Bala-Usman Counsels Women, Youths on Integrity

Eromosele Abiodun

The Managing Director, Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Hadiza Bala-Usman has counseled the youths and women to imbue the value of integrity at the early stage of their lives.

The NPA boss gave the advice while delivering a keynote address entitled: “Becoming a Woman of Significance,” at the 2018 Valedictory and graduation ceremony of Vivian Fowler Memorial College (Girls only) in Lagos.

According to her, “We live in a world with a confused idea of right and wrong but we must not deceive ourselves to imagine that being virtuous goes unrewarded. Virtuous living is a matter of fact, the hallmark of all people of significance.”

Bala-Usman further advised the graduating students to cultivate the capacity for hard work, reiterating that “diligence, commitment and a painstaking attitude to seeing things through, are like fragrances and they will endear you to people and draw good things to you.”

While stressing that women must shun that sense of entitlement that makes them feel that being a woman is enough to be considered for anything, Bala-Usman implored women to be “hardworking in a comprehensive manner” and “develop a can-do spirit.”

She urged women to make the words of American Businesswoman, Beth Brook, who said that ‘Success is fleeting, Significance is lasting,’ to be their watchword.

She enjoined the girls to emulate the young Pakistani, Malala Yousafzai, who she said was known all over the world but started the journey of significance at a very tender age and won the coveted Nobel Prize for Peace at age 17 and had received several international awards from New York Times and the BBC.

“This is an example of a woman of significance. I do not know how much money Malala has, but she has a name that signifies hope to millions of young girls all over the world. That is what I call significance. And it is possible for all of us to get there in our own chosen way, let us just be sure about what we choose and pursue it with all our might. History has a place for you young ladies and I pray that you find the grace and courage to step into that place, ”she explained.

Highlight of the ceremony was the award of recognition for Corporate Governance and contributions to national development conferred on Bala-Usman by the management of the School.