It will be a packed session as Redeemer’s University Ede, Osun State, in conjunction with BrandiQ hosts young people and eminent personalities at the 2018 Redeemer’s University/BrandiQ Youth Leadership Forum, billed to take place at the exclusive and prestigious Metropolitan Club Hall, Victoria Island, Lagos. The event holds on Saturday, July 7, 2018. The Vice President, Federal Republic of Nigeria, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, has confirmed his attendance to deliver the keynote address at the forum.

Tony Elumelu, Africa’s leading entrepreneurship mentor and Chairman, United Bank for Africa, (UBA), scheduled as the Special Guest Speaker, is set to inspire young Nigerians with his presentation at the event. Among those to be addressed by the top ranking bank executive and proponent of Africapitalism include students from various tertiary institutions in Nigeria, select senior secondary school finalists, young professionals of diverse career paths, business executives, diplomats, government officials and select members of the public.

The theme of the maiden edition of this forum is: “Youth Leadership for Sustainable National Development”. To make the session robust, because of the impact leadership in every facet of our lives, is a panel of eminent analysts, carefully assembled to discuss issues that will arise from the Guest Speaker’s presentation.

They include: Prof. James Tsaaior, Academic Director, Pan-African Conferences, Lagos; Prof. Vincent Anigbogu, Director-General, Institute for National Transformation (INT); Omotola Bamigbaiye-Elatuyi, Regional Marketing Manager, West Africa, Reckitt Benckiser; and Folake Ani-Mumuney, Chairperson, FBN Insurance Brokers and General Manager, Marketing and Corporate Communications, First Bank of Nigeria Plc.

The Lagos State Governor Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode is the Chief Host of the event.

Commenting on the event, the Vice Chancellor of the University, Professor Z. Debo Adeyewa, said: “As a state of the art world class tertiary institution, Redeemer’s University and BrandiQ are undertaking this venture, which time has come, because of their firm belief in preparing the youths for leadership positions. As one of the foremost private universities in the country, Redeemer’s University firmly believes that leadership selection and grooming is a planned enterprise, and that serious nations embark on it to ensure continuity of socio-economic and political progress that serves the common good.”

“This is why all our graduates are equipped with the required leadership skills-set that prepare them to face the unique challenges of the 21st century. We are a serious research-based institution that is globally renowned for research and academic exploits. The university’s modules are deliberately and strategically designed to produce knowledgeable and confident graduates who can stand the pressures of life and adapt to the ever-changing situations in our dynamic society. In particular, the university nurtures in the students the spirit of entrepreneurship, so that, its graduates would be in a position to create jobs rather than rely on government employment, which is now indeed scarce,” Prof. Adeyewa added.

Furthermore, the co-Convener and Publisher of BrandiQ, Mr. Desmond Ekeh, explained that the goal of this special event is to ignite in the Nigerian youths, at an early stage, the consciousness for purposeful leadership. Quoting Socrates, Ekeh said: “The secret of change is to focus all of our energy, not on fighting the old, but on building the new” He added that, “We want to follow this path because, we know that, development is fundamentally mental. So if we nurture the mind while it is fertile, we will in future reap a basketful of disciplined, God-fearing, virtuous, committed, visionary and honest leaders to sustain Nigeria’s future development.”

According to him, “Nigeria is going through a rout of leadership deficit, and we cannot continue to stand aloof and do nothing about it, hence the Redeemer’s University and BrandiQ – having had a long-standing relationship – decided to organise this programme as one way of finding solution to the leadership challenge in Nigeria”

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