It would seem that Corporate Nigeria has not done much to give women a chance in the Boardroom.
The few women we hear about that are big corporate players appear to be only 'tokens' by the 'Old Boy Establishment' to tick the gender statistics boxes.
Looking at this picture taken at Zenith Bank's recent AGM, with just one woman visible at the 'high table' and invariably in the Boardroom, you will begin to wonder what becomes of all those lady marketers who sweat blood to mobilise deposits, the live wire of Nigeria's banking system.
What happens to them? Why are many not making it to the top? This is really discouraging.
If we use Zenith Bank as an example, it is obvious that Nigerian women really have a 'long long long' way to go. Perhaps a gender biased and 'affirmative action' type policy may be required in the short to medium term to address this.
And please guys, don't call me a feminist.
Written by Uche Nworah
*Hmmm!!!.....This is a food for thought!!
The women are at home, cooking soup and taking care of the children
ReplyDeleteI beg to differ. This isn't true. On what statistics do you base ur argument? Contrary to this, I think women have really stepped up in the corporate world. We have women as top players in most conglomerates. It's a fact.
DeleteThis one has come again, abi?
ReplyDeleteUche nworah, how u doing?
ReplyDeleteUche nworah, how u doing?
ReplyDeleteEnough of this gender equality thing abeg.
ReplyDeleteI hope you are not a woman, gender equality thing right? Don't worry. The day comes in every nigerian woman's life when gender equality thing is prayed for. Let these weak men deceive you. While they fly abroad and wash pant for the women who have gender equality rights.
DeleteSeen
ReplyDeleteChoi. Nigeria my country
ReplyDeleteNigerian women should concentrate on taking good care of their homes and family.
ReplyDeleteBut most women will always want to overthrow the men. That's the main reason why their horsebands ends up cheating on them
I agree like 80percent
DeleteSexiest mother I pray you don't pass down such trash to your children. They are going to be in a world were their mates will be flying high and their only aspirations will be cooking for a man that will possibly be following a high flying woman. Do better nne.
DeleteMaybe if women worked just as hard as the men they'd move up the ladder.
ReplyDeleteIn my organization, majority of the big shots are women and they didn't get there by resting on their oars expecting crumbs from the men. They took charge.
Thank you!
Delete'Affirmative action' my foot! Anybody who works hard should get what they deserve, male or female.
Women are working harder and are going places.
So in some people's mind, we should just reserve a juicy percentage for women whether they deserve it or not.
In other climes, women struggle to climb the ladder from the bottom with the men and struggle to get to the top with the men. They are not carried there by affirmative anything.
Adaora baby I see u!
ReplyDeleteStella, how can women get to the top with marriage, child birth, motherly and wifely duties? There is also sexual harrassment from male bosses, if you don't give in, no promotion for you.
ReplyDeleteMost of those who get there are widows, divorcees or single matured women.
I left my job after marriage and also tried working in a company after having my daughter but ended up stopping after 3months. The stress of dressing us up in the morning, preparing her food, dropping her in the creche before going to work by 5:30am and then picking her up in the night when I return, take care of her, cook and prepare for the next day was just too much. There was no relative to live with us and we couldn't afford a nanny neither did we want housegirl wahala. I emaciated and looked stressed and old, my baby also was looking sick. I had to stop and start teaching job where they pay less than 20k and there is no future there. It is well.
If not for marriage, I would still maintain the job that I was doing before marriage which took me to different states, by now I would be heading a State. My male colleagues whom we started together who are still there are now regional managers. How many Nigerian man will allow his wife to be traveling up and down spending up to two weeks on each trip?
So you had the option of not getting married, divorcing your husband or killing him but you chose instead to resign and take care of your home. That's on you babe.
DeleteMany married women are doing it. You just have to find a balance.
Women please stop making excuses.
No one says a man can't stay at home to take care of his family while the woman earns.
Priorities people, you just didn't value your job.
You were a banker? Couldn't get a relation to live with you? Not even a sibling? Now your meagre salary is a cause for concern? Wow. This touched me.
DeleteBut honestly the husbands are not helping matters especially if he's Igbo. Allowing you travel out of the country for a 2 weeks refresher course is like squeezing water out of the stone. My hubby doesn't either even when his Mum has agreed to step in the gap, for where? forgetting that positions and promotions come through WHAT you can proffer not how many years you've been in the company, especially private firms.
God will help us. Once the Power Sector gets an overhaul, companies will be revived again and job opportunities will crop up. Hold on to your CV, it counts.
You women are so careless. You leave your lives and the lives of your children in the hands of men who you don't trust to not cheat on you or put you or your kids as next of kin. If you had the will you wouldn't be giving these excuses. Too many widows are languishing because of giving up work after marriage. Please go and start a business. Or make sure you have your ass covered. If not for you, for that precious child. On this same blog, you say all men cheat and you allow yourself be financially dependent on these same men? I don't know when women will learn.
DeleteAnd yes Stella concerning that your suggestion on IHN the other day that people should go and apply for one school job like that instead of home tutor, schools don't pay well, they will use you and drain you and pay you as low as 10k or even 8k. Home tutor will fetch you as much as 10k to 20k or more per child, and you don't have to work for anyone, it is flexible, you set your own time table.
ReplyDeleteWomen should please go and sit down.
ReplyDeleteUna want equality with the men.
But if una see common rat for house. Una go run. dey call man make he come kill am.
James, once again...go and give your big brother his fun. SDK is for grownups. You speak like a child.
DeleteWomen should be their own boss, open a company and be in charge of it.
ReplyDeleteSinging be your own boss, be ur own boss. Cos if u re ur own boss, u will have quality time for ur family and children instead of travelling up and down all because u re working for a company that might not even see the positive impact that u re contributing to the company all because of their selfish interest.
I dont believe in working for anybody. I believe in being my own boss. Simple.
God bless you!
DeleteBless you too @D
DeleteNot everybody wants to do that and who will work for you? Men alone? Get real
DeleteAll I see is Madam Adaora. God bless you ma. Your good deed to me will forever be remembered. To think you never even met me in person! You will continue to soar no matter what nay sayers think. Love you.
ReplyDeleteJames can u just shut up for once? Are you gay?
ReplyDeleteUche God bless you. Look at Zenith Bank only Ms Adaora Umeoji in a big establishment like Zenith Bank. This is worrisome. Let's not bring into play the fire that they will be using to smoke her ass. Queries upon queries yet she will still be in top form. Ife ana eme adiro easy. God save you if you're Igbo too. You are automatically a THREAT to every gaddam staff.
ReplyDeleteSince 1st of April I got moved to another floor for another position. It's getting hotter and tougher but I've sworn to get to the peak before I quit and go into entrepreneurship. *onwero onye cholu ka aga nya*(nobody wan make dem pass am), but funny enough the women are more intelligent and target-driven. The men keep hating. Now some respond to my greeting with just a nod. Hahaha. I send? Back door lift ti take over, where dem wan see my face?
Nigeria Corporate World...difficult crazy terrain. Thread cautiously as a woman or you are OUT.
James, you gats chill. Lol.... errm, how do you address such an issue? The truth is, unless one of the parents has time for the kids, the family will be dysfunctional. Majority of us wouldn't be half as smart as we are now if both our parents were always busy when we were kids. In this 21st century, a lot of things can go wrong. I don't have to tell you the kind of horror a maid can unleash on your child neither do I have to inform you of what the Internet can teach your children while you are not there to monitor their activities when using it. Our parents did their best but you and I know we knew things we shouldn't have at certain ages. Perhaps if our dads had our time, the fear or respect for him would curb us from doing some experiments we were too young to do back then. I don't want to bring religion into this but I don't think God was drunk when he cursed Adam to till the ground to feed his family and he also dashed women their fair share of curse. Now you people want to carry the men's curse on your head and abandon your own curse for who abeg?... lol. All these baby mama saga going on is as a result of bad parenting. How about we think things through, hun?
ReplyDeleteThis is my topic for my thesis.It is so annoying.I am trying to find out why women are not promoted or receiving the same level of treatment as their male counterpart in corporate world.So sad
ReplyDeleteIt is easy when you are still unmarried. Once you are married with kids how do you cope? So you can be career driven or family driven. You just have to choose.
ReplyDeleteStella its not in all banks. The bank I worked, has a lot of women on their Board, infact most of the VP's are even women. Regional heads like half are women. Infact my two bosses where women, I even wished for men as the women were a pack of witches.
ReplyDeleteAll the women I reported to where women, and so wicked. It was when for a short period I worked with men, that was when I had peace. They wld even treat me as a baby in the team. When you work with men there is a difference.
It's not as if women don't advance in the banking sector, a guy we resumed same day. I even got promoted before him.
What happens is along the way as women get married, have kids. Some of them leave the sector like me. Or some of them just go into business. I hate hearing dis women equality shit at work, because I for one I have never had a man favoured above me at work. Never
And forget all this prostitution story, I never experienced such. I am not saying it doesn't happen, but its not in all banks and ladies that go into such, its because they have no morals themselves. They have probably been prostituting since school, and they know no other way to excel. Last last, you have your certificate, its quite easy to enter into another bank once you have the experience. I know ppl who have worked in 5different banks. Its not a do or die affair.
You have said it all.
DeleteWomen always bringing up excuses for their laziness.
You either work hard or stay down.
If you sleep your way to the top it's a choice and it's simply because the man knows the lady in question has nothing to offer than her body.
True that
DeleteThe woman who is up there is up there because she DESERVES to be. You think she got there by having just B.sc? Do you know how many other degrees and professional certificates she's got? Not to mention how she's improved herself over the years. I am sick of us women always playing the victim.
ReplyDeleteThey also said women never become Rear Admirals in the Navy...until one did. She worked for it, deserved it and got it. Enough already!!!!!!! Spare us the sob story and go earn the things you want. Jeez!!!
Tell them! Excuses galore! Instead of you people to build your career before u Marry so any man that meets you already knows what he's in for, you will be rushing to marry at 26 when your career is just spreading its wings. Later you come and give us sob stories.
DeleteAnon 12.39, forget it women are excelling a lot in d corporate world, even in business. Some of dese Alhajas that sell Lace in Balogun or sell provisions, don't underestimate them o. Some of them bring in containers worth 100s of millions. So many women are bread winners in their homes.
ReplyDeleteA lot can't be in the corporate world cos of marriage and kids. So many women that wld have excelled, their certificate has never been used. My friend that is a lawyer, with Masters from the UK, she hasn't used her certificate for one day. She got pregnant and got married straight after school. Her certificate is collecting dust in her cupboard. If she had worked, she wld have probably been a senior partner by now. But it's only the home that she knows now. While the husband is succeeding in his own field.
Even Stella for example, she has a family which is her no1 priority. When Linda is blogging till 1am, stella has to look after her family. Which should be every woman's priority in life. Therefore Linda will seem to be excelling more, bcos she has the time. Thou I prefer SDK thru rain or shine, but Linda is more prominent. And probably makes more.
Family is the no1 priority of Stella like most women. That is your problem, our careers will always come 2nd.
My dear, those alhajas I fear them oh! They are taking billions!! Leave.... If you do business well , with the same type of sense you can use to do climb up a ladder in the corporate world, you can't be poor.
DeleteNice. Family should always be ones first priority for married peeps. I like that
DeletePlease Stella has many years of working experience before delving into private practice. She doesn't mention it often.
DeleteIn Cosmetics Line in Balogun and at the Trade Fair Complex 60% is dominantly women. Flora Truworths - Clear Essence and Barr Ezeokeke - Olay Brands are women holding it down real time.
The truth is that in the Corporate world your Certifications take you up not your Certificates. Earn and reinvest in your Career and watch the opportunities creep in.
Women in your early and mid twenties get married. Have your kids when you still have energy. Then career follows when they ve started growing. Nine to five is not for everyone. Start to think about your true passions/potentials etc. Lesson for the upcoming. Start early. It helps. So that before you are thirty you give your uterus some rest. You body bounces back and true life begins. If you have no interest in getting married or having kids, as soon as you leave school you get on that ladder and work it!
ReplyDeleteSome organisations make it easy like oil and gas and some ngos but they don't always last forever. Sudden redundancy etc. Your husbands also play a huge role. There's the secure supportive ones and there's the insecure unsupportive. The live with the hand you are dealt or well pray your way into a better scenario.
Adaora I see you. Wow the sacrifice you've had to make to be there. Lord help your children!
I hear you. Early 20s and mid 20s you say? Laughable dear. Very laughable. That is the apex of your PRIME sef. Your focus should be on building your educational foundation and career. In the whole of this or rather in the long run, people remember where you once WORKED not what you sell.
DeleteMany log in here once they hear Stella Dimoko-Korkus formerly with Encomium Magazine. Majority of her bvs are Mature and in anonymous mode assisting in on way or the other, I don't think she owns all the write ups. Let light come first, no be this one wey una dey talk. My mum was working all through and still running the Best Tuck Shop in the Staff Schools, city after city as transfer demanded. What she needed was 4 freezers and 2 sales ladies. Companies delivered and freezers were in top form. And some chops and munches baked and delivered everymorning by herself. The returns were something else.You can work and run your small business concurrently.
Let God rescue the power sector and all other things will follow.
Xhlrted p, I have been reading your comments and the message you are passing is the problem with the country, this way of thinking you need a white collar job to be something in life either male or female is why we are where we are today. Even after all Stella has achieved, you seem to think working for Encomium Magazine is her greatest achievement yet and that she wouldn't be where she is now if she never worked for the great Encomium. Now that's pretty laughable if you ask me. Please people don't be misled into thinking working for a big firm is the only thing that can make you a great woman in life because that way of thinking is why you are where you are. If truly you think you are equal to men why not work to create the next Facebook or Microsoft and have your name rewritten boldly in history rather than fighting to get to the top of a company that would never be yours. I'm a man and I can tell you that's how we think, the alpha among us would rather be the creator of something great than to be a part of one. When two or more women earn the Albert Einstein, Bill Gates and Nelson Mandela status, then we would take you serious.
Delete
ReplyDeleteMadam Adaora... I see you!
Such a wonderful woman...
May God continue to bless you most especially for the kiddies xmas party you hold every year at your beautiful mansion in Asokoro
Chukwu gozie gi...
F
EVERYBODY WILL and cannot NOT OWN A BUSINESS. The business owners we have in this country already are an eyesore. You can't run businesses well. Please you can work for someone and make it and become CEO. Some people will be business owners others will work for them. It is life. And the problem is when Nigerians are lazy, everybody is "into" the same thing. Catering becomes big, everybody becomes a caterer. No innovative thought among you young people. Just quick money and not wanting to work for anyone. You think life is like that, get real people. These people shouting own a business can't even run their own yet you want to tell someone else to leave their employment to own a business like you who borrows from the salary earner every month. If you want to have a business please do something you are good in and be dedicated. Even half of the IHN advertisers are so lousy, you will not return calls, you lack customer service...horrible business acumen.
ReplyDeleteNigerian women are generally not able to climb to the top because they are too busy looking for husband and listening to these small boys who say they will intimidate men when they strive for success. They settle for low level positions and then marry and suffer, while looking down on the successful woman who will end up donating to you when your wretched horseband decides to go and follow another woman or beats you in the name of financial frustration. The successful men won't look your way because they do not want liability. Wake up ladies...go and achieve, God is the one who give good husbands. Use the talent he has given you and in good time you will get a good man. You settle for bad husband, settle for meagre positions...just generally losing all around. Its sad.
ReplyDeleteNigerian women are generally not able to climb to the top because they are too busy looking for husband and listening to these small boys who say they will intimidate men when they strive for success. They settle for low level positions and then marry and suffer, while looking down on the successful woman who will end up donating to you when your wretched horseband decides to go and follow another woman or beats you in the name of financial frustration. The successful men won't look your way because they do not want liabilities. Wake up ladies...go and achieve, God is the one who gives good husbands. Use the talent he has given you and in good time you will get a good man. You settle for bad husbands, settle for meagre positions...just generally losing all around. Its sad.
ReplyDelete