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| Theresa May |
Prime Minister to join Germany’s resilient Angela Merkel and the prospects of
Hillary Clinton emerging Barak Obama’s successor in the United States later in
November, the world may indeed be seeing the last days of male chauvinism in
global politics. In the times ahead, men will be left with no choice than
accept the loss of power to their gender opposite in the new world order.
Back home, a great many of our resourceful
ladies are surely making great advances in commerce and public service far more
than the nation seems willing to acknowledge.
Two good examples are Mrs. Catherine Orobosa
Agba and Mrs. Yemi Keri (YK) who turned 50 Thursday and Wednesday respectively.
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| Louis Odion |
A little start-up Mrs. Agba set up many years
ago in the humblest of circumstances has today morphed into Oak Exclusive
Designs, a big player in the country’s bourgeoning corporate branding sector.
Though she originally obtained a degree in Language from then Bendel State
University (now Ambrose Alli University) in 1987, she proceeded to chart a
different course for herself in the business world. Apart from Oak, Mrs. Agba,
married to Prince Clem Agba (current Edo Commissioner of Environment), today
sits on the boards of many blue chip companies.
Mrs. Keri’s story is no less inspiring. She is
presently the Consultant, ICT unit of the National Pensions Commission. But her
glory preceded her present station. There is no way the history of the ICT
revolution mounted by the Adams Oshiomhole administration in Edo State would be
written without Keri occupying a giant space.
With regards to the automation of governance
processes in Edo State between 2008 and 2015, credit for the success recorded
by the ICT agency belongs substantially to a team of technocrats whose focus
and tenacity gave life to the dream of the political authority. YK led this
cell of torchbearers as the Managing Director. A first-class professional, her
resilience at the hands of jaded bureaucrats allergic to reforms, her can-do
spirit over the wiles and treachery of beneficiaries of the old order, helped
steer Oshiomhole’s reforms to fruition.
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| Angela Merkel |
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| Hillary Clinton |
She typifies the Nigerian repatriate who
parlays specialized knowledge acquired overseas to add value to his/her
fatherland. She obtained her first degree in Accounting in Nigeria before
proceeding to the United States to cap it with a Master’s in Information
Technology from the prestigious American InterContinental University, Illinois.
She received further training in Management at the London School of Economics
and Political Science. Thereafter, she worked with SAP, world’s leading
Business Process Solution Provider, as the Regional Director for West Africa.
From there, she became Managing Director of FCB, a subsidiary of Centrespread
FCB, South Africa’s advertising giant. Before returning to Nigeria to work for
her native Edo State.
Here is wishing the two amazons many more
years of fulfillment in service to the country and many happy return of the day.
