CHAIRPERSON’S WELCOME ADDRESS
The Honourable Chairman of today’s event, Dr. Dayo Mobereola, Director General, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA);
The President and Chairman of the Governing Council, Mrs. Uto Ukpanah, FCIS;
The distinguished Keynote Speaker, Prof. Yinka Omorogbe, SAN, CEO/Founder, ETIN Power Limited; the Vice President, Mr Francis Olawale, FCIS , Honourary Treasurer,Mr Onyekachi Uko, FCIS, the Immediate Past President Mrs. Funmi Ekundayo,FCIS, Distinguished Members of the Governing Council Present, the Vice Chairman of the Chapter, Mr. Adebola Babatunde, FCIS, the Immediate Past Chairman, Mr. Olufemi Sokan, FCIS , Past Presidents Present, Past Chairmen of the Chapter present, Fellows of the Institute Present, Members of the Chapter, Members of the Institute and Non-members.Chairmen of other professional bodies present, Chairmen of other Chapters present, Executive Committee Members of the Chapter, Members of the Institute and Non-members, Gentlemen of the Press, Special Guests present, Ladies and Gentlemen. Captains of Industry, Corporate Executives, Esteemed Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen.
Good morning It is my honour and pleasure, as Chair of this Chapter, to welcome you all to the 2025 ICSAN Lagos State Chapter Annual Summit, It is a part of our Activities of the Corporate Governance Week introduced by this administration. Our Annual summit has become an annual gathering that continues to set the pace and realities of governance, ethics, and leadership across Nigeria’s corporate and public sectors.
It gives me immense pleasure to stand before you today as we convene once again to interrogate the evolving dynamics of governance under the theme, “Governance Redefined in a Business Environment: A Continuum or New Paradigms.” This theme is both timely and forward-looking. It challenges us to examine whether the governance principles we hold dear are merely continuing a legacy or transforming into new paradigms that better align with today’s realities.
This summit is not only a platform for dialogue but also a reflection of how far the Lagos State Chapter has come over the past year. Our Chapter has remained vibrant and active, hosting numerous impactful programs that embody our collective commitment to governance excellence and member development.
To our Chairman of the SUMMIT, keynote speaker, panelists, and thank you for lending your time, experience, and intellect to this summit. To our guests and delegates, your presence today is a testament to your shared commitment to advancing governance excellence in Nigeria. Delegates of this Summit who are lawyers will not only have a memorable time with our well-seasoned panellists but also have the advantage of earning the CPD points of the NBA ICLE by attending this event, so please the technical team will display the QR code at some point towards the end of today’s program.
As professionals, you would all agree that our world is changing rapidly, driven by digital transformation, sustainability imperatives, shifting stakeholder expectations, and socio-economic transitions. Governance, therefore, can no longer be confined to static rules and checklists. It must evolve into a living framework that adapts, anticipates, and leads.
As professionals, we must ask these questions:
• How do we sustain ethical leadership in a time of disruption or should I refer to them as shifts and not disruptions?
• How do we bridge traditional governance principles with emerging technologies, ESG imperatives, and new business realities?
• And most importantly, how do we redefine governance so it remains the bedrock of accountability, transparency, and sustainable growth?
You would all agree that governance today is not what it used to be. It is evolving constantly, and we are all somewhere between continuity and reinvention.
Gone are the days when governance simply meant having the right policies filed neatly in a cabinet and hoping no one ever needed to open them. Today, governance must be living, dynamic, and responsive — not just a compliance checklist, but a compass for strategic direction.
These are the conversations we will explore throughout this summit. Over the course of the day, we shall have engaging panel sessions around ‘Evolving Governance Models: Bridging Compliance and Strategic Alignment’ and ‘Adaptive Governance in the Age of Disruption: AI, Cybersecurity, and the Future of Corporate Structures’, drawing from diverse perspectives, from regulators and boardroom executives to thought leaders and governance practitioners.
our first session — “Evolving Governance Models: Bridging Compliance and Strategic Alignment” — will tackle that delicate balance between doing things right and doing the right things. How do we ensure that governance is not a bureaucratic burden but a value driver? I’m sure our panelists will help us navigate that fine line perhaps even better than some of our internal audit reports manage to!
Session 2 the panelist will interrogate the discussion “Adaptive Governance in the Age of Disruption: AI, Cybersecurity, and the Future of Corporate Structures” — we venture into the frontier where algorithms are smarter than some of our meeting minutes, and where the threats we face move faster than most board approvals.
These are not abstract issues; they are reshaping how we lead, how we make decisions, and how we safeguard trust. Governance, in this age, must not only adapt — it must anticipate.
What I find most exciting about today’s discussions is that we’re not just talking about rules and frameworks. We’re talking about people — about leadership, accountability, and resilience. Governance, after all, is not about control; it’s about confidence. It’s about creating the environment in which good decisions can flourish, even when uncertainty reigns.
As we embark on today’s sessions, I encourage everyone to listen, to challenge, to share — and to laugh when we can. Because if we can’t find a little humour in governance, we risk taking our policies more seriously than our purpose.
Before I close, let me express my heartfelt appreciation to God Almighty for this day, those in the Exco and Planning Committee, would understand why I must specially give honor to whom honour is due which is God Almighty, then to Our Chief Host Mrs Uto Ukpanah, FCIS for her continued support, and also our Immediate Past President Mrs Funmi Ekundayo, FCIS, I am privileged to have enjoyed the warmth and support of two powerful Presidents and with emphasis FEMALE PRESIDENTS of ICSAN and I am eternally grateful for all the love, I cannot even explain the kind of support I have enjoyed in this administration. They are a true testament of WOMEN supporting WOMEN and this is not me trying to patronize them.
I could never have put this week activities without the support of my Exco, a composition of very unique people with qualities that make us formidable, you all have been amazing, the Entire team of the Planning Committee led by Ms Folake Sadiq, ACIS,, the Subcommittee heads , Mr Osa Aiwerioghene, Mrs Laide Adeyemo, Mrs Blessing Choko and Ms Adeola Olumeyan and the FLAGSHIP committee led by Mrs Yetunde Braimoh, FCIS and the Welfare Committee led by my ever supportive Mr Temidayo Odulaja, FCIS, I sincerely show my appreciation for your support haven worked tirelessly to bring this summit and the entire activities of the Governance Week to life.
And, of course, to all of you — our delegates — thank you for being here, we welcome you once again. Let’s learn, engage, and perhaps even redefine governance together.
As we begin this summit, I urge everyone here in this room to engage fully, reflect deeply, and leave here inspired to drive change. Governance is not an end in itself; it is a living continuum, one that thrives on innovation, integrity, and inclusivity.
Let us, as governance professionals, continue to uphold the timeless values of transparency and accountability while boldly redefining governance for the future.
On behalf of the Executive Committee of the ICSAN Lagos State Chapter, I welcome you to the 2025 Annual Summit.
God bless ICSAN.
God bless ICSAN Lagos State Chapter.
God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.