From TCNEWS
Women from all walks of life converged at the Coal City, capital of Enugu State over the weekend at the instance of the Annual General Meeting and Conference of the African Women Entrepreneurship Program, AWEP Nigeria.
The Conference whose theme was, “Revolutionary Entrepreneurship: Igniting Innovation and Imagination” gave the Facilitators who were on top of their game a challenging homework as each opined that one needs courage and resilience to challenge and change the status quo in order to revolutionize entrepreneurship with innovation and imagination.
Presenting a speech during the event, the National President, Dr. Grace Okaro, asserted that the presence of women in the business world is not only beneficial but also necessary for many reasons.
According to her, “Women bring unique skills, perspectives, and experiences to the workplace, which help businesses succeed in today’s competitive and rapidly changing environment”.
Pix: Dr. Mrs Grace Okaro.
Okaro said, “Gender diversity, along with other forms of diversity such as ethnicity, age, and cultural background, leads to better decision-making and problem-solving.
“When women are included in the workplace, they bring new ideas, innovative solutions, and alternative viewpoints that help businesses think outside the box and make more informed decisions. Women represent a significant portion of the workforce, and their contribution to the global economy is substantial.
“Moreover, having women in leadership roles can create a positive impact on organizational culture. Women leaders are often more collaborative, empathetic, and inclusive, which can lead to a more engaged and productive workforce.
The AWEP Nigeria President traced the background of AWEP, Nigeria since inception in 2011 pointing out that, that was the first time the conference is hosted in South East, Nigeria and commended all those who have contributed to its success.
She described the conference theme as very timely calling for women to brace up to revolutionize their businesses through innovative and imaginative ideas.
Delivering a radical message, the Keynote Speaker, Mr Chinedu Ifechelobi, challenged participants to be original than copycats of foreign civilizations.
Mrs Boma Okaka spoke on “Breaking New Grounds: Opportunities for Innovative Businesses in Nigeria” and drew attention to the changing trends that give rise to business opportunities.
“The Mindset of a Revolutionary Entrepreneur” was delivered by Mr. David Folaranmi who stated that “Image” makes the difference and should stand the Revolutionary Entrepreneur out amongst equals.
Prof. Victoria Chibuike spoke on “The Role of Creativity in Shaping the Future of Business” and commended AWEP for providing a platform for business women to come together calling on participants to be united and creative, holding each others hands to forge ahead.
Dr Onyinye Chime came from an entirely different angle speaking on “Empowered Women, Empowered Health: Navigating Work-Life Balance.
She advised all women to be selfish at times and take good care of themselves especially their health by going for routine checkups and be able to balance between the family, office and taking time off for themselves.
Earlier in her welcome address, the Chair Local Organizing Committee, Engr. Stella Eneh described the participants as “dreamers, doers and disruptors who are not afraid to challenge the norms, to think outside the box and forge new paths in their industries.
There were exhibitions of members products ranging from fashion and accessories, agriculture, cosmetics and crafts.
The exhibition stands were inspected by the Leadership of the organization and representatives of their collaborating organizations which included Standard Organization of Nigeria (SON), National Directorate of Employment (NDE), Nigeria Export Promotions Council (NEPC) and Enugu State Technology Incubation Centre.
