The African Centre for Leadership, Strategy & Development (Centre LSD) in collaboration with Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS) have graduated forty (40) persons from the Centre LSD Leadership School.
Speaking, the founding Executive Director of Centre LSD Dr. Otive Igbuzor disclosed the centres to have so far certified one thousand, and thirty five persons in total since inception of the school, adding that, the initial drive and passion of the Ejiro & Otive Igbuzor Foundation to transform citizens especially those in the rural area parachuted the organization to the great heights.
He made this statement during the Bi-Annual Leadership Lecture and Graduation ceremony of the 13th set and matriculation of the 15th set to Centre LSD Leadership School, with the theme: ‘LEADERSHIP, RELIGION AND DEVELOPMENT OF SOCIETY’, alongside the birthday of the founder Centre LSD on Saturday, in Abuja.
Igbuzor said leadership has always been an issue in every failing government stating that, “back then my wife and I, both sacrificed our one month salaries yearly to support and train people. Before then we started a cooperative business just to give grants of ten thousand (10,000) naira to nine people knowing that such could transform the lives of rural women and men.
“I am so glad that what we started like play 11 years ago, has graduated one thousand and thirty five (1035) persons from the Leadership School. Anywhere you find yourself, whether in the mosque, church, offices, or organizations, you will hear that the greatest challenge is leadership. At that time in 2009 when we started, if you search around the world, there weren’t anybody talking about leadership course not even the organization’that had leadership in their name. The best they did was to work on women but not on core leadership training,” Igbuzor stated.
The founder Centre LSD urged the granduand to put in their best on whatever they did, transferring knowledge, training and message they had acquired unto others, adding that many failed in life not because they lacked capacity but because they do not know what to do.
“We as narrative leaders must change the narrative of Nigerians so that both the children of the rich and poor will have access to education, healthcare, and opportunities so that our country can change for the better. We desire to see see this come to pass and our desire is to see our students from here end up as political leaders of this nation,” he added.
Also speaking, the Chairman Christian Association of Nigeria (North Central Zone) and Co-Chair, Side by Side Movement for Gender Justin in Nigeria Rev (Dr) Isreal Akanji said that the major problem faced in the country today is leadership,
He urged the student to take every moment to participate effectively in decision making of the country.
“Don’t sit back, fold your hands and leave it for the unlearned and unschooled so that at the end, the purpose would be achieved.”
Earlier, the Executive Director Centre LSD, Mr. Monday Osasah, said that many scholars and commentators are of the view that leadership failure is one of the major factors responsible for the underdevelopment of African.
He further said that the theme chosen was due to the role religion plays in the fields of leadership, politics and the different domains of social life.
“Leaders express their beliefs through leadership with the beliefs largely shaped by religion and through other channels.”
