know which party my wife belongs to, but she belongs to my kitchen and my living room and the other room.” Wow. Very quickly after this, the hashtag #TheOtherRoom began trending with Nigerians and the world screaming out about this misogynistic message from a leader in today’s world who was standing right beside Angela Merkel when this statement was made! I’m a 40 year old investment banker who also happens to be a wife and mother to three sons. I am constantly juggling, balancing and trying my best to have a fulfilling life which allows me to surpass my ambitious goals with a healthy and happy marriage, family and friends right beside me. I am always being told to work “harder than they do” and “lean in.” As hard as I work and as much as I lean in, I’m struggling to understand how to make sure that the decision makers and leaders in today’s global economy can see me and all of the other women like me working as hard as our bodies and minds will allow. Do we matter in the grand scheme of things? Can men in today’s business environment see beyond the fact that I am a “young woman?” I recently sat in front of an allegedly well-respected man, possibly in his 50s, discussing my interests in board appointments and he called me a “baby” when I told him my age. I sat there in front of him as cool as a cucumber but I was furious. I doubt he meant to be condescending but I began to wonder when I would be regarded for the breadth and depth of my professional and personal accomplishments without being looked upon as a child. Nigerian society has an acute problem with sexism and ageism. We need to fix this quickly otherwise we will continue to lack the full range of tools, brain power, and efficiency to lift ourselves out of this economic rut, which predominantly older men have plunged us into. Young people today bring fresh ideas and a new way of thinking which is what has propelled technological advances globally. We must embrace the contributions of those under the 50 - 60 age bracket in Nigeria and bring women along for the journey too. We don’t want to be in the trunk or back seat either. Sometimes we want to drive. We also have to see more women as competent and capable of the highest offices in the land. The banking and legal sectors have managed to get this right given the vast numbers of mid-level and senior women in these fields. Notwithstanding this fact, out of 25 commercial and merchant banks in Nigeria, only 3 have female chief executives. If women represent 50% of the population, when will we start to represent 50% of the executive suite? How can we
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