The Institute of Leadership Coaching and Strategy (ILCS) has said that Nigeria has no business with poverty but for poor leadership recruitment processes since 1960.
Dr Azeez Olasunkade, the President and Chairman of the Governing Council of the institute, made this remark at the inaugural Induction Ceremony of ILCS on Friday in Lagos.
The maiden induction, with the theme: “ Nigeria at 64: The Leadership Factor-Which Way Out?” had in attendance various technocrats, and professionals among others physically and virtually.
Olasunkade, who noted that everything rises and falls on leadership, said that progress of any family, group or nation depended on the prowess and character of its leadership.
According to him, challenges facing Nigeria and most African countries are predominantly because of poor leadership, hence the emergence of the institute.
“Nigeria as a nation, with what we are endowed with, human and material resources, has no business with poverty but for leadership challenges,” the president said.
He said that the institute evolved as a product of necessity for the need of good leaders in various sectors to fulfil the aspiration and yearnings of the people.
He said that the multidimensional professional body, as an offshoot of the Chartered Institute of Leadership, Policy and Strategy, had the mandate to regulate and promote the net worth of responsible and disciplined leadership.
He said this was to ensure a just, equitable and fair society through research, advocacy, capacity-building and effective strategic thrusts across the strata of the society for the benefit of humanity.
He said that ILCS as an emerging institute prioritised sustainable development and core values to promote responsible, competent and strategic leadership across all sectors through advocacy.
He identified critical challenges facing leadership in Nigeria to include corruption, lack of accountability and transparency, poor governance, weak institutions, and ethnic and religious divisions among others.
Emphasising the need to strengthen the decision and governance structure, Olasunkade urged the inductees to abide the the professional conduct of the institute.
After the administration of an oath of allegiance to fellows, full members and associates of ILSC, Olasunkade admitted the physical and virtual inductees into the institute.
In his keynote address, Prof. David Aworawo, a Professor of International Relations and Strategic Studies at the University of Lagos, said that Nigerians had high hopes when the nation gained independence in 1960.
According to him, it appears that Nigeria was more prosperous five years before independence than even five years after independence, because of the political crisis that started from the first republic.
He said that many of the battles had been because of selfish and personal interests.
In his opening remark, Mr Akinlolu Iroko, the Chairman of the occasion, described the leadership position as a service and not a job.
Iroko said that it was unfortunate that Nigerians were still blaming the colonial masters for their woes 64 years after independence.
“Our own democracy has not produced leaders but rulers. Leadership means integrity, inspiration, humility and empathy. If we remove this from leadership, it is the opposite we will get,” he said.
According to him, the story of Nigeria and Africa with change responsible, competent and strategic leaders.
Speaking in an interview, one of the inductees and lawyer, Mr Olajide Ologun, noted that people without effective leadership would not enjoy the developmental benefits of the prosperity accruable from the resources given by God.
According to him, Africa, in comparison to some countries like Singapore, America, Australia, and Switzerland, is battling high poverty despite having more resources than some of these foreign countries, because of poor leadership.
Noting that leadership was about wisdom, service, accountability, and responsibility, Ologun said, “The earlier we start redirecting our leadership culture in Nigeria towards selfless service to the citizens, we are going nowhere as Africans.”
According to him, at 64 after independence, considering the nation’s resources, Nigerians’ expectations are still very high but the result has not reflected those expectations.
No fewer than 50 new members were inducted including a lawyer, Olajide Ologun, Kamar Isikalu, Salau Isiaka, Bolanle Disu, Ibukun Ekisola, Oluwakemi Shonubi, Sunday Aiyegba, Bolaji Lartey, and Emmanuel Adeloye.
Others are Adesina Adegoke, Omotola Adegoke, Olawale Ajani, Olusegun Ajibewa, Itunu Abudu, Anne Kushimo, Henry Ogbulogo, Adebisi Adegboye, Hakeem Gbadamosi, Abolanle Agboola, Monsurat Abdulwarees-Solanke among others.
