By Eric Elezuo

The Business Club, Ikeja, has held its lively monthly business luncheon for the month of March with fanfare and exquisite lectures, praising the contributions of women as well identified challenges they face in business.

The event, which took place at the club’s arena on Hakeem Balogun Street, Alausa, Ikeja, was themed Women in Business: The Challenges, and brought together notable wave making women in entrepreneurship, academics, and other sundry endeavours.

Kick-starting the gathering of achievers and would be achievers, the anchor, Dr  Adesola Falaiye, invited Mr. Olashore Adegboyega for the opening prayer after which the Chief Host and President of Business Club, Ikeja, Mr. Adeleke Odude, gave his welcome address.

In his address, he intimated the audience that the essence of the gathering was to celebrate and appreciate the existence of women, especially those in business, saying women are the reason behind the existence of mankind in general.

He noted that the luncheon was basically to ‘network, meet new clients and customers and eat lunch’.

Presenting her keynote address, the guest speaker, who is the Group Managing Director/CEO, UACN Plc, Mrs. Omolara Elemide, noted that women have made giant strides in men dominated world, and as a result should be celebrated. She reasoned that roles of both genders and biological tendencies should not lead to crisis but compliment each other.

She identified the challenges of women in business to include gender discrimination, which most times according to her, is carried out unconsciously.

“To be successful, female leaders should remain firm to themselves and calling, no matter the name they are called,” she said.

More challenges, according to her, are balancing business and family life and fear of failure, especially when it depends on livelihood, weak salary among others.

Lending credence to Mrs. Elemide’s assertion, the panel of discussants comprising Deputy President, Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Mrs. Toki Mabogunje and Managing Consultant, Simply Exponential Consults Ltd., Mrs. Fayo Williams, agreed that women actually face challenges in doing business.

While Mrs. Mabogunje was quick to identify problem of mobility and credit issues as major challenges, she also advised women to always network wherever they find themselves as well as learn to delegate duties and be open to all and sundry.

Using her personal experience as analogy, Mrs. Williams told the women not to be limited to the choice of vocation, saying that catering, tailoring and head dressing are not rubber stamped vocation for women. She said that waste management is also a veritable vocation for the womenfolks to explore among many other fields.

The speeches were followed by the launch of the club’s badge, and the guest speakers were decorated and presented with plaques for a job well done.

Among other notable personalities present at the event were the Chairman, Vitafoam Nigeria, Mr. Dele Makanjola, Council Members of Business Club, Ikeja, Honorary Secretary of the Club, Mr. Peter Folikwe; the Treasurer, Alhaji Adefule; Chairman, Membership Committee, Mr. Adelaja among others.

In his vote of thanks, Mr. Folikwe, appreciated everyone that turned up for the occasion as well as all the sponsors including Vitafoam, Patorisky Industrial Planners and many more.

The closing prayer was said by Mrs Rachel Ogolo, bringing the event to a glorious end while networking continued.