Clement Adeyi, Osogbo
Osogbo, the Osun State capital, was agog recently when women accountants under the aegis of Society of Women Accountants of Nigeria (SWAN), stormed the town in large numbers to celebrate the second investiture.
They also inaugurated new executive members to run the affairs of the association for the next two years. SWAN has its umbrella body as the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), with members practising the profession in different private and public establishments and endeavours.
The initiator of SWAN, Mrs. Elizabeth Adegite, called on members in positions of authority across the country to join the battle against “the endemic called corruption which has eaten deep into the fabrics of the society and accounts for economic down turn, poverty and underdevelopment.”
She urged them to uphold the principles of ICAN and SWAN including accountability, integrity and accuracy in their various endeavours to promote the accounting profession.
With application of such qualities, Adegite stressed, SWAN members would be able to contribute meaningfully to the anti-graft war to be able to achieve meaningful results against the menace.
READ ALSO: 2019: My membership of APC non-negotiable, says Ochei
The outgoing chairperson and immediate past bursar of the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Mrs. Ronke Akeredolu, called on members to maintain probity, accountability and integrity at all times in the discharge of their duties: “We are women of integrity and must live up to the expectation in our communities, duty posts and offices. We must be good ambassadors of SWAN wherever we find ourselves.”
She told the new officers: “You must shine forth and make your impact felt in every aspect of your duties to reflect the vision and mission of SWAN.” She also urged young girls to take careers in the accounting profession to be able to take over from the current generation of accounting professionals in order to contribute to the economic building in the future generations.
The new chairperson of the association, Mrs Margaret Akinyele, was inaugurated alongside 10 others, including ex-officio, Akeredolu; deputy chairperson, Bosede Oyesanmi; secretary, Adesola Oluwatuyi; treasurer, Veronica Jayeoba and financial secretary, Makinde Adeola.
National Chairperson of SWAN, Mrs. Foluke Onabolu, represented by her deputy, Catherine Nnaji, charged the
outgoing officers to support their successors in taking the SWAN to the next level.
Another highpoint was the conferment of of awards of excellence to some members of the SWAN and other prominent Nigerians from different walks of life as well as the launch of SWAN Osun Chapter profile book.
Akeredolu said the book would serve as a reference material for female accountants in particular and to help accounting professionals understand the profession, the overview of the achievements of SWAN at 40 as well as its activities over the years.
Among the awardees were the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi; ICAN fellow, Chief John Agboola; bank executives such as Patrick Akinwutan and Timothy Arowoogun, a business mogul, Sunday Madudu as well as the new SWAN chairperson, Margaret Akinyele.
President of Institute of Chartered Accountant (ICAN), Razak Jaiyeola, also urged the new officers to consider their inauguration as an opportunity to leave lasting legacies not only in SWAN and among the female folks, but also in the accounting profession.