By Ayomide Otitoju
An International Women’s Day event organised by MTN Nigeria has highlighted the importance of mentorship, collaboration, and mutual support among women in advancing professional growth and leadership.
The event, themed “Give to Gain,” featured discussions on how women can create opportunities for others and inspire future generations through guidance, encouragement, and shared experiences.
Speaking at the event, Eyitope Kola-Oyeneyin, Independent Non-Executive Director at MTN Nigeria, encouraged women to intentionally support one another through mentorship and everyday acts of kindness.
She shared personal reflections on how relationships with other women played a significant role in shaping her professional journey, noting that mentorship often begins through simple interactions rather than formal arrangements.
Kola-Oyeneyin recounted how offering to assist a university professor with organisational tasks developed into a meaningful relationship that later created academic and professional opportunities. According to her, mentorship can begin with small gestures such as offering help, listening, or building genuine connections.
She also recalled an early career experience where approaching a senior executive after a speaking engagement led to a lunch meeting that eventually developed into a mentorship relationship lasting more than two decades.
According to her, such interactions demonstrate that even brief engagements between experienced professionals and younger women can build confidence, provide career direction, and influence long-term professional growth.
She further encouraged women to recognise that mentorship can occur indirectly through learning from books, speeches, and role models, urging accomplished professionals to openly share their experiences to inspire others.
In her welcome address, Esther Akinnukawe, Chief Human Resources Officer of MTN Nigeria, emphasised the need for women to support one another rather than operate in isolation.
She noted that empowering others is critical to collective progress and called on women to ensure that opportunities are extended to others whenever they reach positions of influence.
Akinnukawe explained that the “Give to Gain” theme reflects the many ways women contribute to each other’s development, whether through mentorship, encouragement, or creating access to opportunities.
She expressed hope that women within the organisation and beyond would continue building support networks that promote mentorship, access, and professional growth.
The event concluded with a call for participants to embody the theme by investing their time, knowledge, and support in uplifting other women, reinforcing the view that collective advancement is strengthened when women actively champion one another.
