: Firstly – Exchanging Affirmation for Accomplishment – I stopped being a people pleaser.
Secondly – Exchanging security for significance – I changed my attitude towards uncertainty.
Thirdly – Trading Immediate Victory for Long Term Sustainability – I stopped measuring my performance solely in terms of immediate results.
In doing these, the three Ws that sustained me were: Way power – aptitude; Will power – attitude and Wait power – patience. Perhaps you may also find these helpful.
My passion for gender balance opportunities has led me to co-facilitate the SDG Africa Centre’s 100 women CEO Mentorship across 10 countries, as well as set up a the Ausso Leadership Academy to mentor entrepreneurs and business leaders towards institutionalization and geometric growth.
I urge you to take advantage of these programs.
I am an advocate because I believe that a world that has 50% of men and women involved in running Counties and Businesses will be a better place for all of us.
I wish to conclude by 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 problem.
We truly need both men and women working together to create a world that works for us all, and for our future generations.
At this anniversary of the International Women’s Day, I encourage our women to be reinvigorated, reinvented, and truly unstoppable. Always remember that candle losses nothing by lighting other candles. When you get to the top, please remember to send the elevator back down.
Austin Okere is the Founder of CWG Plc, the largest ICT Company on the Nigerian Stock Exchange & Entrepreneur in Residence at CBS, New York. Austin now runs the Ausso Leadership Academy focused on Business and Entrepreneurial Mentorship
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IHS Nigeria, National Commission for Museums and Monuments Launch Nigeria’s First Digital Museum of Antiquities
IHS Nigeria, part of the IHS Holding Limited (“IHS Towers”) group, one of the largest independent owners, operators, and developers of shared communications infrastructure in the world by tower count, and the National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM) are pleased to announce the launch of Nigeria’s first digital museum of antiquities, marking an important step towards digitizing Nigeria’s cultural heritage.
Unveiled today by the Director General of the National Commission for Museums and Monuments, Olugbile Holloway, this landmark initiative represents a significant milestone in modernizing the preservation and promotion of Nigeria’s cultural assets and making them more accessible to a global audience.
The digital museum is the first significant project under the NCMM’s Digital Culture Initiative. Aligned with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, the initiative is designed to provide a platform for the exploration and appreciation of Nigeria’s diverse cultural heritage. It also demonstrates the power of public-private sector partnerships and underscores IHS Nigeria’s commitment to sustainability and its role in helping foster cultural preservation and digital education.
Mohamad Darwish, CEO, IHS Nigeria, commented, “Today is a proud moment for us as we see the digital museum come alive. As a company deeply rooted in Nigeria, we are excited to have played a key part in this groundbreaking effort to preserve and promote Nigeria’s cultural heritage, while also making it accessible to people around the world.
“The success of this partnership with the National Commission for Museums and Monuments and the Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy, reinforces our commitment to the innovative use of technology to promote education, transform communities and drive economic growth. I look forward to seeing how this will help evolve the museum culture in Nigeria, as well as appreciation for Nigeria’s rich history globally.”
Hannatu Musawa, Nigeria’s Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy, commented, “This historic event marks a transformative milestone in the preservation, promotion, and accessibility of Nigeria’s vast cultural heritage. For the first time, authentic Nigerian antiquities will be showcased in an innovative digital space, making our rich history and artistic expression accessible to audiences both within and beyond our borders. This initiative not only preserves our heritage, but also projects Nigeria’s cultural legacy onto the global stage.
This remarkable achievement would not have been possible without the valuable partnership between the National Commission for Museums and Monuments and IHS Nigeria. Their collaborative vision and commitment to cultural advancement have set a new benchmark for public-private partnerships.
“This partnership exemplifies the power of collective effort in driving innovation, fostering national pride, and enhancing the creative economy. I urge all Nigerians and the international community to embrace this new era of digital cultural engagement, as we continue to celebrate and safeguard our national treasures for generations to come.”
Olugbile Holloway, Director General, National Commission for Museums and Monuments, commented, “The launch of this digital museum represents a groundbreaking idea finally brought to fruition. The vision behind this museum is to make Nigeria’s heritage more accessible to a wider, younger, tech savvy audience. It is our hope that this first iteration of the digital museum will serve as a starting point for building a digital repository of real-life Nigerian antiquities that we will continue to expand over time.
In creating this digital museum, over 200 actual antiquities from our collection at the National Museum Lagos have been 3D scanned and placed in an immersive environment. Each object is also tagged with the relevant educational material to provide viewers with more information on the object being displayed.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank IHS Nigeria for their invaluable partnership and support in bringing this vision to life and look forward to future collaborations to further display Nigeria’s rich cultural heritage to an even broader audience.”
News
RMRDC Urges Investors to Patronise Research Outputs, Embrace Domestic Resource Based Manufacturing
The Raw Material Research and Development Council (RMRDC) is wooing Nigerian investors to patronise its research outputs by embracing domestic resource based manufacturing that would end Nigeria’s industrial dependency.
The RMRDC made at the Nigeria Manufacturing and Equipment/Nigerian Raw Materials (NME/NIRAM) Expo 2025 through its Director Agricultural and Agro Allied Raw Materials Department, Raw Material Research and Development Council (RMRDC), Dr. Sab C. Ebiriekwe, and the Managing Director of Jola Global Industries Limited, Dr. Moses Omojola, who was formerly a director with RMRDC.
They pointed out that the Nigerian manufacturing sector is relying on importation for over 75 per cent of its industrial inputs while about 80 per cent of manufacturing firms in Nigeria are owned by foreigners.
Ebiriekwe said in his presentation titled “Harnessing Local Resources: Enhancing Value Addition Through Innovation in Raw Material Sourcing” that Nigeria is grappling with industrial dependency despite being endowed with vast natural resources, adding that no country industrialises sustainably without local raw material transformation through innovation.
He said that despite the abundance of local raw materials, only 35 per cent of local manufacturers in Nigeria could rely on steady access to local raw materials.
He added that a gap exists between research outcome and practical application as “only 5.0 per cent of research outputs reach commercialisation.”
According to him, Nigeria’s failure to beneficiate and industrialise its raw material is hindering its bid for economic diversification, jobs creation and export competitiveness.
“As value of industrial raw material imported in 2023 was N2.41 trillion; share of imported manufacturing inputs are over 75 per cent and non-oil export is dominated by unprocessed raw/agro products.”
Omojola, who retired as a director with RMRDC, said during the panel session that about 80 per cent of industries in Nigeria are owned by foreigners, especially Asians.
He asked: “How come Nigerians are going into manufacturing? I have lectured in the university and have worked in RMRDC for 25 years but I told myself that it will be disservice to leave RMRDC without taking home one project. And to the glory of God I am today a manufacturer in Ekiti State.”
According to him, manufacturing “is very stressful but more rewarding,” which is the reason Asians are coming to Nigeria? “When I ask my Asian friends why they are in Nigeria they will reply that Nigeria is good. And now that I have started manufacturing, I have known that Nigeria is good,” he said.
Omojola also challenged politicians to invest the money they have made from politics into manufacturing in order to create more jobs in the economy.
“We should be going into resource based industry. I produce vegetable oil. Today, Indonesia and Malaysia cannot bring in vegetable oil into Nigeria because our own price is cheaper than their own. Therefore, no imported vegetable oil can compete with us,” he said.
The Founder of AfricanFarmer Discovery Hub, Mr. AfricanFarmer Mogaji, said that chemical extracted from water leaf had been used to coat mugs by Oluwa Glass in Ondo State.
“That was innovation. But unfortunately, it was not scaled. In Ibadan, the shell of the cashew nut had been used in making brake pads. We can revisit these innovations at Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) level,” Mogaji said.
He also urged retire military generals to invest in manufacturing like their counterparts in Malaysia that funded Malaysia’s turn around.
However, the Managing Director of Spectra Industries Limited, Mr. Duro Kuteyi, said that absence of government’s policies that could protect the SMEs is one of the reasons Nigerians are not going into manufacturing.
Kuteyi said: “Unless government will come up with policy the way India is protecting its products and SMEs, it will take time for us to grow.
“I started using Nigerian raw materials to make products like natural cocoa powder that is good for diabetics, hypertension, etc. We also use soya as one of our basic raw materials.
“But as it is currently, SMEs are finding it difficult in the market place where they are competing with multinationals that are ready to kill them and kill them totally.
“A multinationals firm went to the market and offered generators to my customers to stop dealing on my products.”
The Managing Director of FACCO West Africa, Mr. Femi Adelayo, said that wealthy Nigerians should be encouraged to embrace manufacturing rather than buying houses in Dubai.
Adelayo also said that manufacturers should be supported with a holistic robust policy to ensure their survival and enable Nigeria to withstand the emerging global trade dynamics that is being characterised by punitive tariffs.
He appealed to the RMRDC to help his livestock feed manufacturing firm with raw materials that could substitute for maize and soya. He said: “We work in the feed mill industry where we produce livestock feeds. But maize and soya are major challenges. We will like RMRDC to help us to have alternative protein production.”
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Zinox Chairman Leo Stan Ekeh Donates State-of-the-Art Tech Experience Centre to Federal University Birnin Kebbi
Federal University Birnin Kebbi (FUB) received a significant boost in its quest to produce globally competitive graduates, following the donation of a multimillion-naira Tech Experience Centre by the Leo Stan Ekeh Foundation (LSEF).
The facility, donated by Mr. Leo Stan Ekeh, Chairman of Zinox Group and Founder of LSEF, was commissioned on his behalf by the President of the Nigeria Computer Society (NCS), Dr. Muhammad Sirajo Aliyu, FNCS.
The centre is equipped with the latest Zinox computers, powered by the iPower renewable energy suite, which features high-performance solar panels and certified lithium batteries. It is also connected to a 24-hour, non-disruptive satellite internet service powered by Starlink, a service that the LSEF has committed to funding for the next five years.
According to Mr. Ekeh, the Tech Experience Centre is dedicated to the use of students and knowledge workers at FUB, with the aim of equipping them with the digital skills and resources required to compete with their peers globally and contribute meaningfully to Nigeria’s economic development.
This centre is one of several cutting-edge technology hubs donated by the Leo Stan Ekeh Foundation to tertiary institutions across Nigeria. It supports the Federal Government’s vision to upgrade the nation’s higher institutions to world-class standards.
For over 25 years, Mr. Ekeh and the Zinox Group have consistently invested in promoting digital education by donating tech laboratories and innovation hubs. In recent years, the Foundation has delivered and equipped centres at St. Augustine University, Lagos, and Imo State University and refurbished older facilities it had donated in the past. According to Mr. Ekeh, the next phase will see the Foundation extend similar interventions to secondary schools across the country.
He called on politicians, government agencies, and wealthy Nigerians to intentionally invest in the nation’s education sector, stressing that a well-educated populace is the Foundation for national development.
Mr. Ekeh expressed his appreciation to the Chairman of the University Council, the council members, Vice Chancellor Professor Muhammad Zaiyan Umar, members of the University Management, staff, and students of FUB, as well as the Honourable Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, for their support in accommodating the LSEF’s vision.
Speaking on behalf of the university, Professor Muhammad Zaiyan Umar, Vice Chancellor of FUB, expressed deep appreciation to Mr. Ekeh and the LSEF for the generous donation.
“This Tech Experience Centre will make a remarkable difference in the academic and research output of our students and staff. We are grateful for Mr. Ekeh’s vision, generosity, and long-standing contributions to this institution and to digital education in Nigeria. This facility is more than a building with computers; it is an investment in the future of our graduates and the growth of our nation.”
Speaking on the sidelines of the commissioning, Mr. Chimezie Orisakwe, Head of Corporate Communications for the Zinox Group, highlighted Mr. Ekeh’s sustained promotion of digital learning across Nigeria — from interventions in the media sector to landmark projects with the media, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the National Population Commission (NPC), and others.
He also highlighted Mr. Ekeh’s reflection on the current state of Nigeria’s education sector, warning that many institutions, both public and private, face severe funding deficits. This, he noted, raises the risk of closures, which would deprive graduates of the enduring legacy of their alma maters.
To address these challenges, the Zinox Chairman proposed that the Federal Government adopt a college system and reclassify existing universities. He recommended granting approvals for specialized professional colleges affiliated with reputable universities, similar to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) model with the University of Lagos.
Ekeh emphasized that the quality of an institution’s academic content now matters more than its physical size. Those passionate about establishing tertiary institutions must be focused on their core mission, be willing to invest adequately, and possess the mental and financial capacity to sustain standards.
He further urged that educational institutions be regulated even more stringently than banks, given their central role in producing the human capital that drives both the public and private sectors.
“Educational institutions are not limited liability companies that can be liquidated at will. Their true profit is not in short-term returns but in the quality of graduates they produce, men and women who can lead this nation and give back to the institutions that shaped them,” Ekeh stated.
The donation to FUB is the latest in a long list of interventions by the Zinox Group to support Nigeria’s technological advancement. Through the Leo Stan Ekeh Foundation, the Group has also funded thousands of scholarships, donated modern digital learning facilities nationwide, extended non-interest loans to budding entrepreneurs, and supported churches, hospitals, and humanitarian causes.
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