Brilliance Is Not Enough, Soft Skills Keep You Ahead, Supreme Court Justice

By LOVETH AZODO, Lagos

In a competitive market place, the Justice of the Supreme Court, Hon. Justice Amina Adamu Augie, CON has said that brilliance is not enough to make one stay ahead and standout of the crowd stressing that soft skills must be imbibed.

Speaking Today, at the Lagos State University 3rd Distinguish Lecture titled: Market Imperatives: Re-Thinking Soft skills In a Highly Competitive World, Hon. Augie stated that one thing that has limited and restrited people that once aspire to get to the top is lack of integrity, contentment and character.

No man is an island, you have to learn how to work with people, your brilliance is not enough, you must imbibe these soft skills which include integrity, hard work, interpersonal skills and more importantly contentment” she urged.

The Vice Chancellor of the varsity urged that no one needs to cut corners to be at the top or achieve a goal.

He said “our world class students keyed fully into this discuss because we recongnise that our world is a competitive one with globalization.”

“Weather you finished from a state or federal school you will be competiting with those who finished in other parts of the world and there won’t be a distinction drawn, so we must inbuild them with skills they require, soft skills is very essential, knowledge of your field or book knowledge is not enough we must also have these soft skills,” he said.

On continuation of the lecture, he iterated that the career development center of the university serves as a platform where the students can always get developed on soft skills and get prepared for a competitive world.

Also speaking, Managing Partner Aeoex Legal Practitioners and Arbitrators, Mrs. Funke Adekoya, SAN opined that “character may not give you the job you seek however, it will keep the job when you eventually get it.”

She added that Integrity, Honesty and character will take one further where education stops.
She urged Nigerians to take a chance to make the change that the country needs.

One of the discussant, SME specialist and social worker, Mrs. Bountiful Taiwo Adelanwa who described the soft skills as life skills stated that communication skills is Paramount to standout in a competitive world stressing that an undergraduate with poor communication skills will find it hard to write his/her curriculum vitae.

” Learn how to talk and when you talk, talk the right way , make Excellence your life culture, know yourself, do your SWOT analysis” she urged.

On gaining employment, Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer Polaris Bank, Mr Adetokunbo Abiru stated that soft skills are prerequisite requirements in the recruitment of graduates adding that no one can fit in without imbibing soft skills.

He urged that soft skills should also be complimented with technology stressing that it is a part of soft skills.