We must be adventurous and creative!
THE cool ambience of the Golden Gate Restaurant, Ikoyi, did well in setting guests at ease at an event that was to become an expose of knowledge and celebration of women who have displayed extraordinary courage in the Nigerian society. The occasion was the launching of the Women of Substance Magazine by Ms. Ify Onyegbule, a broadcaster-turned-women’s rights advocate. On-air personality, Cordelia Okpei, hosted the event to the delight of all.
Veteran broadcaster, Mrs. Bimbo Oloyede, who gave the key note address, took the audience on a voyage of discovery when she gave an insightful lecture on “Mentoring and Nurturing: a path to positive development”. In her address, she corrected the impression of many who tend to associate the word mentor and role model to mean the same thing. “A mentor is an experienced person who advises a less experienced person, while a role model is someone one admires even though one may not have had personal contact with them,” she said. Describing mentorship as a huge responsibility, she advised that mentors must create opportunities for protégées to connect with them. This they can do by creating specific opportunities that would help nurture them. She quoted the words of Mark Twain; “to get the full value of joy, you must have someone to share it with,” to illustrate her points.
For the protégées, they also must recognise that mentorship is not a right but a service, hence the need to appreciate the opportunity by being submissive and understanding. She also advised that protégées should be adventurous and creative. “All the advice in the world would not take you anywhere if you are not a risk taker, she stressed.” She urged protégées to be available on demand and also take to criticism.
Other guests who graced the event included Chief Mrs. Opral Mason Benson, former Lagos State deputy governor, Princess Sarah Sosan, who was represented by Dr. (Mrs.) Ayo Sobowale from LASU, Dr Quincy Ayodele of Quincy Herbal Slimmers, Dr Joe Okei-Odumakin, founder of Women Arise, Mrs. Yemisi Ransome-Kuti, Mrs. Betty Ubeku, Regional Chair, West Africa Women Association(WAWA), and Mrs Toyin Onanuga who represented the deputy governor of Lagos State, Mrs. Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, Dr Samuel Pimpim, a Ghanaian-American who is into youth advocacy, and a host of other personalities.
The event which also coincided with the 40th birthday of the convener, Ms. Onyegbule also featured a presentation of awards to deserving individuals such as Dr Joe Okei-Odumakin, a recent recipient of the International Women of Courage award. Others who also received awards were Dr. Keziah Awosika and Oluwatoyin Adesola, a sickle cell victim who also runs an NGO.
The highlight of the event was the launching and public presentation of the Women of Substance Magazine, which according to the editor, Ms Onyegbule, came to be as a result of her adventure with risk-taking. She further added that her experience with the Women of Substance TV programme which ran for over three years on TV Continental has reinforced in her the need to go the extra mile to get extra ordinary results. The vision of the magazine, she said, is to celebrate women achievers and also raise a generation of women who are goal-oriented and also create a society where women are bold enough to come out and contest elections and not just get compensated with political appointments.
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