Chief of Defence Staff, 149 others bag NIM fellowship

The Nigerian Institute of Management Chartered has conferred the status of fellowship on the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Christopher Musa, and 149 other Nigerians.

The recipients were conferred at the NIM 2024 Awards, Fellows and Spouses Day Luncheon on Thursday in Lagos.

The event was themed, “Integrating Sustainability into Strategic Decision Making: A Path towards Long Business Success.”

President, NIM, Dr Christiana Atako, said the event was where qualified and deserving members were conferred the highest professional membership grade of the institute via a meticulous process.

She noted that the fellowship upgrade was not an end in itself but rather a call to higher responsibility and service to the institute, the management profession and the nation.

She charged the recipients to devote more of their time, talent, treasure and thinking to the service of the institute, the profession and the nation by availing their competencies and specialisations when the need arises.

“I congratulate the institute’s elder statesmen and women who are receiving life membership awards at this event for keeping faith with the institute over the years.

“In the same breath, I pay special tribute to other individuals and corporate members as well as non-members that will also be receiving various for excelling in their different areas of calling and business,” she said.

Business Advisor to the Chief Financial Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Mrs Hafsatu Abdu-Gusau, in her keynote address, urged members to embed sustainability criteria in decision-making processes.

Abdu-Gusau stressed that all levels of the organisation must consider sustainability impacts for by incorporating its strategies to navigate future challenges and exploit new market opportunities.

She noted that challenges such as lack of awareness and knowledge of sustainability practices, resistance to change and difficulty in measuring its benefits hindered its adoption.

She, however, stated that integrating sustainability into organisational processes had benefits such as cost reduction, investor attraction, enhanced brand reputation, risk mitigation and regulatory compliance among others.

She said, “Effective measurement and tracking of sustainability performance is crucial for monitoring progress, identifying areas for improvement, and reporting to stakeholders.

“Managers should develop a comprehensive set of Key Performance Indicators that align with the organisation’s sustainability priorities and strategic goals.

“Collaboration plays a crucial role in sustainability, as it enables organisations to leverage partnerships and alliances to access complementary resources, capabilities, and markets.

“By working together, businesses can share knowledge, reduce costs, and enhance innovation, which are essential for implementing sustainable practices.

“These collaborative efforts can lead to improved operational efficiencies and greater impact in addressing sustainability challenges.”

In his remarks, Musa noted that the security of the nation was a collective responsibility and urged Nigerians to support the military in its duty of securing the nation.

He lauded the NIM for recognising and rewarding deserving members with the prestigious fellowship award.

He noted that the institute had been successful in championing management expertise and direction to the nation since its inception 63 years ago.

He identified management as the bane of the nation’s development and urged the Institute not to relent in its resolve to foist good management practices in workplaces and the nation at large.

He appealed to every citizen to know that the country’s security agencies and enjoined to condemn and report cases of bad management practices wherever they existed.