The Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Hadiza Bala Usman has counseled the youths, especially women to imbue the value of integrity at the early stage of their lives.
The Managing Director was speaking while delivering a keynote address entitled, “Becoming a Woman of Significance” at the 2018 Valedictory and Graduation ceremony of Vivian Fowler Memorial College (Girls only) in Lagos over the weekend.
According to Usman, “We live in a world with a confused idea of right and wrong but we must not deceive ourselves to imagine that being virtuous goes unrewarded. Virtuous living is a matter of fact, the hallmark of all people of significance.”
She further advised the graduating students to cultivate the capacity for hard work, reiterating that “diligence, commitment and a painstaking attitude to seeing things through are like fragrances and they will endear you to people and draw good things to you”.
While stressing that “Women must shun that sense of entitlement that makes them feel that being a woman is enough to be considered for anything”, the Managing Director implored women to be “hardworking in a comprehensive manner” and “develop a can-do spirit”.
While urging women to make the words of American Businesswoman, Beth Brook, who said that ‘Success is fleeting, Significance is lasting’, she enjoined the girls to emulate the young Pakistani, Malala Yousafzai, who she said is known all over the world but started the journey of significance at a very tender age and won the coveted Nobel Prize for Peace at age 17 and has received several International Awards from New York Times and the BBC.
“This is an example of a woman of significance. I do not know how much money Malala has, but she has a name that signifies hope to millions of young girls all over the world. That is what I call significance. And it is possible for all of us to get there in our own chosen way.
“Let us just be sure about what we choose and pursue it with all our might. History has a place for you young ladies and I pray that you find the grace and courage to step into that place”, she explained.
Highlight of the ceremony was the Award of recognition for Corporate Governance and contributions to National Development conferred on Hadiza Bala Usman by the Management of the School.
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