"I was surprised at how low the percentage of female directors was [in oil and gas firms around the globe] - 11%, most of them are in non-executive positions, 1% of executive board seats are held by women."

"We are there not because we are women. We are there because of our competence as managers."

"Our world is changing, necessitating a greater need for diverse and inclusive leadership."

"“I have found that you have to set your mind to be 100-percent professional at all times. You must know what you are talking about before you open your mouth and do your work in such a way that you leave no excuse or doubt for people to derogate you or your work because you are a woman… I think you also have to be smart about how you come across to people as a woman.”"

"“I think people more easily dismiss a woman in the workplace or try to put women down,”"

"“I grew up with a very strong sense of pride in what it means to be Nigerian and what we can achieve as a people, which strongly contradicted the feedback I got from the world. For me, it is very important as Nigerians that we take time out to look for our personal heroes and learn about our heritage, who we actually are and what we have achieved as a people, instead of listening to the negative narrative the world gives us.”"

"“My [paternal] grandfather was a bishop in the Anglican Church, while my [maternal] grandfather was Nigeria’s first Finance Minister, Festus Samuel Okotie Eboh,”"

"We're about sustainability because it is the smartest, most effective, most profitable business strategy."

"The process you’re educating yourself, you are learning about yourself, you are learning about other people, you are meeting people, and people can see your work and your passion – and it will lead to something."

"Don’t imagine that just because you hear fantastic stories about people who drop out of school and make a fortune, and do things the easy way, that this is typical. It is far from typical. If you work hard, even if you don’t get what you are aiming for, you will get something."

"Don’t Ever Look Down On Anyone"

"Be bold, be confident, be fearless, you’re beautiful, the world is yours go ahead and take it."

"Failure comes with a lesson for the individual"

"if they apply themselves to what they want to do they will succeed."

"Failure Shouldn’t Mar You, It Should Make You”"

"Surprisingly, while the burial arrangements were being planned, little did the world know that there was a smouldering 'war' between her children and their father, Chief Alani Bankole, over the choice of the burial site."

"In life, the late Chief Adunni Bankole was always in the news for the good reason. The renowned Lagos socialite and Iyalode of Gbagura land in Abeokuta, Ogun State, lived a fulfilled life, even to the envy of some. But her death on January 3, 2015 was not only shocking but also dramatic-she died few hours before her daughter, Mopelola's wedding on that red-letter day."

"The ex-wife of Chief Alani Bankole died today, Saturday, January 3, 2015 during her daughter’s wedding, an event she was eagerly looking forward to and had even planned elaborately for."

"A society lady and Iyalode of Gbagura in Ogun State, Chief Mrs. Adunni Bankole, has passed on."

"Start with end in mind and work towards it."

"We need to create an environment that would drive creativity."

"Once you have a good plan and a good concept and you work through it, the funds will always come."

"Whatever you do, do well. You never know who is watching."

"And now, the end is near"

"I realized many companies did not have enough computers. I saw an opportunity, so I started initially by buying foreign brands and selling to my customers."

"Nothing good comes easy. To build a successful business, it takes a lot of patience and dedication."

"Whatever idea or concept one has can easily be destroyed by the banks. There has to be some kind of reforms in the banking system for things to thrive."

"If I had my choice, I won’t borrow from Nigerian banks because on three occasions, they threatened us over a loan."

"Once you set up a company, whether you are a woman or a man, and you have to pay salaries, it does not matter who is involved. When you are in a battlefield or in a competitive field, you forget whether you are a woman or a man."

"All your hard work will never be in vain, especially if your work is clean."

"I’ve lived a life that’s full I’ve traveled each and every highway. But more, much more than this I did it my way”"

"“I don’t have pressure of any kind, I do my work the way I should”."

"“Building a greater nation requires all hands to be on deck. Women want to be partners and collaborators on this journey and we cannot behave if we are excluded by law, cultural practices and norms.”"

"Technology is a very important part of innovation as it brings new ways of doing old things and new ways of doing new things."

"There are 1 billion Africans and the continent’s median age is 19.4 years, both of which suggest there is a larger demographic pool of potential STEM students and eventually, professionals, in Africa than in most other continents."

"Africa needs to prioritize the funding of institutes of middle and higher learning that focus on the development of STEM skills and ensure that the curriculum for these courses are aligned with the needs of companies in the market."

"The goal of universal access requires several billions of dollars to be invested in the expansion and improvement of digital infrastructure across Africa. African governments need to make it easier for both private and public capital to be deployed to finance the expansion of internet/digital infrastructure. All African countries must have a coherent, well-articulated and documented broadband plan that provides the public and private sector with clear guidelines and a roadmap to sector development and gives mobile network operators and other infrastructure providers the legal and regulatory certainty that promotes investments."

"It is not enough to say that women are less likely to own a phone or be connected to the internet than men, which is by itself a serious problem of gender inclusion that needs addressing."

"Africa doesn’t have enough software developers, network and communication engineers, data analysts, data scientists and even the few that we have are looking for the next opportunity to board a plane to Canada, Germany or whichever country is the highest bidder for the world class skills that they possess."

"About 50% of Africans own a mobile phone; another 15- 20% who do not own a mobile phone have access to one, making the mobile phone access rate about 65-70%. Arising from this is a paradox: more Africans have access to mobile phones than to pretty much anything else that they really need – only 28% of Africans have access to financial services, only 33% have access to power through their home country’s national grid and only 31% have access to decent sanitation."

"The narrative and hype that we hear about digital transformation is again being largely fueled by what people see. And what do they see – they see the tremendous opportunity and potential that is before us to truly transform this continent through digital technology."

"Through all these years...all I can say is this marriage thing is 95% faith in God and 5% works."

"Only the dead have seen the end of the world."

"To see where we’ve been and coming back to Earth, it’s almost impossible to deny that there is the existence of a higher being, it surely can’t just be science."

"For us as a company, it’s always been beyond Lagos fashion week. I’m more inspired by the work that we do that people don’t see and they don’t even know about."

"Understanding that some of the most important things in life are purpose and passion driven, combined with a deeper need to make a difference beyond myself and make an impact."

"You never know who you are going to meet, what doors could be opened, or what opportunity awaits you."

"Life is a journey. Once you understand that some of the most important things are purpose and passion driven, combined with a deeper need to make a difference beyond self as well as contribute in some way to what is happening around you, it certainly makes waking up daily an easier task for me. When you earn a living this way, it is certainly more fulfilling."

"There are so many opportunities available right now for African designers to access funds. But the no one is taking advantage of these opportunities."

"More than ever before, we have to realise that it is important to come together as a community."