Nigeria’s most innovative bank, Wema Bank Plc , has again advanced the cause of gender equality by sponsoring 40 career women for a mentoring programme aimed at helping them excel at their work places, break barriers to growth, and help them achieve professional and career success.
The mentoring programme was facilitated by the renowned international speaker and coach, Mr. Fela Durotoye who co-opted some 10 power women who have achieved success in their various fields in the corporate world.
Presenting the certificate of completion to the women at the 2023 International Women’s Day event organised by Wema Bank Plc with the theme “Embrace Equity” yesterday, the Managing Director of the bank, Mr. Moruf Oseni, congratulated them for successfully completing the programme.
“What we are trying to do is to give what I call equity to the women, trying to give equal footing to the women. A lot of products are developed towards this end – savings product, loan product – and a lot of them will be unveiled in the course of time”, Oseni said.
As an equal opportunity employer, Oseni said Wema Bank practises gender equality within its fold through non discriminatory recruitment, promotion, Placement, among others. He added that women have added value to the bank.
Speaking on the mentorship project, Durotoye said the women underwent a six-week course which covered various aspects of development training, empowerment and goal setting and achievement.
According to him, men have an edge in the gender race after several years of women’s suppression and subjugation, pointing out that correcting the inequality requires effective measures to bridge the gap through equal access to loan, granting them rights to promotion, among others.
The key note speaker, Mrs Audrey Joe-Ezigbo, urged the women to work towards breaking the barriers that hold them back in the corporate world.
According to her, equity in the work place is crucial as studies have shown that more women in leadership position brings about better corporate performance.
The 2023 edition of the International Women’s Day celebration put together by Wema Bank attracted women from diverse background to drive the conversation on women’s economic, mental and social development.
