Jamila Nuhu Musa
7 September 2008
Former first lady, Hajiya Babangida has urged women entrepreneurs in the country to reposition and re energize the key factors critical to the nation's growth.
In a goodwill message sent to the National Association for Women Entrepreneurs, (NAWE) she observed that "women in today's Nigeria have gone beyond the realm of advocacy and have entered into the sphere of practical politics, the captainship of industries, economic power -broker ship and social engineering" and expressed delight that her programme, Better Life for Rural Women had achieved some of its objectives.
According to Mrs. Babangida, the fire stoked by 'The Better Life for the African Rural Women programme' which she instituted and promoted, is certainly, still burning with vigour amongst Nigerian women. This is also evident in the vibrancy exhibited by the members of the NAWE when they met in Abuja recently to strategise on the issue of economic development of the nation.
The Better Life Programme initiator said that any society which elevates the education, status and pursuits of its women, ultimately promotes socio economic and political development of its populace.
"These spirits of self assertion, self realization and self expression which I deliberately promoted while in the presidency through my Better Life for Women Programme, are the fruits that I see in you" she stated and urged the business women to eschew pettiness and bickering in order to move forward.
On her part, Justice Fatima Abdulsalam Abubakar who also sent a goodwill message, said that she was happy with the pace of development of the association and called on NAWE to improve the economic condition of women in the country.
The NAWE is an economic, government initiated organization for Nigerian women totally devoted to entrepreneurship development and was inaugurated in 1993. It is a unique organization of women supervised by the federal government through the ministries of women affairs and commerce and industry. It is registered with the corporate affairs commission of Nigeria and has a board of trustee.
15 years on however, the association is still battling some problems that are threatening its existence. According to Mrs. Maimuna Kolo who is its deputy national president; the issue of collateral is dragging business prospects of women in the country backward and has to be looked into for economic progress, she had stated.
Kolo expressed optimism that the 'new face' of NAWE propelled by its national president, Mrs Ada Ozongwu, would create a powerful nurturing environment to facilitate not only business growth but personal growth amongst its members and associates.
The Director General of National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), Professor Olusegun Oyeleke Adewoye an expert on women entrepreneurship, said that business women needed to be involved in practical activities to develop their skills, knowledge, consistency and have access to money without too much stress on the issue of collateral.
Adewoye who noted that women are not even appreciated as housewives and in their places of work let alone as entrepreneurs, called for massive advocacy and the education of men for them to know the worth of women in these regards and for women to excel in various fields of endeavour.
The Professor stated that "because of the labour of love women should be paid even as housewives", Adewoye noted however that though this sounds far fetched; the society should consider the proposal.
He then called for an enabling law to make business for women much easier, streamlined and more affordable to enhance their economic wellbeing and development of the country.
The National President of NAWE, Mrs. Ozongwu said that entrepreneur has a pride of place in Nigeria's vision 2020 due to its major role in economic growth and called on government to put in place workable reform policies to encourage women business activities.
Ozongwu who said that women entrepreneurs hold the key to peace in the Niger Delta, said that NAWE draws inspiration from amiable women like Mrs Maryam Babangida, Justice Fatima Abdulsalam Abubakar, Alhaja Abibatu Asabi Mogaji, a formidable Lagos market leader and others, hence the award given to them in recognition of their contributions to the development of the country.
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