FBA Foundation holds 2nd cohort induction, calls for parity in workplace

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Chuks Udo Okonta

The Funmi Babington-Ashaye (FBA) Foundation has held its Second Cohort Induction as part of its activities to mark this year’s International Women Day celebration just as it advocated for equality in the workplace.

In her opening remarks at the event which took place virtually and physically recently, Coach Lola Adeleye, President, FBA Mentoring Programme, charged the inductees to make good use of the programme to acquire more knowledge to become full fledge 360-degree woman.

“Today marks the begging of an exciting moment in your life as you embark on the path of growth, learning and developing with exciting guidance and support from your mentors.

“As inductees you have been chosen because of your potential, your eagerness to learn and desire to make a positive impact in your life and the lives of other people.

“Over the next few months, you will have the opportunity to work closely with your mentors and engage in meaningful conversation to learn and receive guidance and feedback that will help you to develop the right expertise and skills to achieve your objective

“I urge you to make the most of this opportunity by being proactive, by demonstrating the willingness to learn and to grow. Remember that your mentors are here to support. Ultimately, it’s up to you to take ownership of your development.

“The question is no longer do you have a mentor? Because you already have them. The question is how are you going to maximize your mentoring. I want each one of you to take that question away. I will give you two ways that you can do that.

“Firstly, the responsibility lies with you by being prepared. How are you going to be prepared? Take the initiative to schedule your session with your mentor: be punctual, complete the session forms.

“The second way to maximize your mentoring is to take action by telling your mentor: here is what you told me. Here is what I heard. Here is what I heard you say. Here is what I did. Did I do it right? Could I improve on it? You could say these are my wins and these are my challenges and now can I ask you more questions? Could you help me on this and that now?

“My desire, the desire of the Executive of this Foundation, the desire of the mentors is that every one of you will leave this progamme as fully fledge 360 women.

“It means that you will be wonderfully wise, working with grace, overcoming with smiles on your face, walking majestic in your movement, commanding and ambitious in your pursuits, never neglecting to nurture those that comes around. As a 360 woman, you will not be afraid to speak your mind and doing it respectfully. Never let other people define you.

Addressing the inductees, the Chairman/Founder of FBA Foundation who is also the Managing Director/ CEO of Risk Analyst Insurance Brokers Limited, Dr (Mrs) Funmi Babington-Ashaye, commended the President of the Foundation, Coach Lola Adeleye, for her contribution to the Foundation event as she thanked the Mentors for the great works they have been doing over the years.

While welcoming the new inductee, she told them that they are in for a new beginning for transformation, a new beginning in the way they are going to carry themselves going forward.

She said the Foundation started ten years ago, but the Mentoring programme started five years ago, adding that she started the Foundation to contribute to the growth of womanhood and humanity at large.

She said last year, the Foundation inducted the first Cohort, adding that this is the second cohort to be inducted by the foundation.

She assured the inductees for an exciting experience during the programme even as she told them how she was mentored by other women who are professional in their fields.

While welcoming them to the programme, Dr. Funmi Babington Ashaye charged the inductees to make good use of the opportunity to improve themselves professionally and spiritually into a full fledge 360-degree woman.

The Guest Speaker, Dr. Henrietta Onwuegbuzie, Director of the Business Innovation Accelerator (BIA), and Project Director for the Impact Investing initiative at Lagos Business School, speaking on ‘Technology and the 360-degree woman,’ charged the inductees to make good use of the availability of technology to maximize their potentials and impact their worlds positively.

She defined Technology as application of scientific knowledge for personal purposes.

According to her, today you don’t need to have a shop before you start a business, but with your smart phone, internet connection, you can do that.

She listed the types of technology to include artificial intelligence, information technology, space technology, entertainment technology, medical technology, operational technology, assistive technology and communication technology.

Dr. Henrietta said technology is used to make something faster, better and cheaper.

While charging the inductees to focus on value creation and solving problems in order to make impact in their chosen fields, she said “The core of entrepreneurship is value creation by providing solutions to problems and needs of humanity.”

She added, “More you are able to solve problems, the more impactful and the more people will like to buy your products. This is the secret of business success. Every problem is a potential business opportunity.”

The characteristics of a 360-degree woman, according to her, include spirituality, value and competence, adding that a 360-degree woman is balanced spiritually, values and competence.

She enjoined the inductees to strive for excellence adding that women are respected because of their achievement/impact, and ability to make a difference, without allowing their sex to be an obstacle for them.

While advocating for equality in workplace, Dr. Henrietta said that Boards with more women perform better, adding that global gross domestic product (GDP) can increase by 26 percent to $12 trillion by advancing parity in workplace even as she defined equality as “a state of being equal, especially in status, rights and opportunity.”