The twin attributes of empathy and resilience make women better leaders, according to a renowned university lecturer. This was the consensus at an international webinar hosted by the Movement of Women in Lagos State Institutions for Good Governance (MOWLAS) during the week.
Speaking at the summit with the theme “Leadership Paradigm Shift and Role of Women in the Realities of COVID-19”, Prof. Bolanle Iranloye, stated that the nation stood a better chance to weather the negative impacts of the ongoing pandemic by assigning women more leadership roles in critical sectors of its political economy. Specifically, the scholar argued that the myth of male superiority no longer holds water in view of the realities of the day.
Iranloye is a professor of Physiology at the University of Lagos College of Medicine. The event, which drew 90 participants from Nigeria, Canada and United States of America, was convened and moderated by former acting Vice Chancellor, and Director, Directorate of Advancement, Lagos State University, Prof. Ibiyemi Olatunji-Bello.
Speaking further, Professor Iranloye identified women folk as the gender who can better multi-task even in stressful situations. She listed the late Dr. Stella Adadevoh, late Prof. Dora Akunyili, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Mrs Ibukun Awosika and Mrs Abike Dabiri-Erewa as worthy examples of those who have excelled in various sectors and concluded that in the light of the current pandemic crisis, women are best positioned to lead their organisations out of the woods.