How would you love to be inspired? The story of 20 professional women in one book

SAM NWAOKO reports the launch of the book, ‘We Live These Lives: Women’s Real Life Journeys to Success’, edited by Ezinne Ibe and Ngozi Onyesom.

THE beautiful, convivial convergence gave the outward appearance of a regular weekend party. The colours, setting, music and laughter symbolised a day of joy and fun. Indeed, the day could be classed as such.

However, the event’s lively, friendly and enjoyable outward sign was only the visible result of women’s successes achieved through hard work, resilience, perseverance and taking the bull by the horns.

The event was the public presentation and launch of ‘We Live These Lives’, a collection of beautiful, inspiring success stories of women as told by the respective individuals themselves. It was simply a celebration of women’s varying journeys to success. The book, edited by Mrs. Ezinne Ibe and Ngozi Onyesom, is also a success story of The Female Professionals’ Book Club (TFP).

The club was founded in 2017 by Mrs Ibe and has successfully brought professional women together to read books and share experiences for a useful living. The TFP Book Club has also gone into society to knit the life of other women and girls on a loom different from what is regular in society. Through the club, girls and women have learnt and gained from thorough, successful professional and purpose-driven women who want their lives to serve as a beacon. And writing their experiences in a book is one memorable way of keeping the beacon aglow to keep serving as a signal, a warning or a guide.

In a speech on the occasion, Ondo State First Lady and the Special Guest of Honour, Mrs. Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu, expressed excitement at the success of The Female Professionals’ Book Club and noted that putting their experiences in writing was one of the greatest achievements any woman could have ever recorded in a lifetime.

Mrs Akeredolu told of how she was “piqued from the cradle” by the tampering with the psyche or indoctrination of the female gender that they were made for the lower rung of the development ladder. “That I am excited is an understatement because I behold a chronicle of some women’s giant strides irrespective of the pedestal they achieved them”, she gushed.

The Ondo First Lady, represented by Mr Roland Onyeukwu, expressed delight that her father raised her not as a girl-child but as a child. She shrugged off conceptions and misconceptions to aspire to whatever heights anyone could achieve.

She described Ezinne Ibe as “a general in the war” and noted that “none of her soldiers in the TFP Book Club is lazy. “’We Live These Lives’ is a testimony of the triumphant exploits of her team. Look at the achievements of women folks chronicled in this book.”

Mrs. Funsho Adegbola, who unveiled the book, described the occasion as the best book presentation she had attended, having been to many. She charged women to write their stories and also called on parents to encourage their daughters to write their stories.

The Dean, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Ibadan, Professor Olufunke E. Ola-Davies, in the blurb, said,” ‘We Live These Lives’ captures the stories of 20 female professionals who toed various paths to achieve phenomenal success in leadership, career, marriage and businesses. This book is written to reinforce the notion that when women bond in sisterhood, it promotes a common interest and creates a support system that paves the way to help them achieve their goals.”

The book of unique women stories by outstanding professional women contains the experiences of Abasiama-Arit Aniche, Ada Uduanochie, Alero Adegbolagun, Bolanle Shogunro, Chinenyem Obasi-Obonga, Chinwe Uchendu, Doris Nwagwu, Ezinne Ibe, Gbemisola Daramola, Ibidunni Alonge, Ibukun Emiola, Isioma Asiodu-Otughwor, Mercy Adejumo, MofoluwasoIlevbare, Mofoluwaso Olufisayo Adigun nee Olaniyi, Olukemi Awelewa, Oluwatoyin Aladejebi, Omolara Adewole, Titilayo D.O. Falade and Victoria Chukwuneke.

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