To make global impact, women must embrace reading, technology

In a world where life seems better lived around science and technology, with ordinary buying and selling now more lucrative, people selling their capabilities internationally, and more surprisingly, life partners being acquired these days through the social media, there is need for Nigerians most especially, women to get on board and make the most of this trend.

The need to address some of the issues undermining the women, while ensuring they are empowered so as to make meaningful impact in the evolution the world is experiencing, formed the back bone of the 2015 women conference tagged “Empowering Women For Global Impact”.

The conference which was organised by the Daughters Of Destiny(DOD) International, ended last Saturday at the SEE Event Centre, Lekki Epe Expressway, Lagos.

All the speakers at the conference were unanimous in their belief that education and reading are key factors to women empowerment and when empowered, all their weaknesses disappear. DOD founder, Apostle Busola Jegede who charged women to read wide and embrace technology, noted that to imbibe attitude of reading, one can begin by reading one chapter of a book every day and see oneself progressing. She declared that only meaningful materials have the capability of developing any woman’s capacity.

“Do not limit your thinking, do not be timid be bold. Embrace ideas that will break the bone of poverty in your families and at the same time, change negative mind sets.” She noted. Also, to excel in any chosen field, she advised that women should inject motivation into their brands stressing that it is a must that women embrace technology because that’s the dimension the world is going. “Make your brand globally accessible, make positive inquiries as regards the business or services you wish to go into and above all, be a planner and avoid distractions.” She advised.

To utilise their full potentials, one of the speakers at the conference, Rev. Mrs Adeyinka Badejo advised women to get education, brush up themselves and make reading a part of their life. According to her, “Some women who married as illiterate, even after 3 or 4 children, never gave up but went back to school to acquire formal education because they know the essence of being educated in a technology based age.”

She enjoined women to avail themselves of any opportunity provided through trainings, workshops, seminars, and programmes that will take them beyond their present level. For both mental and intellectual development, Rev. Badejo said that every woman needs a mentor who must be a shinning example to be looked up to, someone who has gone through a lot but still standing.

She added that becoming literate must be taken beyond mere reading and writing stressing that women’s mental and intellectual faculty must be developed through reading. “Interact with intellectuals so as to tap from their wealth of knowledge. Read sound and sane books which will give you good perspective about life and to understand others perspective or opinion or better still, how they got to the enviable position they occupy.” She echoed.

Another speaker, Rev. Gbemi Olaleye also harped on the need for women to imbibe the culture of reading any material that will add value to their life. Considering the evolution of social media, Olaleye advised that women should take advantage of the platforms available on the internet and impact positively on themselves before thinking of mobilising others to excel.

According to her, “Every woman has a huge role in all facets of life be it education, culture, fashion, media, judiciary, entertainment, politics etc.” And to be successful in any or all these areas, she posited that education be it formal or informal is the key.