The need to create wealth through conscious financial management skills was the crux of the paper presented by Opeyemi Ojesina, head, SME Banking of Unity Bank, at the ‘Lagos And The Woman Conference’ held in Lagos over the weekend.
Ojesina commended the Amazing Amazons Initiative, a non-governmental organisation (NGO) under the leadership of Mercy Makinde for initiating Lagos and The Woman Conference.’ According to Ojesina, the awareness created by the conference will not only promote entrepreneurship development but also build the confidence of women in their pursuit of financial independence.
Speaking on the theme: ‘The Place of the Women Entrepreneur,’ Ojesina acknowledged the ability of women to multi task but enjoined them to shift from mere buying and selling to creating businesses that will enable women fulfill the longer term drive of reaching their goals.
He charged women to strive to have a clear understanding of the concepts of the businesses they engage in as a guarantee for attracting the funding support they seek from banks.
Ojesina who noted that good business ideas are as important as finance for budding entrepreneurs urged women to be open to sharing creative business ideas as that could be the leverage upon which funding support could be found.
“Believe that you can start small and shelve the idea that you must have all the money or materials to take off. Existing businesses attract funding easier than yet-to-take-off ones,” Ojesina said.
He noted that the initiative tallies with Unity Bank’s focus of supporting rural economy. This, he said, was the bank’s contribution to reducing the vulnerabilities of the rural dwellers and creating opportunities that could enhance their standard of living.
