By Our Correspondent
The Women In Business And Tourism (WIBAT) Ogun State Chapter has inaugurated her Executive Members and Patron.
Performing the inauguration at the Nigerian Society of Engineers NSE Hall, Abiola way Abeokuta Ogun State Capital, the National President of WIBAT Nigeria, Amb. Khan Sophia called for the dedication of the newly inaugurated officers to be good ambassadors of the Association.
She said the group was born out of the need to empower women in Nigeria and across Africa to be more entrepreneurial using tourism business as a catalyst.
According to her, there are many women engaged in different aspects of tourism that need to be promoted.
She cited the country’s rich cultural heritage which is being promoted in the arts, clothes, the unique Adire fabrics, beads and others which have become a source of employment for many women. And for her, these are things that make the country’s tourism offering unique, hence the need to support and encourage the women engaged in the business of it.
She mentioned that WIBAT will serve as a support system for both established and upcoming women entrepreneurs to expand their trade through mentorship, partnerships, and mergers amongst others.
She therefore charged the newly inaugurated executives to ensure that they encourage "women to diversify from one business area to the other.
"We don’t just need to be in one business area but we diversify into other business area and also move beyond the borders of Ogun State, Nigeria, but to other African countries and partner with other continents as well. So that’s who we are, what we stand for and what we hope to achieve in Women in Business and Tourism,” she emphasized.
She also did the Inauguration of the Executive Members and Patrons of WIBAT in Ogun state, and did the presentation of Certificate to the. Excos and Patrons.
The Head of Culture and Tourism in Africa Union ECOSOCC Nigeria Quadri-Adu Shakir Kehinde in his presentation Tagged: The role of African Union in promoting Culture and Tourism in Africa said African has a major role to play in promoting culture and Tourism especially African Women.
He further explained the importance of WIBAT and implored women to join the group.
In her opening remark, the Ogun State WIBAT head and CEO K'EGO Africa Collection Ambassador Peace Onuiri appreciated everyone that were present at the event, calling for more commitment of all members.
She said WIBAT Nigeria is an Ecosystem Association of Business women who are forward thinkers, Innovation pioneers and Entrepreneurs with our base in the Business of Travel and Tourism.
"We are established in other African Countries with the Headquarters in Ghana.
"Our identity stands to change the Narratives of the Business World as it concerns Women.
We move to achieve this through the facilitation of bilateral Trade exchange, Mentoring, Human Capacity Building Programmes, Networking, Opening Investment, Seminars, Fairs, Exhibition and Conferences by empowering our women to be the Pace Setters in championing the turnaround needed in Nigeria's Business and Tourism Industry.
The colourful event brought together a cluster of top women business executives, public officials and other business entrepreneurs.
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