The chairman, Airtel Africa Foundation Dr Segun Ogunsanya, and group executive director of Rain Oil Limited, Godrey Ogbechie, have urged Nigerians to embrace authenticity, resilience and hard work as essential ingredients for success despite life's imperfections and setbacks.
They spoke at the fourth edition of "Imperfectly Awesome Conversations" held at the Muson Centre, Lagos, where professionals, entrepreneurs, students and business leaders gathered under the theme, "Be Enough."
Ogunsanya, who is the former managing director of Airtel Nigeria and Airtel Africa, challenged the notion of perfection, stressing that imperfection is a universal human reality.
"None of us arrived here perfectly put together," he said. "We arrived looking renewed, reshaped. Some look bruised. There's imperfection everywhere."
Follow us on WhatsApp | LinkedIn for the latest headlines
Speaking on resilience, he described it as the ability to keep moving forward despite challenges rather than simply recovering from them.
"Resilience doesn't shout. It whispers, 'try again, try again,"' he said, adding that faith often provides the strength needed to persevere during difficult times.
According to him, resilience does not eliminate hardship but enables individuals to continue despite obstacles.
"It means you choose not to stop. Because when you stop, you drown," he said.
Ogunsanya recounted a high-pressure experience involving a major presentation in Barcelona, Spain, where travel complications nearly prevented his participation. He said the incident taught him to see setbacks as temporary disruptions rather than permanent failures.
"Resilience was not pushing at all. It was the need to stay steady. It meant reframing setbacks as data, not defeat," he said.
Reflecting on his corporate career, Ogunsanya revealed that he nearly resigned despite becoming one of the few Black chief executives leading a Fortune 100 company's African operations.
"I nearly quit. But I stayed," he said.
He also recalled the scepticism that greeted the introduction of 4G technology in Africa, noting that persistence and adaptability were key to overcoming resistance.
"Tenacity is what happens when you refine your approach instead of abandoning it," he stated.
On leadership and personal values, Ogunsanya stressed that authenticity remains critical for sustainable success.
"To succeed in life, you must be an authentic person. You must be true to yourself," he said.
Responding to questions during the interactive session, he dismissed claims that entrepreneurship is superior to corporate leadership, maintaining that both paths can lead to success depending on individual goals and values.
"Success is not just in terms of the dollar or the naira. Be clear about how you measure success and be clear about who you are," he said.
He also underscored the importance of mentorship in leadership.
"The true test of a leader is how many other leaders you have groomed," he added.
Ogbechie, in her remarks, spoke about discipline, responsibility and overcoming personal insecurities.
She revealed that she still intends to pursue a doctorate at the age of 60, inspired by her grandmother who returned to school in her seventies to learn how to read the Bible independently.
"My grandmother, who is one of my biggest inspirations, went back to school when she was over 70 years old," she said.
Ogbechie also reflected on growing up in a family of five daughters and the responsibilities she assumed following the death of her father.
She criticised what she described as declining work ethics among younger generations, warning against dependence on shortcuts and technology at the expense of diligence.
"It doesn't matter how much AI and things become easy. We must not forget the principles of hard work and consistently showing up," she said.
She encouraged participants to eliminate habits such as laziness and procrastination to achieve personal growth and success.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
Ogbechie also urged individuals battling self-doubt not to disqualify themselves from opportunities because of perceived imperfections.
"I used to refuse speaking engagements because I felt I didn't have a pleasant-sounding voice," she disclosed.
Convener of the event, Dr Lola Bamigbaiye, said the platform was created to challenge unrealistic standards of perfection and encourage people to embrace their humanity while striving for growth.
"We've been campaigning that we're enough," she said. "Being enough is the new currency we need to start spending in today's world."
She urged participants to see failure as part of the learning process rather than a permanent setback.
"It's okay to fall. It's okay to fail. But failing is not the issue. It's the ability to get up and learn from it," Bamigbaiye said.
The event ended with speakers and participants reinforcing the importance of authenticity, hard work and perseverance in navigating personal and professional challenges.
