Mrs Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Chairman, Nigerians in Disapora Commission (NIDCOM), on Saturday urged women in different endeavours to embrace the virtue of hardwork, saying they would achieve a lot with diligence.
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Dabiri-Erewa gave the advice in a video message to the 2020 Triumphant Ladies Conference 2020 in Lagos, themed: “Focus” in commemoration on the International Women’s Day.
The NIDCOM chairman said there was no shortcut to success, saying with hardwork and determination, women could achieve their dreams and goals.
She urged women to dream big, remain focussed and work hard to achieve whatever they had set out to achieve.
Dabiri-Erewa warned women against complacency, saying that could stop them from realising their potentials.
“There is no alternative to hardwork; there is no shortcut to success. We need to be hardworking and determined to achieve our goals and succeed.
“We need to be focussed and be passionate about whatever we are doing. We should be truthful to ourselves and to others and we should never do things to please everyone,” she said.
Dabiri-Erewa urged women not to allow their family to suffer because of career and other productive activities.
She emphasised that family was important just like career as one must not suffer because of the other, urging women to ensure balance between the family and career.
Dabiri-Erewa said even as she had always been a busy woman, she still managed to spend quality time with her family.
Dabiri-Erewa said she took the decision not to contest for the fourth term as a former member of the House of Representatives to allow other people to serve.
She said women must be prepared to make tough decisions and sacrifices to succeed in life.
In her speech, Convener of the Conference, Mrs Funke Kasali, said the conference was organised to inspire women to success and make them contribute their quota more meaningfully to the society.
Kasali said: “Focus” was chosen as the theme of the conference because it was an important ingredient for success.
She urged women to be focussed on whatever they were doing, saying that was the only way they could realise their dreams.
“Also believe in what you do; don’t do things because other people are doing them. Have a vision and work toward achieving it,” she said .
Speaking, Mrs Nkechi Harry-Ngonadi, Chief Executive Officer, NHN Couture, a fashion outfit, said it was important for women to follow their dreams to be successful.
She noted that success had eluded many people because they were doing what other people were doing and not what they believed.
Harry-Ngonadi said her outfit had become a success story because she followed her passion and gave all her commitment to make it thrive.
Speaking, Mrs Olufunke Amobi, Head, Human Capital for Stanbic Holdings PLC, defined focus as having a centre of interest and clarity of purpose.
She urged women to always have a vision of what they wanted in life and work hard to achieve them.
Amobi urged women not to be distracted by failure, saying rather , they should learn from mistakes and try harder to achieve their goals.
“You need to be focussed to achieve your goals; distractions will come but when you are focussed, you are prepared for distractions.
“Be passionate about what you do; don’t look at what others are doing, follow your dreams and be the best you can be,” she said .