Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has charged the outgoing Fellows of the Lateef Jakande Leadership Academy (LJLA) to aim higher than the achievements of the academy’s namesake, the late former Governor of Lagos, Alhaji Lateef Jakande.
Speaking at the “Parting Fireside Chat with Mr. Governor” at his official residence at the Lagos House on Monday, Sanwo-Olu said the Fellows, having undergone rigorous training, possess the capacity to excel in life and make their mark in governance and leadership.
“I can’t explain how excited I feel about the 2nd graduation of Lateef Jakande Leadership Academy Fellows. What we started like an idea about two years ago is turning out to be one of the world’s best leadership schools.” The governor said.
Reflecting on the vision behind the academy, Sanwo-Olu noted that, “The vision behind this academy, some of you might be young when Alhaji Lateef Jakande was the Executive Governor of Lagos between 1979 and 1983.
“His four-year impactful governance was so fast, so quick. He made a lot of impact. When he passed on, we thought, what do we give a man to honour his leadership style so that we continue to have his legacy?
“To some of us who were privileged in the culture of governance, we know he deserves more. He doubled the number of public schools, built numerous low-cost housing estates, and laid the foundation for LASU.”
Urging the Fellows to live up to the challenge, Sanwo-Olu declared: “You are entering into the shoes of a man of big size; you can do it better. You have the capacity to outshine the history that was set by Baba Kekere.”
The Governor further explained that the Academy reflects Nigeria’s diversity, with a slight preference for Lagosians, but is open to all.
“We are intentional in reflecting the diversity of our country among the Fellows, with a little bias for Lagosians; every Nigerian has a seat. It is for you to take the story internationally so that we can move toe to toe with any other leadership academy.”
He commended the Lagos State House of Assembly for giving the programme legislative backing.
“The vision is robust; the House of Assembly also keyed into the vision. All the legal backing is live. What it means is that subsequent governments will ensure that the vision does not die.
“We will continue to raise the bar. All of us bought into the vision. I’m excited we have some of the civil servants among the Fellows. Out of 20,000 applicants, you were able to secure a seat as one of the best public servants in the State.”
The Executive Secretary of the Academy, Mrs. Ayisat Agbaje-Okunade, expressed satisfaction with the Governor’s support, noting that the training had exposed Fellows to policy formulation, wellness, mental health, resilience, and other leadership-building courses.
“Selflessness is part of leadership. The programme is to groom young leaders. We build on human capital; we have several promising talents, and they have been incubated for at least one year. Some of the projects the set carried out included lighting up pedestrian bridges, digitalising Ikeja High School, and giving teachers laptops. We teach them to start with their community first.”
Some Fellows shared their experiences with journalists.
Noah Oluwaseyi said: “What we see outside about governance is actually different from what happens in the background. My perspective has actually changed.”
For Shem Ayegba, the programme was “highly transformative and engaging” after moving from the private sector in Kogi State.
“I want to take my experience from the private sector to the public sector, especially as regards the most challenging demand in the country, which is the issue of housing,” he added.
