Inspiring Full Speech of Convener, Arise Women Dr Siju Iluyomade At 15th Arise Women Conference

It is with exceeding great joy that I
welcome you to Arise Women’s
Conference 2023 which marks 15 this
year.
Today, we are privileged and honoured to
see that ARISE is GLOBAL in every
ramification; from the ARISE WALK FOR
LIFE, GOLF, FOOTBALL
TOURNAMENT. PREVENTIVE
HEALTHCARE DELIVERY,
EDUCATION ETC.
Women around the world are making
their voices heard, breaking barriers and
occupying more leadership positions.
There is an urgent call to action.
Today, I welcome my ARISE SISTERS
FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD –
SWEDEN, ITALY, NORTH AMERICA,

DUBAI, GHANA, ZAMBIA, INDIA,
FINLAND, U.K., too many to mention.
The theme this year is STEP UP it is a
RALLYING CRY – A CALL TO
EXCELLENCE, AN ANTHEM OF
EMPOWERMENT AND ACTION.
Permit me to start with two quotes:
FORTUNE BEFRIENDS THE BOLD
Emily Dickinson
SUCCESS IS SURVIVAL
Leonard Cohen
Today, women face the choice of either to
succumb to the stereotypical mold they
have been placed in or to challenge it.

STEP UP IS A CALL TO CHALLENGE
IT. STEP UP SPEAKS TO SELF
ACTUALIZATION
STEP UP SPEAKS TO HARNESSING
YOUR ECONOMIC; MENTAL,
PHYSICAL, EDUCATIONAL,
STRENGTH.
We need to break free from the mold.
I choose to challenge it. At this
conference, we want to infuse ourselves
with.
RESILIENCE
COURAGE
STRENGTH
PERSISTENCE
TENACITY
POWER
DETERMINATION

To effect the necessary change to believe
in our infinite potential to succeed.
Joshua 1:9 KJV – The Lord said: “Have
not I commanded thee? Be strong and of
a good courage; be not afraid, neither be
thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is
with thee whithersoever thou goest”.
We need to be positive, to aim higher
than we currently are doing. It is not only
about being better than your
contemporaries or predecessors, it is TO
BE BETTER THAN YOURSELF
As long as you have breath, you have
infinite potential. Deuteronomy 1:8
KJV: “Behold, I have set the land before
you: go in and possess the land which
the LORD sware unto your fathers,
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give unto
them and to their seed after them”.

You are born to win but to be a
winner, you must plan to win and
expect to win.
It is time to unlock our capabilities.
THE WORLD OVER, INCLUDING
AFRICA, WOMEN ARE THE GREATEST
UNTAPPED POWER.
SO AT THIS CONFERENCE, WE WILL
STEP UP
TO STEP UP MEANS
1) Break down barriers limiting our
progress
2) Challenge stereotypes, foster an
environment of equal opportunity
based on merit.
3) Empower more Women and others so
we can create a lasting legacy and
sustainability.
4) Mentor more Women, open more doors
as we are doing today by going
completely global.
5) Embrace Emotional Intelligence,
sensitivity to others and thereby
inculcating a decent strong value
system.
6) Embrace Innovation, Technology
Artificial Intelligence the sciences,
computer technology robotics. All these
are needed in today’s world.
The World Economic Forum’s future on
jobs report 2023 lists certain skills as tops
in demand by 2027.

Analytical thinking
• Creative thinking
• Artificial intelligence
• Big Data
While six in ten workers will require
training before 2027, only half of those
workers are seen to have access to
adequate training opportunities,
according to the report.
The implication is that half of today’s
workforce may not have the skills they
require to thrive in the very near future.
WE MUST STEP UP
QUESTIONS TO ASK YOURSELF
1) WHAT AM I CAPABLE OF DOING? DO I
HAVE THE MENTAL CAPABILITY,
FORTITUDE, WILLPOWER AND
COURAGE.

Jeremiah 29:11 KJV “For I know the
thoughts that I think toward you, saith
the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not
of evil, to give you an expected end”.
2) WILL I BE DISILLUSIONED BY
ADVERSITY OR CAN I WEATHER ANY
STORM OR ADVERSITY.
STORMS HIT YOUR
WEAKNESS BUT INVARIABLY IT
ALSO UNLOCKS YOUR TRUE
STRENGTH
You must never give up.
Dear Sister, you cannot change
the directions of the wind but you
can adjust your sail to always
reach your destination.

ARISE STEPS UP ALL THE TIME
WE ARE DOERS NOT
COMPLAINANTS.
According to the National Primary
Healthcare Development Agency
(NPHCDA) up to six out of ten
Nigerians lack access to quality
primary Health care services.
Lack of access to Healthcare is the
leading cause of maternal death in
Africa. Nigeria is home to 20% of all
maternal deaths according to Global
citizen.
However, ARISE STEPPED UP AND
STEPPED IN. We built a hospital in
Dafara.
We have taken delivery of many
babies and we are happy to say no

maternal death and no infant death.
We provide good ante-natal and
postpartum care.
ARISE KEEPS STEPPING UP. Providing
infrastructure to curb infrastructural
deficits especially water by putting
boreholes in many rural communities.
We can all do same and more.
3) MAJOR ON YOUR STRENGTH TELL
YOURSELF – I WILL MAJOR DAILY ON
MY STRENGTH
4) LEARN SKILLS TO EXCEL
5) DEFINE YOUR GOALS
6) CONTINUALLY AND CONSCIOUSLY
DEMONSTRATE CHARACTER AND
LEADERSHIP

7) MAXIMISE YOUR POTENTIAL BY
TREATING TIME PRECIOUSLY LIKE
GOLD.
8) STAY POSITIVE
9) LEARN TO NETWORK, DIVERSIFY,
CREATE WEALTH, BUILD HUMAN
CAPITAL
10)SET MILESTONES
11)PLAY FOR SUSTAINABILITY AND
LONGEVITY
12)BE SUPER CONFIDENT, DON’T GET
TRAPPED IN FAILURE
WHEN LIFE GIVES YOU
LEMONS, MAKE LEMONADE
13)LEARN TO CELEBRATE YOURSELF,
YOUR SUCCESSES. CELEBRATE
ALWAYS.
STEP UP SPEAKS TO SELF-
ACTUALIZATION, to our innate ability
to perform in alignment to our highest
self.
Don’t ever let the memories of your
past limit the potential of your
future.
Therefore we need to STEP UP OUR
ADVOCACY AND RAISE OUR VOICES IN
UNISON. TO BRING TO LIGHT THE
many areas that need urgent
interventions.
Our collective voice can make a world of
difference in our nations and to our
succeeding generation.

Secondly, we need stronger partnership
and alliances between women,
Government, Private Organisations and
men to tackle issues threatening our
existence.
With partnership we STEP UP and we
can achieve bigger interventions or
projects. The problems we face as a
Nation is MEGA. WE NEED TO STEP UP
TOGETHER.
Thirdly, arise invites you to pool
together investments. we need big
tickets investment in our nation.
Investment will go a long way in
Education, Healthcare delivery,
infrastructure.
Pooling of resources by Government,
private sector bodies like Arise will bring

about sure and sustainable development
in Nigeria.
THE TIME TO STEP UP OUR GAME IS
NOW.
LET THE CONVERSATION and the
strengthening of partnerships begin.
COLLECTIVELY LET’S STEP UP.
THERE ARE NO LIMITS
THERE IS ONLY ONE YOU
YOU ARE SUPER
STEP UP NOW

SIJU ILUYOMADE
2023