Nigerian entrepreneur, motivational speaker and author Ibukun Awosika has charged African women never to leave control of their lives to anyone.
Awosika was speaking at the second edition of the International Woman Leadership Conference, which took place from March 29 to 31, 2023, the last three days of Women’s History Month, at the Intercontinental Hotel, Festival City, Dubai.
Awosika, whose leadership Academy for women hosted the conference, was laying the foundation for the many revealing and insightful sessions that would follow at the event when she delivered the charge.
Multiple A-list speakers contributed their profound insights and practical experiences during the plenary sessions. They include Nigeria’s Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola; Vice Chairman Alibaba Group, Joe Tsai; CEO at Secure-ID Limited, Kofo Akinkugbe; MD at Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company, Elohor Aiboni; Regional Manager Middle East and Africa at Dubai International Chamber, Khalid Al Ali and the Regional Director, International Operations, Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), Stella Kalanne Fubara.
“I have met too many women who have lived everybody’s life but their lives. They’ve lived the life their father said they would, the life their husband expects them to live, and the life their in-laws want them to live.
“They have been everybody’s person but never their person, and frankly, until you live your life, until you are you, there will always be something you’re looking for, but you can never find it until you let yourself live your life,” she began.
Pointing out that women, especially married ones, tend to focus on other aspects of their lives, like mothering, at their own expense, Awosika admonished them to also look out for themselves at all times.
“More than men, you must remember that there is a core and there are other components to your life. The core is you. When choosing a spouse or not, you only added what should make a difference, what should be a valuable addition to the core, but the core must never be set down”.
“So at the end of the day, you need to be true to yourself and understand that for your core to succeed, you must pay attention to ensuring that the core is protected and that the core is true to herself and continues to make the final decisions in every situation as it would help the core to manifest” she added.
While acknowledging the need for counsel, Awosika advised women to treat all counsel as information, not instruction, and to always make the final decision on issues concerning them.
Awosika, who paid homage to men who provided a supportive base for their wives to flourish, shared four questions women must answer truthfully to identify and cater to their core and increase their chances of living successful lives. They include:
- Where are you right now?
- Who do you think you are?
- Where do you think you’re going?
- How do you picture your life at age 70?
She further underscored the need for women to move on from their academic successes to implementing real-life projects that are significant to them and can contribute to developing their nations and the world. “It is not about who got the best certificate. It’s about who executed their life projects the best,” she said.
The International Woman Leadership Conference brings women across Africa and the diaspora together in a place of knowledge, empowerment, and entertainment. This edition welcomed over five hundred women and A-list speakers from across the globe, exploring the theme Against all Odds.
