The Deputy Governor of Ogun State, Noimot Salako-Oyedele, on Saturday, urged women to prioritize honesty in business.
This is as she also urged them to embrace a business venture that could enhance their income and help support their families.
Engr Salako-Oyedele made the call while speaking at a women empowerment programme held at Wessy Institute of Art and College, Abeokuta.
The programme with the theme “Global Readiness: Key To A Sustainable Business” was organised by My Beadsworld Women Foundation to mark 2024 Women Entrepreneurial Day/ International Women’s Day.
She said women in business or entrepreneurship must, however, prioritize honesty in their businesses, maintaining that honesty is the hallmark of success in the business world.
The Deputy Governor explained, “We need to change the narrative of don’t let me share, they will take my ideas and all that. Stop this mentality of not wanting to share your ideas with others. So, let us share what we have.
“Take teachers for instance, they don’t forget ABC because they have taught you, the more people are empowered through you the more blessing comes to what you are doing.
“Go to people who are doing well in their endeavour, meet with them, learn from them, copy them, the market is limitless, especially for a country that has a high population, you know there are countries in West Africa that they don’t have a population of Ogun State, and they are country.
“Another thing that I will mention here is honesty, many people who are doing small-scale business, lack honesty, I can tell you, that some of them will supply less than what they promise.
“Some will even post on Instagram but send the inferior, the one less than the quality of what is posted for the people to see. Gone were those days when we went to Lagos Island to buy clothes, you would see them and touch them in the market but at the end of the day when you get home it is another thing that they will pack for you.
“We must shun negative tendencies like this to grow our businesses and build world-class reputations for ourselves. It is honesty and hard-earned reputation that could help to grow our businesses.”
She urged women to rise and double up their contributions towards enhancing the socio-economic development of the nation saying that the Ogun State government will never relent in pursuing programmes and policies that will make lives more rewarding for women.
Also speaking at the event, the CEO of My Beadsworld Women Foundation, Mrs. Aisha Oluwatosin demanded for more zero-interest loans from the government saying that the journey of entrepreneurship without aid and financial support could be very hard.
Oluwtosin advised the participants of the summit to utilise the networking opportunity, adding that the program is to support women in society who are doing business so that they can get better.
She said, “The government should help us in terms of access to funds and organise training programmes for us. We want to urge Ogun First Lady to relaunch her zero loan scheme in partnership with Che-ventures, such initiatives can help business to grow”.
The main problem women encounter is handling money. Some don't have access to money like grants to start their business, and others don't know how to manage the money once they have it.
Many women spend more money than they earn in their business. They've let their problems overwhelm their business, forgetting that problems never end. So we teach them how to overcome obstacles.
More entrepreneurs are improving through this seminar. Some of them have opened new branches using the business strategies we taught them and new grant techniques.
Former Commissioner for Trade and Investment in the state, Kikelomo Longe, advised women to work for positive change.
Longe said it was important for women to be good role models for future generations while praising Mrs. Aisha Oluwatosin for consistently building capacity for women in entrepreneurship.
