In recognition of her proven integrity in the discharge of their duties, the Society for Corporate Governance, Nigeria (SCGN) last week conferred premiere female Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Chief Folake Solanke a honorary felllowship.
Also honoured by the body of distinguished professionals were first Nigeria chair of Unilever Plc, Dr. Micheal Omolayole and renowned solicitor, Tijani Borodoý.
The event which held at the Oriental Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos, according to SCGN’s President, Chief Olusegun Osunkeye, was an annual dinner, in which the group singles out persons with impeccable integrity in the society, worthy to be role models.
He said the society, which is none for profit, was committed to best practices and the development of corporate governance in the country, as a yardstick for formulation and enforcement of good standards.
Osunkeye said the society pride itself in leadership, accountability, diversity and integrity of character, which are the basis for admission of members as well as the conferment of honours.
While expressing profound gratitude to the group for recognising her, Solanke said she accepted their offer without enquiring the accompanying responsibilities because of the calibre of people iin the group.
While decrying the level of decay and impunity in the society, she appealed to judges to endeavour to live up to the word ‘honour’.
She congratulated the organisers for being gender-friendly, just as she noted that of about 40 new inductees to the SCGN, there were more females.
“Nigeria is going through difficult times. So much impunity in the land. We all have to be very careful with our actions. Despite the difficulties, I believe there is hope for Nigeria.
“At 82, I am not worried about my age. It is not about me but about what I have done with the time God has given me. We must use our time well,” she said.
In his remark, Omolayole decried the spate of corruption in the corporate world, noting that it now appears impossible for business people to be totally straightforward.
He said: “I have seen a lot of the private sector in my over 50 years in that sector. I can tell you that it is not easy being totally straightforward if you are in business.
“But know that you do not have to bribe anyone. It is a policy that I stood for all through my years. It is difficult but any organisation must be willing to incure loss if it means that.
“Most times, I wonder if it is the same Nigeria where all through my years, I did not give anybody a kobo as bribe in order to elicit a favour or contract,” he said.
