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By Henry Uche
President and Chairman of Council, Nigerian Institute of Management (Chartered), Commodore Abimbola Ayuba (Rtd), has called on corporate leaders, lawmakers, captains of industries and Nigerians at large to do away with stereotypes and strait jackets women in the country have been boxed into.
NIM President made this call at the 2025 edition of Women in Management and Leadership (WIMLEAD) Conference held in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.
With the theme, ‘Empowered to Excel- Redefining Leadership, Growth and Balance for Women in a Changing World’, Ayuba pointed out the compelling need to break every barrier and bias against women in their bid to break the glass ceiling and get to the top echelon of their career wherever they choose to compete.
“Conscious effort must be made by all concerned to encourage women instead of impeding their march to the top. I am convinced that women are not asking to be gifted management and leadership positions but are only demanding a level playing field to compete favourably because they possess all it takes to excel at the top” He enjoined female corporate leaders to avail themselves and their staff of other learning and human capital development programmes of the Institute in the future.
In a keynote address, the Clerk of the Akwa Ibom State House Of Assembly, Mrs. Nsikak-abasi N. Orok, decried gender disparities that have remained persistent; especially in leadership, representation, and equal opportunities, despite the strides women have made She, however, echoed that “the times are changing—and so must we (women).”
Casting light on the theme, she said, “Empowerment is more than access; it is ownership. It is not just about having a seat at the table; it is knowing that your voice matters when decisions are being made. In today’s context, empowerment must be holistic. It involves education, economic access, digital literacy, psychological confidence, and a supportive social structure. It means women are not only invited to lead, but are expected to lead.”
Orok referencing Nigeria’s Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala as a global leader, she stressed that empowered women are not exceptions, but the new standard. “Dr. Okonjo-Iweala is a shining example of intellectual leadership. She has championed reforms in Nigeria’s education and economic sectors, emphasizing the importance of human capital development as the key to national growth”
She affirmed that women bring to leadership a rare blend of empathy, strategic foresight, emotional intelligence, and resilience.
“These are no longer soft skills. These are power skills. Women are leading movements, running governments, building companies, heading families, and mentoring communities.
“To grow as women in management and leadership, we must mentor and sponsor others, be a ladder others can climb, invest in lifelong learning, embrace new technologies, new methodologies, and global trends. We must build systems that support growth, advocate for policies that create flexible workspaces, support for working mothers, and equal access to opportunities. Remember, leadership without legacy is an illusion. True growth means building structures that outlive us.”
Emphasizing the indispensability of networking and collaboration, she urged institutions and organizations to move beyond slogans of inclusion to policies of inclusion, noting that remote work, parental leave, mental health support, and leadership pipelines for women must become institutional norms.
“The Time Is now. The world is not waiting, neither should we. We are empowered not merely to exist in spaces, but to excel in them. We must embrace our power, redefine our paths, grow with purpose, and lead with authenticity. True empowerment is not a battle of genders; it is a partnership for progress” she asserted.
