Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State has called for the use of innovative technologies to resolve the economic and social challenges of the country.
Sanwo-Olu said this on Wednesday during the pioneer graduation of the Lateef Jakande Leadership Academy (LJLA) at Konga Place in Lekki.
He said that the new platform of globalisation and the Internet of Things must be significantly employed to resolve new challenges encountered in the course of improving the living standards of citizens.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that 30 students, 15 men and 15 women, between the ages of 18 and 35, graduated from the academy after a one-year course and mentorship in leadership.
The Lagos Leadership Summit (LLS) is a pivotal platform dedicated to empowering Nigeria’s young professionals with the skills and insights essential for success in various leadership roles.
With a focus on leadership excellence, ethical governance, and youth inclusion in governance, the summit offers a unique opportunity for participants to engage with renowned leaders and industry experts.
”You have to be able to innovate for us; you are here as leaders of not tomorrow but today. Propose solutions that the government can use as a tool to solve the challenges that we are facing today, but more importantly, to solve global issues.
“And that is why we started the Lateef Jakande Leadership Academy. For us as a government, we felt how well we could honor a man than for us in the public sector to set up a cream of new leaders.
“So we set up this school that has the first set, the one-year fellowship, who indeed have not only shown us that we took the right step, they have been outstanding individuals,” the governor said.
The guest speaker and former governor of Lagos State, Babatunde Fashola, noted that it was important for followers to trust their leaders for a successful outcome.
“The people need to trust the government; it is important that they know the capabilities of their leaders so that when issues beyond human expectations happen, the followers can show empathy for the plight of their leaders.
”I have always been an advocate who believes that the process is as important as the result; the end shouldn’t justify the means; the process is crucial; it serves as a blueprint for others coming behind,” he said.
Similarly, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, Deputy Governor, who spoke on “Leadership and Community Engagement,” stated that to achieve effective leadership in Nigeria, there was a need to navigate complex political, economic, and social landscapes.
Hamzat urged the citizens to be involved in governance while stressing the need for collaborations with private stakeholders and the public sector.
According to him, community engagement with government at all levels is pivotal to the nation’s development.
In her address, Mrs. Ayisat Agbaje-Okunade, LIJA’s Executive Secretary, noted that the challenges faced required leaders who were not only capable but compassionate, visionary, and adaptable.
According to her, leadership must transcend rhetoric and manifest tangible outcomes.
“We need leaders who inspire confidence, foster unity, and drive transformation.”
Agbaje-Okunade urged the participants to embrace the responsibility that comes with leadership and pave the way for a generation of new leaders.
The keynote speaker, Mr. Abubakar Suleiman, Chief Executive Officer, Sterling Bank, said that leadership is about leading people on a new purposeful journey.
Suleiman said being a strategic thinker and a transformational leader was what makes leadership different from management, adding that the future is being crafted in leadership.
“In essence, as a leader, you must be able to lead people to the future; hence, you must be convincing for people to be bold enough to follow you and to trust and believe in you.
“For one to be a leader, the people must be able to believe and trust you in order to take them to the future where you have never been,” he said.
Also speaking, Mr. Tunbosun Alake, Commissioner, Innovation, Science, and Technology, stressed that leadership had nothing to do with being young or old but having good values and character.
The commissioner advised the participants to pursue excellence in their various career paths in order to succeed in life.(NAN)
