The convener of the Ondo State Youth Leadership Dialogue Program, Ambassador Lawal Olusegun popular known as Paff has envisioned that Nigeria, over the years has been afflicted with leadership failure and developmental challenges which have consequently sunk the societal value system. He made this known during the Leadership Dialogue Program organized by the President of the Ondo State Youths Ambassador last week in Akure, the State Capital of Ondo State.
He stated that he looked forward to a day whereby a man from Ilesha will be able to settle down in kano without fear of riot or ethnic violence the next day, the day that habitation of the southwest state by the Fulani herdsmen will not be seen as a threat to life and properties, the day that he will be able to travel from Lagos to kano without the fear of attack of kidnappers and dreadful herdsmen on our major highways, the day that our Ondo State Radiovision Corporation OSRC will be rated among the best 10 stations in Nigeria, the day that people will no longer travel through the desert just to travel to Europe, the day that Nigeria will be the medical hub of west Africa, the day when naira will be the highest currency with economic value in the continent, and the day that three square meal will not be difficult to eat until someone breaks law and order.
He further charged the Youth Ambassadors that "we must remind ourselves that we have the ability, we have the energy to achieve it, the capability and capacity not only to demonstrate it to ourselves but the world that we CAN and this is the beginning of the journey" while giving his opening remarks.
Had in attendance were Hon. Ade Adeogun, The Member Representing Akoko South East/South West Federal Constituency, The Founder, Ajilesoro Foundation, Prince Oladotun Surajudeen Ajilesoro, Special Assistant to the Governor on Youths and Students Affairs, Hon. Muyiwa Ogunyemi and Barrister Oluseye Olujimi, the PDP State Secretary among others.
Hon. Ade Adeogun said there is a need to develop consistency in the ways things are done to achieve sustainability urged followers to learn the act of keeping their leaders on their toes other than praise-singing them. He said this while addressing the participants on the theme of the program: "Leadership, Followership Structure and the Challenges of Sustainable Development in Nigeria".
According to him, a leader comes from among the led and once there is a gap between leadership and followership, there would be a problem.
"No leader will emerge without followers and no leader can be sustained without its followers and so, we need to start building a collaborative attitude towards governance. As a follower, you owe it to yourself to call your leader to order when he or she derails because every vision requires fine-tuning.
Sustainability in leadership, just like in any other area is the ability to birth more leaders through the same process. 95% of the time, we drive our leaders into corruption. It's teamwork. It is not we against them thing and as such, the people must learn to ask for what is good for them as an entity not for an individual as a person", he added saying sustainability will not just happen by merely just wishing for it.
"You have to get involved. When we keep saying politics is not for good people, then, who will do it", he further queried just as he charged young entrepreneurs to learn the act of taking the risk to excel in their various fields of endeavour.
Also speaking at the event, Prince Oladotun Surajudeen Ajilesoro, the Founder of, Ajilesoro Foundation, said it was quite unfortunate that almost every aspect of our national life has been marred with leadership rot saying such parameters were enough indicators that Nigeria is a failed state.
While calling for youths involvement as a way out of the rot, Prince Ajilesoro also made a strong case for an independent judiciary system, a level playing ground for all, enforcement of rule of law among others.
However, the Special Assistant to the Governor on Youths and Students Affairs, Hon. Muyiwa Ogunyemi while contributing to the program said his Office is open to every Youth of Ondo State anytime for assistance and that his Office is ready to collaborate with Ondo State Youth Ambassadors for the development and sustainability of the Youths in the State.
In the same vein, Barrister Oluseye Olujimi tasked the Youths to get involved in politics as the only way to bring about the real and better Nigeria we are all dreaming and agitating for. He said he has had experience and being in politics ever since he was in a tertiary institution.
