No less than 260 students from all the 17 secondary schools in the Afijio State Constituency of Oyo State have graduated from the second batch of a free John Maxwell Youth Leadership Programme.
The programme tagged “iLead” is one of the developmental agenda of the Seyi Adisa Development Initiative, SADI, founded by the lawmaker representing Afijio State Constituency in the Oyo State House of Assembly, Hon, Seyi Adisa.
The beneficiaries were tutored on 16 values of leadership, in an eight-week intensive training period, anchored by certified John Maxwell’s leadership 560 secondary school students in Afijio, Oyo town.
Impactful Young Generation
The convener, Seyi Adisa said the initiative was to build a disciplined, value-based and impactful young generation to become better leaders.
He said that the initiative had been successfully tested in Mexico, Paraguay and other South American countries with similar social vices and challenges like Nigeria, noting that leadership must reflect good character and quality values.
Adisa stated: “They’ve been able to identify that they are leaders and there are certain values they need to inculcate in their way of life, so that in the choices they make, taking up responsibilities, they would have positive attitudes, self-discipline, self worth and forgiveness. These are all examples of values that are important to human life and these are all the values they’ve all gone through.”
He urged the younger generation to be role models in their leadership style and show other people the proper way of leading.
Exhibit Positive Attitude
Addressing the students, a Lagos-based John Maxwell Life Coach, Mr Olusoji Oyawoye, advised them to exhibit positive attitude about life, be committed, responsible, take initiative and be self-disciplined.
The representative of the Oyo State Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, the Local Inspector of Education (L.I.E.), Afijio Local Government Area, Mr Salami, commended Adisa for the good work, describing it as uncommon among politicians.
Salami said the programme would no doubt help in the development of the mental capacity of the students and sharpen their behavioural pattern.
Highlight of the graduation ceremony was the presentation of certificates to the students and light entertainment by a Nigerian artist, “Gaise Baba”
Lateefah Ibrahim
