It was indeed an occasion to discuss and expand new frontiers as women from all over Nigeria and the diaspora gathered at the 15th Annual Conference of Women in Business, Management and Public Service (WIMBIZ) with the theme “The Next Frontier: New Landscape, New Possibilities!” on Thursday and Friday, 3rd and 4th of November 2016.

The event brought to the fore the fact that women constitute half of the total population of the society and there was thus a need for inclusion and recognition. The new possibilities available to women were further expanded through a total of five plenary sessions, break -out sessions on different topics and a stirring debate on ‘Survivors’ Workplace: It’s a Millennial World, yea or nay?’.

Also noting the significance of women to economic growth, the former Permanent Representative of Nigeria to the United Nations, Prof. Joy Ogwu who was the Conference Chairman, commented that since women make up half of the Nigerian population, they are a strategic asset and should be treated as such. Prof. Ogwu said” Women are a national asset, an index of national power because of their sizeable number. The empowerment of women is therefore linked to national development and when more women are in the entrepreneurial and professional world; our country will attain sustainable development”.

In a keynote address delivered by Dr. Adedoyin Salami, a senior lecturer at the Lagos Business School, he stated that women have not fully utilized the strength that comes from their number and that until their work of advocacy is based on coherent facts and targeted at the right places and people, only then can their work of advocacy truly have impact. “It is not enough to gather and speak, instead, women must act and utilize available resources; women must transform a demographic challenge into a demographic advantage and reestablish micro economic stability”. Dr. Salami remarked.

The plenary sessions address issues on how to inspire the next wave of female leaders; the future of work; the internet of everything; and, the opportunities in mining amongst other issues.

The Ebony Life Sisterhood Awards in partnership with WIMBIZ also took place on Day 2 of the conference. It was an interesting highlight and saw women like Dr. Halima Yewande Gidado-Mijindadi of Kid for Kid Charity; Ada Osakwe of Nuli Juice, Nkem Okocha of Mama Moni win award on different categories. The Conference also recognized young female entrepreneurs in the recycling industry through the WIMBIZ Impact Investment Competition which was launched in 2014 to recognize and support female owned start-ups designed to solve social problems and make a profit. Winners of the competition themed Waste to Wealth include Olamide Ayeni-Babajide, Joy Tony and Destiny Frederick.
Source:http://www.jalupon.com/wimbiz-explores-new-possibilities-and-frontiers-for-women-at-15th-annual-conference/