Former Vice President of World Bank, Dr. Oby Ezekwesili has said that greatness is about selfless service and not necessarily about affluence and fat banks’ accounts. She dropped this hint while delivering her lecture on the theme “Building Greatness” at the 2nd Women in Business and Leadership summit, convened by GLEEHD Foundation in Lagos, recently.
Speaking further, she observed that greatness is “the capacity to solve problems, staying true to ones purpose and values in readiness for service”.
The former Nigeria’s minister of Education noted that greatness and selfishness are not incongruence just as portfolios and occupying of public offices are not indications of greatness either. Mrs. Ezekwesili pointed out that many neglect and disdain knowledge just as they tend to mock people who have paid the price for knowledge and are at the top of their pursuits. She warned that knowledge cannot be separated from the quest for greatness as mastery is attained through deep knowledge.
Dr. Ezekwesili charged the participants to embraced partnership as a model for building lasting and sustainable business ventures, just as she identified partnership, knowledge and finance as corer resources for attaining greatness. She lamented that there are too many small businesses scattered around and that if these organisations can come into partnership and leverage on each other’s strengths they could become world class businesses. She equally commended the level of creativity shown by young people’s work, evident across the country; she is optimistic that if this trend is sustained the country and indeed the continent is bound to witness rapid economic growth.
In another vein, the president of summit and Chairperson, Advisory Board of GLEEHD Foundation, Chief Mrs. Opral Benson advised the participants to seek for knowledge at all cost as no one is too old to learn. She said she had learnt alot from her stay in Nigeria and pledges to continue to give support initiatives geared towards the empowerment of women and young people.
Mrs. Agatha Amata, CEO RaveTV and Host of the talk show, “Inside Out”, advised young women not to be liability to men, just as she urged them to embrace hard work and dignity, so they can become true models of leadership in business and career.
In his closing remarks, Executive Director, GLEEHD Foundation, Mr. Dayo Israel, pledged his foundation’s continuous support towards the empowerment of women, which according to him is a vital aspect that cannot be ignored. He disclosed that the foundation is set to empower one hundred women with start up capital to run their businesses, before the end of the year.
The three days summit had also in attendance Mrs. Onari Duke, Wife of former Cross River State Governor; Mrs. Mosun Belo Olusoga, Chairperson, Access Bank Plc, Mrs Taiwo Ajayi Lycette, Nollywood Veteran; US Consular General to Nigeria Dehab Ghebreab; Dr. Toyin Saraki, Wife of the Senate President of Nigeria; Prof Sophie Oluwole; Director General of the Industrial Training Funds; Princess Torera Oniru; Aralola the Drummer; Lepacious Bose; Dr. Mary Mary; Ndidi Nwuneli Founder LEAP Africa; Adaora Isala (MD Easy Taxi); Toyosi Ilupeju, Operations Manager Rabonni Tech; Mrs Obafunmi Ilupeju Chairman Rabonni Tech and many others.
The 2nd Annual Summit was organised by GLEEHD Foundation and The Dream Center with support from Easy Taxi, FAN Milk, Rabonni Tech, Inspiration FM, Cakes et al, Natures Gentle Touch Recare, and more.
