The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company (IKEDC), Folake Soetan, has urged women to break systemic barriers.
She further encouraged women to do things differently going forward by owning their spaces with boldness and confidence.
Soetan spoke on Saturday during a summit organised by IEDC as part of activities to commemorate International Women’s Day (IWD),
According to a statement by the Head, Corporate Communications, Ikeja Electric Plc, Kingsley Okotie, Soetan said: “In our world today, it is important to make swift and decisive efforts to break systemic barriers and biases faced by women in professional and personal spheres.”
Okotie in the statement that every year, International Women’s Day is celebrated globally with a series of activities to raise awareness and foster action on gender equality.
He added that at IKEDC, the celebration was marked with a hybrid session with A-list speakers, including Ibukun Awosika, Betty Irabor, Maye Ayida, Jummai Logun, Toyin Kekere Ekun, and Olufunke Jones, most of whom attended in person, sharing quality time and personal experiences to inspire the electricity amazons.
Awosika who is the founder of Chair Centre Group and TheLifeSeriesNg spoke extensively on women in leadership.
She emphasised the need to speed up actions that strengthen other women and open doors of greatness for them to walk through.
She said: “Never shut a door, but determine which ones are critical and those that should remain shut. Be consistent. Treat people right and respect the value that they bring to your life.
“Well before I became the first female chairperson of First Bank of Nigeria, I understood who I was, how far I wanted to go and how I wanted to finish; I was also intentional about those who were going on the journey with me.”
The publisher and founder of the Genevieve Magazine, Betty Irabor, admonished the management of the IEDC to prioritize employee well-being, which is the basis for any sustainable organisation.
Speaking based on her personal journey and with reference to the recent invasion by some Airforce officials and brutalisation of staff, she proffered strategies on how the DisCo can achieve more.
She said: “Purpose is often birthed out of pain. At this time and beyond, it is important to reach out to staff randomly and boost their mental health so they can go on to achieve the company’s goals.
“As an individual, be an inside-out person, bring validation out from within, feed your mind on positivity and be compassionate to yourself.”
This was buttressed by Maje Ayida, the CEO of Eden Lifestyle, an award-winning Health and Fitness Brand.
She said, “Women need to be intentional about training their minds just like they do their bodies. Be a L.I.O.N.: Leader. Innovative. Outspoken. Network.”
The Founder/Head Aesthetician of Skin Esthetique, Jummai Logun, shared her time-tested ideas on ageing gracefully while juggling work and life in present-day Nigeria.
She said, “Lifestyle impacts ageing; therefore, optimise your lifestyle. Consistently manage stress by practising self-care, journaling your memorable moments, prioritising positive thoughts, exercising, eating a balanced diet and getting sound sleep.
“It is also important to approach skin treatment progressively and professionally. Don’t follow the Joneses!”
The Chief Executive Officer of Lotus Financial Services, Toyin Kekere Ekun, spoke on the time value of money.
She counselled that 10% of earnings should go towards educating oneself, another 10% for enjoyment, while 5% should go to charity.
She said: “It is imperative to practise delayed gratification by developing a saving habit, differentiating between needs and wants and having a budget for all expenses.”
Olufunke Jones was on hand to reiterate the urgency for gender disparity with the basic Cs for women: Courage to learn from the past and future generations; Competence to break eligibility criteria; Compassion for self and others; Collaborative leadership instead of comparison with men; Commitment to investing in a good use of time and efforts; Consistency in positive habits and Compete equitably.
The Chief Financial Officer, of Ikeja Electric, Sequinah Akinwunmi, said: “We are indeed thankful for this well-rounded session; it is like packing several lifetimes into a book! The year 2025 is going to be quite interesting as we put all the learnings into practice to truly #AccelerateAction in our personal and professional spaces.
“Adjudged as the most gender diverse utility company in Nigeria, the sustainable future of Ikeja Electric is one that prioritises efficient service delivery and a unique customer experience driven by data and technology, bringing energy to life responsibly,” Okotie said.
