TIWLC2023: Ibukun Awosika leads the movement ‘against all odds’

The International Woman Leadership Conference 2023 (TIWLC2023) has come and gone, but participants agree that it was a great way to end the international women’s month, and the first quarter of the year. Themed: ‘Woman in leadership: Against all odds’, the second edition was loaded with outstanding speakers. The convener, IBUKUN AWOSIKA hosted guests in Dubai for this high-level impact event that has got many inspired till date.10 participants shared their experiences on the event. Associate Editor, KEMI AJUMOBI, writes.

Dr. Faith Ekpekurede

Medical Director Reddington Hospital Victoria Island

TIWLC was a life changing experience for me.

It not only addressed most of the issues I was facing as a woman in leadership, it went further to boost my confidence in my strengths.

Listening to women in top leadership like the precious Ibukun Awosika, the Convener of TIWLC, sharing on the values of living authentically with intentionality as a woman in leadership, Funke Osibodu on preparing and, being ready for and seizing opportunities and being resilient against all odds.

By the time Oley Dibba-Wadda finished, I saw the life changing power of a person’s vulnerability and the power of storytelling. She left me and many around me in tears while at the same time killing the fear of failure by teaching me to do whatever I have to do even if afraid, and most importantly grow into self leadership, love and acceptance while pursuing my purpose.

Ivy Heward Mills reinforced the power of vulnerability and personal story in a few short minutes as she wove her story with such vulnerability and triumph over pain.

Listening to Daphne Nkosi was so inspiring and showed me the power of persistence and hard work if I must make any change happen.

Prof. Kandarp Mehta broke down negotiation and remediation into byte sizes I could understand with practical insight which I can put to use not just in the workplace but in life in general.

The theme of the conference was Against all Odds and as a woman in management, and for many like me, means the odds could be stacked against you because you are a woman who in addition is often juggling so many hats, while having to excel in what you do in business or the workplace in the tough economy of our times.

So, being at TIWLC with that theme was so apt and holistic because it touched on every aspect of my life as a woman in leadership, empowering me to live above my fears, living prepared, as well as knowing how to leverage on my strengths while outsourcing my weaknesses.

I will forever be grateful to a mother of mothers and a meek leader of leaders, Ibukun Awosika for the courage and wisdom to birth and drive this vision with her amazing team of women. Grateful to my bosses at Reddington Hospital for the opportunity I was given to attend this conference in Dubai, grateful to every speaker and facilitator at the conference and all the women who brought such powerful networking to the event.

Looking forward to TIWLC 2024 and hoping to invite other women to come along and benefit from the wealth of knowledge, experience and network in TIWLC.

Ndidi Ukaonu

Corporate executive

The TIWLC was a phenomenal conference. A lot of learning and growth in 3days! The master class on negotiation and mediation from Prof Mehta of IESE Barcelona was a stand out for every aspiring woman. The plethora of women from all over -the Caribbeans, Ghana, Ivory Coast, South Africa, Burundi, Kenya and so on, fed us a rare melting pot of experiences. We networked, cried and laughed together. The plenary sessions featured strong personalities and were so authentic but even greater than all, I left firmly believing that African women are indeed one unbreakable tribe and that tribe was stronger at the end. I salute Ibukun Awosika for having the courage to take on this feat. This is firmly on my calendar.

Ekene Onu

Executive Coach

I’ve had the privilege to be on a number of stages over the years as a speaker and I’ve attended several conferences and summits. I myself hold an annual feminine leadership retreat called the ‘Iconic Womanhood Weekend’, so believe me when I say that ‘The International Woman Leadership Conference’ in Dubai convened by Ibukun Awosika was worth the flight from the US and more. This conference owes me nothing. Those three days were wonderful for me.

The content was well thought out but even more than that was the networking and community building.

The connections have been so rich. Close to 10 women attended at my prompting and each of them told me they had a great time with no regrets. I personally had a ball.

I’ve decided to make it an annual thing, because I’m deeply invested in my personal and professional growth, and I’ve had some wonderful conversations that have elevated my vision and sense of self.

One of the speakers from Dubai tourism shared about their 2033 agenda and said Africa is where the world is investing in and focused on, and the question is whether you will be in the room or on the sidelines. Ibukun Awosika’s International Woman Leadership Conference is a must attend if you are a woman interested in expanding your wealth capacity, business acumen and network.

As Funke Osibodu said at the conference, experience is better than money. The right experience that is, and this was the right experience.

Ibukun Adebayo

CEO, Rock Realty Limited Nigeria

One of the most powerful things I have done for myself this year is the decision to attend TIWLC. The sheer feeling of having powerful women of like minds gathering together in one room and driving palpable energy that propels you to thirst for more was an indescribable experience. The diversity across culture, age and industries brought colour and learning opportunities that I had not experienced in any other gathering of women before now.

It seemed as if every woman came with love to give, knowledge to share and energy to spread to others. Each session was memorable and unique. The speakers were carefully selected and I learnt something different from every single one of them.

My biggest take-home points were first, the understanding that “fear” when venturing into big things is not necessarily a negative, rather, it is a common decimal for people who achieve greatness. The solution is to “do it afraid”. Even though I had heard that phrase before, it took on a new meaning hearing that it truly is a common decimal for most people who dare to do great things.

Second, there is something to learn from how many men think. Many of them dare to dream and go for it against all odds. Odds turn in my favour when I go head-on against.

Third, I must begin to prepare my daughter for actively going against all odds from now. I must consciously train my sons to be the cheerleaders of the women in their lives while they (my sons) also succeed in their endeavours.

Finally, I had a lot of fun. The Gala Night was gorgeous; women came out in spectacular and colourful attires – aligning with the dress code “ African with a Twist”. The fashion parade got me laughing hard, and I danced like I hadn’t in a while. It was fun in a safe space. I made many new friends, made strategic business and mentoring connections and identified new business collaboration opportunities.

TIWLC was a masterpiece and my thanks goes to Ibukun Awosika and her team for doing this. I dare say that they created magic, better put, TIWLC made INVALUABLE IMPACT on the women that attended! I will definitely be there again next year; 2024. This time, I will be inviting many friends and sisters to join me.

Farayi Mangwende

Group Marketing & Strategy Executive, First Mutual Holdings Ltd. Zimbabwe

Attending the conference for the second year running had me wondering all sorts of things. How would this year measure up to what the inaugural conference was last year, which was exceptional and transformational for me both personally and professionally, and led to my influencing gender equity transformation professionally and in my mentoring initiatives.

I am happy to say that this year’s conference was equally powerful and leveled up from the prior year. The inclusion of male speakers brought a perspective that can only be described as beneficial.

The session on negotiation and mediation by Kandarp Mehta urging us as women to pave the way for other women whenever we are negotiating in any forum, was inspiring. We were told not to negotiate for self but for those who come behind us thus ensuring a better future for women in general.

The conference theme of Against All Odds, held once again in Dubai, a country that defies all the odds, was embodied in the women speakers at the conference, women who are giants in their respective fields, charting the way and making a difference.

The candour, openness and vulnerability displayed in the presentations was an important aspect of how authenticity is a must if one is to impact their community and environment.

Oley Dibba-Wadda’s presentation on the theme Doing it Afraid gave credence to this and really opened my eyes to the fact that even if you are afraid, you can and must fulfil your purpose.

It was definitely food for thought for me regarding ambitions I have held buried which needs to be released and acted upon.

Daphne Mashile-Nkosi’s change maker perspective highlighted that great success is possible in spite of being in a male dominated field of mining. Her experiences embody grit, determination, and courage – courage to do the right things and not compromise on the value that you know you deserve, not only for self but for community and playing on a global scale as an equal or better.

Alibaba’s Joe Tsai’s presentation spoke about being self-aware and being relevant by developing solutions that suit the circumstances and humility, key ingredients for success in our fast paced, dynamic world.

The addition to the programme, which was an open forum highlighted incredible and daunting experiences shared by some of the participants, and it brought a reality check and awareness that everyone has a story to tell which can impact many irrespective of geographical location.

The completeness of my experience at the conferences was Awosika’s encouragement for participants to introspect and change from within, coupled with her faith was the backbone to this whole conference.

Her determination against all odds and leveraging of her networks to have made the conference possible is indeed inspiring, and if I can have even just half of her capabilities, I believe I will be unstoppable!

Ivy Heward-Mills

Founder/Executive Director, Insignis Protocol, Ghana

It was 5:50am in Dubai when Emirates Flight EK788 landed. It felt so surreal that after over six months of anticipation and pleasant exchanges with fellow conference attendees on Whova, the conference App, it was already time to converge in Dubai for TIWLC2023.

Dedo, Naa Asheley, Baaba, Mary and I, together with Gloria and Oye had flown in from Accra. The excitement was palpable as we made our way through arrival proceedings and headed out to the conference hotel. No sooner had we calmed down than it was time for registration and the opening cocktail. The conference had begun!

As a speaker in the open forum, I was particularly aglow. I walked in with a positive spirit and an eagle’s eyes for some of the superwomen I had earmarked for connection. The opening ceremony was beautiful with delectable canapés and effusively rapturous speeches setting the tone for what was two life-altering days for most delegates. I am, arguably, the one delegate, whose life has been most impacted by those two days.

Not only did I meet, learn from and connect with some powerhouses, but my time on the open forum has changed my life. I had accepted the privilege without an inkling of the impact my speech would make but that resounding applause, standing ovation and the positive feedback is nothing compared to the repurposing I have experienced from meeting for the first time, my late husband’s best friend of many years in the UK and my conversation with her the next day which gave me insights, context and perspective. That’s a story one may read in detail in my soon to be published book.

However, my key take home from TIWLC2023 is primarily, the resolve to never miss an opportunity to connect with such amazing women making waves and sustainable impact in their various fields of endeavor, and cultivate relationships with them that will be harnessed and leveraged for mutual benefit.

Second take home is to soar with my strengths and turn my fears into fuel.

Third is to prioritise myself and guard my value jealously, I must never exchange my diamonds for peanuts.

Fifth, to define what an opportunity is to me and posit it within my life’s strategic plan to ensure alignment with my goals, because what may look like an opportunity in general may not be an opportunity for me.

I am going back home re-purposed. When I look back at TIWLC2023, I see impact, I see a community of mind shifters and I see a sea of grateful hearts applauding Ibukun Awosika and her team. I’m sure I’ll be the first to register for TIWLC2024.

CAROLINE POPOOLA

CEO of Alpha Chains Limited & Alpha Childcare Limited

Attending the International Leadership Women’s Conference, I would say, was an excellent decision. Bearing this in mind, I had the intention of attending last year, but due to unforeseen circumstances, I couldn’t. However, I pre-planned my participation from the beginning of 2023. I am a great believer in timing, and I believe this year is the right time for me to attend. Attending, I had no expectations; I kept an open mind and decided to go with the flow.

The conference was like no other. The intention was clear, as Ibukun Awosika had stated from the beginning that the outcome was about gaining knowledge, networking, and having fun. We had the opportunity to build a positive tribe of incredible, powerful women globally. It was not a conference organised for a particular state or country; but a global event; this immediately set it apart from every other.

The lessons learned from this conference are as follows:

1. As Africans, we are good at telling stories; however, for most of us in the diaspora, telling stories about ourselves is almost taboo. The conference emphasised how one can empower and liberate not just oneself but others too with one’s story.

2. Secondly, doing it afraid is a blessing. There’s a quote that says fear makes strangers of people who would have been friends. As a result of your fear to launch-out, to start the project, of what people would say, one is unable to meet new people and have an open mindset as to what can be achieved by this incredible tribe of women doing great things.

3. Another lesson from this conference is keeping an open mind. We should understand that everyone we meet knows something we don’t know. The caliber of women in the room and speakers made room for this.

4. Quoting one of the speakers, “Put on your mask before trying to put on the other person’s mask for them”. By attending the conference as a woman, you get to know yourself, and even more, you get to understand what is priority to you and understand the season in which you’re in, and manoeuvre these seasons effectively.

5. Another lesson is putting yourself out there and doing it afraid. The plenary sessions and examples of powerful women doing it afraid even when they are unsure of the tube light at the end of the tunnel.

6. Health is paramount. A healthy mind, I would say, is a creative mind. As women, we can do so much for others and not just for ourselves. However, forgetting oneself means you’re no good to any other person.

In summary, the conference exceeded my expectations and opened my eyes to opportunities I would not have thought were possible within my immediate community and sphere of influence.

We can teach the world to understand the importance of women. We also need to have pride in who we are and how impactful we can be working together as a tribe of incredible sets of people.

Onyeshielibe Abe

Assistant Director, Public Relations, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA)

An intentional investment in my personal development and a nudge from a very dear sister led me to participate in the second edition of the International Woman Leadership Conference organised by Ibukun Awosika Leadership Academy in conjunction with Dubai Tourism and Dubai Events. This year’s conference was themed “Women in Leadership – Against all Odds” and I dare say it was a rewarding experience.

Against all odds we made it to the beautiful city of Dubai, thanks to the organisers of the event. It started with a lovely welcome cocktail where the excitement began, especially for first timers like me. The following morning, the tone was set by the inspirational Mrs. Ibukun Awosika and then the sessions began. They were packed with energy, insightful nuggets, stories from the heart, lessons on doing it afraid and even the men were not left out as they shared their experiences on taking opportunities.

The following resonated with me:

· prepare yourself for every opportunity

· identify opportunities, seize opportunities

· Be ambitious

· Fear is good but don’t let it define you

· Be your authentic self

· Just do it, don’t ruminate

· Stop being the best kept secret in your industry

· You can’t grow with people who don’t like how growth looks on you

· Form formidable partnerships

· Standing out in a noisy world

This mind-blowing conference ended with a beautiful gala event themed “African with a twist”. This evening was a display of the rich African culture, lots of dancing and even more networking. In all I saw how as powerful women, we can sit on boards of companies, be the best mothers, partners and still have fun when we collaborate with others. I am grateful for the opportunity to have met some of the most amazing and genuine ladies. I unlearned old ideas and re-learned new ones, knowing I can be the best version of myself.

Violet Lupuwana

Managing Director, Chumile Holdings South Africa

I had a transformational time at #tiwlc2023.

Attending the conference was a manifestation of my long-lasting want and desire which was to sit live under the teaching voice of Mrs A.

I have been following Mrs Awosika for the past year and I pressed my way getting to this point of meeting her and joining this wonderful community of high achieving women that I met.

I want to thank Tara Durotoye for inviting me to attend this conference.

I learnt how to deal with imposter syndrome. I learnt that this imposter bug bothers us despite how great we are at what we do. Fear can be used to my advantage and so I ought not wish it away.

I was blessed to go through the reflection exercise as per what Ibukun Awosika taught us.

I learnt the importance of knowing who I am, what I want and where I am going. I was encouraged by the message about knowing my strengths, acknowledging my weaknesses and outsourcing my weaknesses.

I learnt that I have solutions around me. I need to collaborate with other women who are experts in the areas of my weaknesses and let everyone play in their strengths.

I have been encouraged to know myself better and take care of me. Fill my own cup first.

One of my goals this year was to surround myself with high achieving women. Women who are doing amazing in their games in life.

I am happy to say that at TIWLC I have found those tribes.

I am happy to have met these amazing sisters and see the amazing work they do.

I feel so blessed to have been part of this conference.

I continue to learn from these amazing women and continue to contribute to their development too.

I am so happy and satisfied that the resources I invested here were so worth it.

I am definitely buying the early bird tickets for next year again.

I would recommend this conference to all women leaders.

I love how we were taught to win in all spheres of our lives.

We learnt about social media and our participation on these platforms.

We got some feedback from the gentlemen on why women downplay their success or don’t play to their highest potential. I gained awareness on how our societal orientation can be a hindrance to women playing to their best efforts.

We learnt about negotiation and mediation. Which are valuable skills to have.

The TEDex session was a wonderful session to include. The ladies did well.

I am definitely looking forward to coming to #TIWLC2024.

South African ladies need to come experience this highly charged environment at TIWLC.

I am eternally grateful for the opportunity I had to attend the conference, meet Mrs Awoshika in person and find my tribe.

This is my big WIN for 2023.

Remilekun Soyannwo

Managing Director , Shell Nigeria Closed Pension Fund

I attended the 2023 TIWLC Conference in Dubai.

There were over 350 women and a few men from different walks of life who also attended over the 3 days. If I were to summarise my experience I would say it was deep, instructive, humbling and transformational.

In the course of the 3 days, I met so many amazing women, showing up daily in life, giving it their all and who are still wanting to do more. I salute them all.

I listened to the speakers and took away so much wisdom from each and every one of them – including and not limited to – the difference between the two currencies of payment, which are experience and cash, and why choosing experience is always the better option ( Funke Osibodu).

I also learnt about the need to fall in love with oneself in order to free yourself from the expectations of others ( Oley Dibba-Wadda), naming the negotiation clearly and identifying value upfront (K. Mehta). I could go on.

The session on new media was scary – simply put, and it humbled me. I am still thinking about it. But I have also taken the learning and I am running with it.

The open mic session was really interesting, confirming that everyone has a story, and we must tell our stories to encourage others, and confirm our journey.

I made some “Onesimus” connections which I believe were divinely ordered, but which I probably had to be at TIWLC to be able to make. I am grateful for them.

I also had fun. I laughed, I danced, I cheered others on, and I cried many times. The gala night revealed the creativity within us women folk. The outfits were beautiful and breathtaking.

I would do it again and look forward to doing so.

Thank you to Ibukun Awosika the convener and to the wonderful team of organisers who made sure it all went so well, and was a distinct experience for us all.