We had a brief chat with Blossom Ozurumba, Innovation Advisor to the Chief Innovation Officer, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation and one of our Advisory Board members for the concluded Nigerian Women Techsters (NWT) initiative. Here are her thoughts on gender diversity in the technology industry, gender-based violence and a pet project she’s working on

What’s your current role and a summary of what that entails?

I currently work as the Innovation Advisor to the Chief Innovation Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation. In this role, I provide high-level advisory on innovation, creativity, design thinking and expert technical support to the Chief Innovation Officer. Overall, we effectively work towards delivering the Research, Technology, and Innovation mandate of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) in collaboration with a high achieving team, to champion game-changing research, technology, and innovation to help NNPC become an innovation-driven organization and effectively achieve a competitive edge across its energy value chain and associated businesses.

What are your thoughts on the importance of female inclusion in technology and bridging the digital divide?

I have a message for every female:
"Your gender shouldn’t preclude you from having balls. Women should continue to speak boldly about issues that affect them."
I also have a message for everyone else:
"Achieving gender equality and empowering all women and girls is a Sustainable Development Goal but womanhood is beyond a goal. It is everything."

Any pet projects you are working on or anything you would like to share with us?

I have recently taken a fondness for using locally sourced material to design simple and thoughtful gifts, and in doing so, aim to creatively upcycle and recycle from the abundance of elements around us as individuals. To this end, we are currently working on a project that will provide endless opportunities for Nigerians to purchase gifts for themselves and their loved ones, and most importantly, give, in an enduring, sustainable and enjoyable manner.

How have you been staying safe and active professionally in these unprecedented times?

I have deliberately ensured to not take any of the COVID-19 advisories for granted. In staying safe, I am reminded that I do it for others as well. It is a pure case of giving back to the society around you by playing your part to ensure that you are safe, and in so doing, not pose a risk to others. Most importantly, I have come to realise that the abundance of grace has been my most precious gift at a time like this. Trusting God each new day for safety has been such a rewarding journey and I am incredibly thankful for the reality.

What are your thoughts on the injustice against women ravaging the country right now (especially rape and police brutality) and the recent outrage against them?

We must unite in vigorously resisting the agenda to normalize rape in all its forms. It is important to note that we MUST stop insisting that women should hide and diminish themselves so they don't get raped. The more we normalize this very defective thought process, the more we embolden rapists. If we all stop laughing when silly comedians joke about rape and all forms of violence against women and walk out on them, they will be forced to learn.

To know more about Blossom visit www.blossomozurumba.com