By Divine Sam
Women entrepreneurs are actually becoming more successful and ambitious in today’s business world. However, there are still a whole lot of efforts that still need to be invested in boosting and accelerating female entrepreneurship especially in an emerging nation like Nigeria. In line with this, the first edition of book series has been launched in ibadan to boost female entrepreneurship in Nigeria, by the enterprising women’s award Africa.
The ceremony at mauve 21 event centre at ring Road ibadan, Oyo State capital was graced by prominence business men and women in the West under the Chairmanship of Alayeluwa, OBA Hammed Adekunle Oyelude Makama, the Olowu ofKuta kingdom.
In his opening remarked the chairman who also double as Royal father of the day commended the effort put in place to organisers to promote the women business ability and encouraged them to do more.
Hammed Adekunle said there are still much inequality in terms of providing women with loans and other financing that they need to start and grow businesses. When it comes to finance women face particular hurdles, from a lack of collateral to discriminatory regulations and gender bias. Small loans can make a big difference.
He said much more needs to be done to help women realise that the change begins with them. Collaborating with other women, being part of networks and communicating more with others is vital to helping women gain the confidence to start their own businesses.
Also speaking the administrarive manager Oyomesi specialist hospital resident pastor Mrs. Damilola Ajaagbe said “in Nigeria, networking and non-profit organisations like Women in Business (WinBiz) and Women in Management and Business and Public Service (WIMBIZ) among others are playing a strategic role in supporting and boosting female entrepreneurs. Women should not hesitate to join these organisations”
Entrepreneurship has to feel accessible to women. More training and education programmes geared towards women could help build confidence and reduce the fears that starting a business is a high-risk endeavour”
In his goodwill message the head of West Africa for forbes & CNBC Africa Mr. Adeleye Fabusoro congratulated the convener and the authors for their passion and immense contributions towards encouraging women in the entrepreneural industry.
Fabusoro said the book series has come to play vital role of mentorship and guidance to women to show the economic, social and lifestyle benefits of business ownership could greatly enhance female entrepreneurship. Financial support, while crucial, is only one part of the equation. Having access to the advice and guidance of business mentors is invaluable for those women who are just starting out.
Speaking with Newsieevents shortly after the ceremony, the chief host Amb. Ayo George, thank God for the success of the event.
” I have always been a fan of women, whatever a woman does I’m always there to support. We created our Web platform years ago to encourage, promote and project the women, but this year we felt we shouldn’t do any awards but rather start a book series which we have started today and it’s going to be every year.
The book series is all about striving business women in Nigeria, their success stories and we did this so that the upcoming business women also need to road about this stories of the successful ones and we are sure that every year it going to be a continuous project. This is our own little token to support women development, the United Nations, and otheir international bodies on educational and gender equality”
We also considered the fact that women are not too celebrated despite their immense contributions and commitments, everything seems to Falls around men
Our next edition we will be selecting another set of brilliant striving business categories of women to also write their success stories in any kind of business, even if it a supermarket business and we have database of women spread across the country where we can pick-up as many women we consider their business stories and life stories will inspire people”
We are doing all this to encourage women to do their best, push whatever career that they face. It’s their own society so they should take charge and not pave way for patrical environment suffocate their backgrounds, because women have a whole lot of stories to tell.
Featuring the first edition of the book series, include. Olabisi Olaniran, Olumide Agbomeji, Funke Kehinde, Adetoun Oshodi, Mariam Salawu, Florence Obio a and Ebunoluwa Akinwale.
Interestingly, the event also captured official launching of the first edition of the boom series, presentations by the Royal fathers, photography’s, goodwill messages and lot more.