The Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) Limited says it has some of the most remarkable women in the Nigerian workspace and these very remarkable women were at the centre of its success story.

The foremost gas company in Nigeria said it identifies with the global accolades for the dexterity, versatility, courage and strength of women and their very critical role in social cohesion and nation building.

NLNG’s General Manager, Production, Falade Adeleye said this last night during a Special Dinner to celebrate the International Women’s Day 2020 in Bonny.  

Represented by the company’s Operations Manager, Goke Korede, the GM Production referred to some of the women in the company including the wives of the Managing Director, Oma Attah, and Deputy Managing Director, Fatima Mai-Bornu, GM External Relations, Eyono Fatayi-Williams, GM Human Resources, Eucharia Ezeani, Manager, Corporate Affairs, Sophia Horsfall, among several others, as being key to the growth of the company.

“These are fantastic women, strong women, focused women, very fantastic women that have continued to do great things that help drive NLNG towards the excellent company it is today. They have been doing remarkable things, changing our world and making it a better place to live.”

“For the value you have continued to add to NLNG, I say thank you. Thank you for the kind of things you have done together, you compete in a world where men have dominated in a long time. But I am happy to say this is your time and, indeed, this is your time. I believe that for a company to have these wonderful women that I have told you today in our business, in our world, it can only get better.”

He thanked the women for the exponential growth the company has witnessed in the past years, noting that it underscored the high value women can bring to the table when given the opportunity, stressing that NLNG, as a corporate body, is pro-women and has continued to remove the barriers that limit the premium contributions women can make to corporate progress.

Wife of the Managing Director, Oma Attah praised the women for their unity of purpose, undaunting courage and sustained value addition in their various endeavours, noting that on a day set aside globally to acknowledge the enviable role of women in corporate and domestic environments, it was necessary for women understand their worth and value in the society, urging them to “look in the mirror and tell yourself, ‘I love you’.”

Also speaking, wife of the Deputy Managing Director, Fatima Mai-Bornu enjoined the women to continue to appreciate their intrinsic value, and boundless opportunities for success where there is unity and a collective sense of purpose amongst them, noting that “as women, we need to actively listen to each other and support ourselves”.  

Ace comedian, Oluwatoyin Albert, also known as DatWarriGirl was the master of ceremony at the dinner attended by the Vice Chairman of Bonny Local Government Area, Anengi Barasua, Leader of the Bonny Legislative Assembly, Miriam Hart, Woman Leader of Bonny Kingdom, Helen Jack-Wilson Pepple, wife of former member of the House of Representatives, Ibinye Randolph-Brown, among others.

Globally, March 8 every year is a day set aside by the United Nations since 1977 to celebrate the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. This year’s theme: “Each for Equal” denotes an enabled world where everyone can help to create a gender equal world, challenging stereotypes, fighting bias, broadening perceptions, improving situations and celebrating women’s achievements.

In her keynote address at the dinner, Executive Director of Women in Management, Business and Public Service (WIMBIZ), Hansatu Adegbite challenged women to pursue the bigger objectives of achieving more in their endeavours by thinking futuristically.

She urged them to invest in developing themselves by way of competence, capabilities and versatility, stressing that the equality being promoted in this year’s theme was synonymous with competition, advising them to be solution-oriented in their endeavours.

“You need to be affecting more lives, graduate from a glass cup to a tanker, and bring solutions to more people around you. Where you are is not your final destination and it is not too late to start to work on yourself. There is nothing on this earth you want to learn today for free that you cannot learn. Use your time to learn something.”

“Be a solution to something. From the comfort of your room, be thinking solutions. Don’t give any excuses but qualify yourself to get to the next level and your next height because for there to be equality you need to equip yourself. Nobody is looking for benchwarmers but competitors. For you to be relevant you have to be thinking ahead of your time, you have to be thinking futuristically.”

The Bonny Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (BOCCIMA) had earlier on Friday, March 6, 2020 organized, in conjunction with the RA Ladies Association, a Seminar on Ease of Doing Business with US Companies, where its Director General, Constance Nwokejiobi disclosed that it was working to expand the scope of opportunities available to women to empower them economically.   

There were special performances by children from the RA International School and the Morning Star Eremina-Ogbo Dance Troupe, among several other varieties during the event.