Embrace resilience, discipline, business leaders urge Nigerians

Former Managing Director of Airtel Nigeria and Airtel Africa, Dr Segun Ogunsanya, and Group Executive Director of Rain Oil Limited, Mrs Godfrey Ogbechie, have called on Nigerians to embrace resilience, authenticity, and discipline in navigating life and career challenges.

They made the call at the fourth edition of the Imperfectly Awesome Conversations 4.0, held at the Muson Centre in Lagos, where professionals, entrepreneurs, and students gathered under the theme ‘Be Enough’.

Speaking at the event, Ogunsanya, who currently chairs the Airtel Africa Foundation, said imperfection is a shared human experience and should not be a barrier to success. He urged individuals to see resilience not as simply recovering from setbacks but as progressing through them.

“Resilience doesn’t shout. It whispers, ‘Try again, try again,’ he said, adding that challenges should be reframed as temporary disruptions rather than permanent failures.

He noted that setbacks in his own career, including high-pressure corporate experiences and near resignation from a top leadership role, reinforced the importance of persistence and adaptability. According to him, success often depends on refining one’s approach rather than abandoning goals entirely.

Ogunsanya also stressed authenticity as a critical factor in leadership and personal success, saying individuals must remain true to themselves while defining their own measures of achievement. He further emphasised mentorship, noting that effective leaders are defined by the number of leaders they help develop.

In her remarks, Ogbechie spoke on discipline, hard work, and self-belief, while encouraging participants not to allow insecurity or perceived imperfections to limit their ambitions. She shared personal reflections on overcoming self-doubt, including initial reluctance to accept speaking engagements due to concerns about her voice.

She also criticised declining work ethics among younger generations, urging a return to consistency, responsibility, and effort, even in a technology-driven world.

Convener of the event, Dr Lola Bamigbaiye, said the platform was designed to challenge unrealistic expectations of perfection and encourage people to accept their humanity while striving for growth.

“We’ve been campaigning that we’re enough,” she said, adding that failure should be viewed as part of the learning process rather than an outcome.

By the end of the session, speakers collectively reinforced the importance of resilience, authenticity, discipline, and perseverance as essential tools for personal and professional success.