Multinational corporations operating in Nigeria have been urged to ensure that there is a good representation of Nigerians on their boards of directors. Making the request at a special media briefing addressed by Omife I. Omife, president, Business Renaissance Group (BRG), a non-aligned, not for profit and non-government organisation, underscores the need for adherence to the tenets of brotherhood and corporate inclusion.
Omife notes that the nation’s recent corporate history is replete with some of the best-known and respected corporations that have operated within the shores of Nigeria for as long as 50 years, yet membership of their Boards is skewed in favour of non-Nigerians.
He observes that most of these notable multinationals have only recently, under compulsion, deemed it expedient to enlarge their Board of Directors to include Nigerians.
Omife commends the recent reconstitution of the board of directors of MTN Nigeria as a veritable example of how best to appreciate local human resource, applauding the appointment of Ernest Ndukwe, Omobola Johnson and Ifueko Okauru to the board of MTN Nigeria. These appointments, Omife observes, come on the heels of the immediate past board headed by Pascal Dozie with the likes of Gbenga Oyebode, a corporate czar, and Tunde Folawiyo, an astute entrepreneur. All these, he avows, are coming in less than two decades of MTN operation in Nigeria.
“I applaud the inclusion of two outstanding Nigerian women Omobola Johnson and Ifueko Okauru into the MTN Nigeria board. This inclusion demonstrates gender sensitivity in a most noble manner that is devoid of mere tokenism that stem from affirmative action. This is because the two Nigerian women, Johnson and Okauru, unarguably, rank among the brightest and most accomplished Nigerians,” he states.
Stakeholders at the event agree that international companies such as MTN, which started operating in Nigeria at a time the economy was somewhat unstable and return on investment was unsure, but have stood the test of time, and continue to contribute immensely to the growth and development of the nation affirms the company’s faith and trust in Nigeria and its citizens.
Furthermore, Omife rules out any possibility of conflict of interest in the appointments of these Nigerians on the boards of multinational companies, insisting that the appointment of distinguished Nigerians to the MTN Board, in no way, detracts from equity and fairness.
To him, “their appointment is indeed a masterstroke by a visionary multinational corporation to harness the best of available local talent to further the ends of its noble objectives, which, all things considered, will serve the best interest of Nigeria and Nigerians.”
It unequivocally supports the creation of a level playing field and enabling operating environment for businesses to thrive and prosper, he says. The organisation pledges to continue the campaign for fair play and global best practices, especially as it pertains to businesses in Nigeria.
