Chief of Defence Staff, 149 others conferred with NIM fellowship

Christopher Musa, Chief of Defence Staff, and 149 other Nigerians have been conferred with the Nigerian Institute of Management (NIM) fellowship at the 2024 awards, fellows and spouses’ day luncheon held in Lagos, recently.

Christiana Atako, president and chairman of council, NIM (chartered), stated that the annual fellows and spouses’ day luncheon is a ceremony where qualified and deserving members are conferred the highest and most prestigious professional membership grade of the NIM.

She stated that the process of upgrading members to Fellow cadre started in February 1963 when the first three Fellows of the Institute were elected and inducted. According to her, fellowship upgrade is not an end in itself but rather a call to higher responsibility and service to the Institute, the management profession and the nation.

“The process of upgrading members to Fellow has always been meticulous and that is the reason only those who are truly deserving of the award get honoured yearly. I congratulate all of you joining the esteemed and exalted grade of Fellow today. To be found worthy for Fellow’s upgrade is a great honour and privilege,” she stated.

Hafsatu Abdu-Gusau, keynote speaker, stated that successful integration of sustainability requires strong leadership commitment and a clear tone from the top. According to her, managers must demonstrate their personal dedication to sustainability and ensure it is a strategic priority that is cascaded throughout the organisation.

Speaking on the theme, ‘Integrating Sustainability into Strategic Decision-Making: A Path Towards Long-Term Business Success’, Abdu-Gusau stated further that incorporating sustainability considerations into strategic decision-making is essential for long-term viability, which will help in mitigating risks linked to environmental degradation and reputational damage and seizing emerging opportunities.

According to her, integrating sustainability fosters resilience, innovation, and long-term value creation. She stated that sustainable practices lead to cost efficiencies and enhance brand reputation, which creates new opportunities for growth, cost savings, and competitive advantage.

“Sustainability is the balance between environmental protection, social equity, and economic viability to create thriving, healthy, diverse and resilient communities for current and future generations,” Abdu-Gusau stated, disclosing that sustainability is no longer a mere buzzword, rather a critical factor influencing business success.