By Akinwale Kasali
Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, would lead prominent personalities to speak at the leadership symposium of the Lead Generation Initiative, LGI, holding on January 21st 2021 at Transcorp Hilton, Abuja.
The symposium tagged, “The Future of Leadership: The Role of the Youth”, is part of the activities to mark the one year anniversary of the LGI, a non-governmental, non-political and non-profit organization committed to galvanizing, training and empowering young Nigerians across the country to get involved and take responsibility in community development and nation building right from their immediate localities.
Also expected to speak at the symposium, which will be 80 per cent virtual, and in compliance with COVID-19 protocols, is the Honourable Minister for Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare, Niger State Governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello and his counterpart from Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde.
Other dignitaries include; Dr. Taiwo Afolabi, Hon. Shina Peller, famous Nollywood actress, Kate Henshaw among others.
The would-be panelists to speak on the topic, “Why the Leaders of Tomorrow Must Start Leading Today”, are Samson Itodo, popular Hip Hop Artiste, Ayodeji Ibrahim Balogun, known as Wizkid by his teeming fans, Japhet Omojuwa, Hon. Akin Alabi, and another high profile Music artiste, Olanrewaju Fasasi, popularly known as Sound Sultan and others.
Through its numerous laudable programmes such as: Get Involved Leadership Training (GILT), Get Involved Regional Leadership Summits, Emerging Leaders Conference, Women Leadership Development Programme, Creative Open Crafts, National Entrepreneurial Competition, among others, LGI develops interest of the youth in governance, social inclusion, and participation in the democratic and political processes in Nigeria.
The National Secretary of the Lead Generation Initiative, Ekpa Stanley Ekpa, revealed that through GILT, Lead Generation Initiative, in partnership with YIAGA Africa, had successfully trained 1300 young Nigerians in four states namely Oyo, Osun, Bauchi and Gombe on effective leadership skills, strategic communication, community development, active citizenship and nation building. Each of the 1300 beneficiaries has in turn trained 20 people each at the local government level.
GILT, which is designed to hold in all the 36 states of the federation including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), is a train-the-trainer leadership workshop, where participants, having been trained at the state level, return to their various local governments to replicate the training for the larger participants at the local government and ward level.
The LGI’s leadership symposium is designed to accommodate 25 participants at the venue, while numerous participants across the 36 states including the FCT will take part virtually.
