Preparation for the hosting of the 2017 edition of MMS Woman of Fortune Hall of Fame (WoFHoF) has given Lagos another glow even as the Federal Palace Hotel, Victoria Island venue of the event is highly lit up in expectation following the successes the programme recorded over the years.
While the event takes place on Thursday, October 26 participants are expected from all around the globe beginning from Tuesday the 24th considering supercharged response from the gender sensitive community.
The programme will also attract creme la crème in the Nigerian society with more than a thousand guest expected to grace the occasion.
This year, the event which has been singularly promoted as a private sector powered initiative recorded another milestone by getting tacit support of the Lagos State government and a few other organisations willing to partner with the organizers to give women a pride of place in the society.
The latest effort has moved the foundation a notch higher making it a global rather than purely African initiative. It is believed that from next year the organizers will begin to recognize not just Africans but women from other climes who had made giant strides in putting gender issues in the front burner.
On Thursday, Nigeria’s Transportation Minister, Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi will be the chief guest of honour while the Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Sen. Aisha Jumai Alhassan will deliver the keynote address at the programme already generating high expectations in industry circles.
President Women Arise for Change Initiative, Dr. Joe OkeiOdumakin will deliver the theme paper of the day titled National Integration: Women’s role in Leadership and Mentorship’, while the managing director of the Financial Institutions Training Centre (FITC), Dr. Lucy Newman will deliver the second paper titled, ‘Options and Strategies in building and deepening financial capacity for women.’
Chairman House Committee on Aviation, Hon. Chief (Mrs) Nkeiruka Onyejeocha will present a third paper at the conference session focusing on ‘Empowering Women for governance and leadership.’
The event is billed not just to be entertaining and value adding but also informative. For instance the Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), Barr. Hassan Bello and the Director- General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dakuku Peterside as well as the Secretary General of Abuja MoU, Mrs. Mfon Usoro will officially unveil a book on effective leadership in Nigeria and the maritime industry in particular at the event, which will feature Conference, Awards and Induction ceremony of new Hall of Famers.
The book titled, MENTORSHIP:The Link to Effective Leadership is a short story of how in five years, MMS Woman of Fortune Hall of Fame (MMS WoFHoF) Initiative has metamorphosed from an idea inside a man’s head into a reality. The Not-for-Profit organisation has continued to identify exceptionally talented women who have a story to tell, and several others who are passionate about encouraging younger women in the society.
The book which is a collection of some of the presentations of these women and which helps younger women meander through the path of life; is a first of the tools to empowering women and the society at large.
It discusses, among others: How to navigate the usually murky waters of policy for the woman; It answers the question of why the Maritime industry in Nigeria was a no-go area for the women until recently; For the woman who is passionate about fashioning out a career in Aviation, ICT, Insurance, amongst others.
Founder of MMS WoFHoF Initiative, Mr. Kingsley Anaroke said that the book is for “Everyone who has a burning desire to see the women in our society emerge as a force to reckon with.”
Expected at the event as special guest of honours include: Chairman, Senate Committee on Women Affairs, Senator, Binta Garba; Chairman, House Committee on Women Affairs and Social Development, Honourable Stella Ngwu.
At the event, Governor Akinwumi Ambode of Lagos State will receive award as a Gender- Friendly governor.
Some of the notable women to be inducted into the 2017 WoFHoF include; Ms. Sylvia Asana Owu, Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Ghana Shippers’ Authority.
Others are: Hon. Janet Adeyemi, President, Women in Mining (Nigeria); PriscilliaOgwemoh, Managing Partner, OlisaAgbakoba Legal; Dr. Amy Jadesimi, Managing Director, Lagos Deep Offshore Logistics Base(LADOL); Funke Agbor, SAN, Senior Partner, Adepetun Caxton-Martins, Agbor&Segun (Barr. & Solicitor); Chief (Mrs) IjeomaUche-Okoro, Director, Legal Services, Federal Ministry of Transport; Dr. (Mrs.) Lucy S. Newman, Managing Director/CEO, Financial Institutions Training Centre (FITC) and Mrs. Chinyere Annie-Okonkwo, Director, Topwide Ventures Limited.
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