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By Ngozi Nwoke
Ms. Lande Abudu, is the component lead for Standalone Solar Home Systems on the World Bank Nigeria Electrification Project being implemented by the Rural Electrification Agency.
Her prior role was CEO of Renewable Energy Association of Nigeria (REAN), Africa’s foremost association of renewable energy professionals, project developers and practitioners.
In this interview with Daily Sun, she shed more light on the need to promote clean energy, as well as the benefits of involving women and girls in nation-building.
What was your upbringing like?
It was a very happy one. My siblings and I were allowed to explore and express ourselves. Our curiosity was encouraged. This balance has been fundamental in shaping my life. My maternal grandmother also had a very big influence on me. She retired as a matron and was very family-oriented. I learnt a lot from her. I recall that she taught us how to play card and board games and was the first person to introduce me to crosswords. To this day, I enjoy solving puzzles and trying my hand at the odd crossword. Family is very important to me. My family means everything, and I feel blessed to have their support.
What about REAN, its goals and the things you do concerning revewable energy?
Renewable Energy Association of Nigeria is an association of renewable energy professionals, individuals or organizations that are involved in promoting clean energy for sustainable living. Our association houses the major players in the Nigerian RE market and they are making a massive impact in electrifying Nigeria. Recently, our member (Nayo Technology) was the project developer for the Rural Electrification Agency’s 90kW solar hybrid mini-grid project in Kebbi State. Auxano Solar, a member who runs the first solar assembly plant in West Africa, recently launched a 240kW solar hybrid system in Abuja.
The largest solar street lighting project was completed by Blue Camel energy. This project, worth $9 million, has made the city of Jos the best-lit city in Nigeria. REAN members have inaugurated over 30 projects in all geopolitical zones in the country, providing electricity to un-served and underserved communities. All these achievements are in line with our vision, which is to promote strategies that will improve the contribution of renewable energy to 40 per cent of the national energy mix by 2030.
What lessons have you learnt in your professional journey?
General lessons learnt are continuous graft. It doesn’t matter what sector you work in, hard work underpins everything. People are also important. Building your network and ensuring that you retain positive relationships stand us in good stead for the long haul. Focus shouldn’t be overlooked. We don’t always have a life plan mapped out from a young age but there is a need to remain focused on an end goal and work towards achieving mini goals as we go along.
In a less generic way, if I were to apply that to myself, people stand out for me. Goodwill opens doors as does nurturing positive relationships. Numerous people have impacted me on my professional journey. Most of this has brought encouragement and progress. I have learnt the importance of treating people well and learning from absolutely everyone. We do ourselves a disservice when we start to think we can only learn from older or more educated people. There is knowledge to be gained across a wide variety of interactions.
What challenges did you face in your profession and how were you able to resolve them?
I have always believed that challenges also present opportunities. Nothing in life can be smooth sailing from beginning to end and work is no different. Having worked with diverse groups over the years, personality clashes in the workplace can affect output. The opportunity here is learning to rise above the undercurrents and to focus on the common organizational goals. Operational and technical challenges also form part of the day-to-day process in the workplace. With good teamwork, these are resolved as they come up.
How are you able to juggle career, work and family?
I’m always a little surprised when women are asked this question. I understand that, culturally, we tend to be the primary caregivers, but men are never asked! The simple answer is: with plenty of support. There is no perfect solution and expecting one is what gives us a headache. You work with what you can, you choose what is important, you prioritize and get on with it. It’s important to accept this and move on without guilt or regret. When the children were younger, was I able to personally take them to school every day? No. Should this have adversely affected all our lives? I say, a resounding no. It is just one of the many examples of having to adapt to the realities of our daily lives.
The biggest dud women were sold was ‘you can have it all.’ No one can have it all. I don’t blame the early fight for equality. We have evolved and these are some of the lessons learnt. No magic wand can fix everything. Life is about balance, compromise and adapting. Spouses, siblings, parents all help to form a powerful support network that we can tap into. We cannot judge the choices other people make.
Do you experience gender discrimination in your line of work?
I would struggle to find anyone who hasn’t in their lifetime. Unfortunately, it is almost entrenched in all spheres of life all over the world. The important thing is that I have been able to progress despite this. Women need to be supported by the law and there needs to be real awareness of the issues surrounding a lack of gender equality. Nigeria is signed up to work towards the Sustainable Development Goals 5, which deals with attaining a gender-equal world. We will get there.
How has it been for you as a woman in a male-dominated industry?
I have a STEM background, having studied chemistry as a first degree. This means that I am not daunted by technical conversations. I believe women and men have the same capabilities and it all depends on how this is nurtured, and the opportunities open to us all. Overall, we will encounter more men than women in the space but there are thousands of women making their mark in various capacities. The global renewable energy sector only has a female representation of 32 per cent, so there’s clearly room for improvement. The Rural Electrification Agency is very mindful of gender equity. A gender component is embedded in our ethos.
What are your thoughts on gender inclusion in the corporate world?
There is still a way to go despite huge strides made. Casual chauvinism is ever present, entrenched gender stereotypes will not disappear overnight, but many organizations are becoming more deliberate in efforts to achieve equity. This is promising to see, and I trust that it will continue to improve.
What is your position on Nigerian women getting involved in business and development?
Nothing should stop them from getting involved in anything that they want to do. Every opportunity must be equally open to everyone, woman or man. Apart from my day job in the renewable energy sector, I am also a football and tennis enthusiast. I am football editor for a digital magazine and keenly follow the tennis season. Understandably, there are more male sportswriters, but it never occurred to me not to try my hand at it. We are quite literally born with the same abilities. It’s culture and mindset that pigeonhole women. We are half of the global population – how does it make sense to not have input?
What is your advice to women who want to go into the corporate industry but seem discouraged by gender discrimination?
The solution will come from within and without. As the now famous phrase goes, women do need to lean in. We need to believe in our abilities to achieve. Institutionally, there must be anti-discrimination laws in place to support this. You might remember that it took the Supreme Court in a landmark judgment in 2009 to ensure that married Nigerian women no longer need written consent from their husbands to renew their passports. It’s unbelievable that it only happened in the 21st century! Imagine the powerlessness it encourages. There might be obstacles along the way, but we must remain dogged in our pursuit of our goals.
What is your reaction to the rise in domestic violence and divorce?
Both are regrettable, divorce is an unfortunate reality and domestic violence is deplorable whichever the way we look at it. I think that many factors have contributed to the rise of both. Expectations have changed, many of them gender related. In the past, women had few options but to stay in miserable unions or worse, where they were victims of domestic abuse. With society opening up more, some more enabling gender laws, the landscape has changed. Women earn a living and can support themselves and contribute financially to the family pot.
I go back to expectations – typically, women have been brought up with the mindset of ‘pleasing your man’ and taking whatever is dished out. Men have been raised to think that women should be ‘submissive’.
Where there is a breakdown in that narrative, there is potential for chaos, and we see it happening everywhere. Every unit must determine their happy place. You need to choose your partner wisely as this can make or break your personal and professional existence. The support is crucial and it’s all about teamwork. A young man cannot date a lady who for example is CEO of her company, they get married, and he decides she has to become a homemaker. Recipe for disaster. Might he get frustrated and lash out physically?
There are more nuances to this but as a general overview, where there is no understanding between the major players, it’ll breed disharmony. Educating our boys and young men and mentoring them is a big part of the solution. The focus should be on both the boy child and the girl child. Gender equality is not about superiority over men, it’s about having equal opportunities without prejudice. Then there should be enforceable laws to punish those that commit these vile acts of domestic violence.
What is your advice to young girls?
“I will not refuse the task.” was my school motto. This speaks to much of what I believe in – work hard, stay focused, grab your chances, and believe nothing is impossible. Continuous learning is vital.
What would you like to be remembered for when you retire from active service?
Having contributed to building a lasting institution that will impact lives positively for generations.
