As Evelyn Oputu delivers keynote address
All is now set for The Sun Women Leadership Sum­mit (SWLS2014), holding in Asaba, Delta State with Dr. Evelyn Ndali Oputu, Development con­sultant for emerging markets and former Chief Executive Officer, Managing Direc­tor and Director of Bank of Industry Limited from De­cember 2005 to April 17, 2014, delivering the keynote address.
The seasoned banker will be doing justice to the topic, which is also the theme of the three-day event: “The New Woman, Winning in a Man’s World.”
Dr. Oputu, a Harvard Business School alumnus, began her banking career in 1976 with ICON Merchant Bank Ltd, and joined In­ternational Merchant Bank (IMB) in 1982, where she was appointed General Man­ager, IMB Securities in 1989 and Executive Director in 1990. She served as Execu­tive Director at First Bank of Nigeria Plc between 1991 and 1997 and later ran her manufacturing business un­til she was appointed to the Bank of Industry in 2005.
The three-day summit, which will attract women of substance, from both the private and public sectors, will feature, on the first day, a paper entitled: “Deleting the Limits in the Corporate Market Place.” Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Mainstreet Bank Limited, Mrs. Faith Tue­dor-Matthews, will be the speaker, while Rear Admiral Itunu Hotonu of the Nigerian Navy will chair the session.
Panelists, who will dis­cuss the first session paper, include Managing Director, Benin Electricity Distribu­tion Company Plc, Mrs. Funke Osibodu; Executive Director (Marketing Ser­vices), Nestle Nigeria Plc, Mrs. Iquo Ukoh; General Manager/Head, Communi­cations & External Affairs, Guaranty Trust Bank Plc, Mrs. Lola Odedina, Manag­ing Director/Chief Execu­tive Officer, AD Consulting, Arch Jumoke Adenowo and Prof Franca Omorodion from Windsor University, Canada.
Aderonke Onadeko, Ad­viser, BNP Paribas, UK and Principal Consultant DRNL Consult Limited, UK will speak on ‘The Female En­trepreneur- Passion, Prof­its, Challenges,’ at the sec­ond session, which will be chaired by the former Chair­man, Economic and Finan­cial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Dr. (Mrs.) Farida Waziri.
Members of the panel to discuss the second paper include film maker and pro­ducer, Emem Isong; Chief Executive Officer, Manag­ing Director/Chief Execu­tive Officer of Rave TV, Ag­atha Amata; Chief Executive Officer, House of Tara, Mrs. Tara Fela Durojaye; Founder /CEO, Ruff ‘n’ Tumble, Mrs. Nike Ogunlesi; Founder, LEAP Africa, Mrs. Ndidi Okonkwo-Nwuneli and Managing Director, Rima Bakeries and Confectionar­ies, Barr. Mary Iyashere.
Over coffee session will have the First Lady of Delta State, Deaconess Roli Nere Uduaghan, speaking on ‘Balancing the Home Front and the War Front’.
On the second day, Sena­tor Grace Folashade Bent will speak on “When the Hen Crows,” with Senator Nkechi Nwaogu as chair­man. Senator Florence Ita- Giwa; Senator Stella Omu; Founder, Agape Birthright, Ms Annkio Briggs; Barr Chuka Odom and immedi­ate past Minister of Women Affairs, Iyom Josephine An­enih, will discuss the paper.
Dr. Anne Ojimba will, during the ‘Over the Coffee’ discussion, speak on “Your Health or Your Life,” with Governor Emmanuel Udu­aghan, as moderator.
The second session will have the Founder/Chief Ex­ecutive Officer, Rise Net­work Group, Ms Toyosi Akerele, speaking on the topic: “She Wins, You Win, We Win: Women Facing Forward by Building Stra­tegic Partnerships.” The ses­sion will be chaired by Ms Maupe Ogun of Channels Television, while the Man­aging Director, Future Soft­ware Resources Ltd, Mrs. Nkemdilim Begho; Manag­ing Director, Diamond He­lix Medical Assistance, Dr. Ufuoma Okotete; Managing Director/CEO, Zapphaire Events, Mrs. Funke Buc­knor-Obruthe; CEO, Pink Pearl Breast Cancer Founda­tion, Mrs. Orode Ryan-Okpu and Omawunmi Megbele will discuss the paper.
On the third day, there will be a health walk and proj­ect tour followed by a gala night.
The summit is The Sun’s way of appreciating a large group of its readership as well as boosting President Goodluck Jonathan’s land­mark achievement in giv­ing women opportunities to serve the nation in different capacities and in all sectors of the economy.
Governor Uduaghan, in accepting that Delta State hosts the summit, described it as a mark of respect and support for the Nigerian woman.

The Sun Summit: Women leaders storm Asaba