Transformative leadership requires building systems that outlive individual leaders rather than relying on personal influence or charisma. Effective systems are characterized by deliberate pipeline development, structural accountability, and cultural transformation that create sustainable institutions capable of functioning independently of any single leader. This approach ensures that organizational success, knowledge, and impact persist through leadership transitions, creating lasting legacy and institutional resilience.
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LAGOS LEADERSHIP SUMMIT 2026Añadido:
engage with the self-awareness, the activity combos that are involved that are sorry um contained in the journal.
We want you to ask yourself the right question, answer adequately and help yourself become a better person because of what use is it if you've come to spend hours here and you don't leave better. Yes, you live better when you hear from speakers, the debates, the panel sessions, the keynotes addresses and every other story that you'll be hearing on stage today. But much more than that as people who have filled it and would like to hear your thoughts if you want to share the center here many pe our dear hostesses please ensure we have a lot of these journals everybody will get one come to the middle aisle there's so many people who don't have on this side they'll bring to you sir thank you so much all right DJ DJ let's have live music and we'll be right back but please ensure hostesses we still have many persons who don't have the journal so please bring to this side, the middle aisle of the auditorium.
Dear, I wrote you but you still ain't calling. I left my problem at the post office or something. Sometimes I scribble too many steadyas with no chase. My steps are guided by Jehovah.
You see the money going to face of my head steady chasing And that is the stand.
I wouldn't want to addict.
>> I just can't get enough. I just can't get enough.
I just can't get enough.
She perfection in you got baby.
I'm trying to holler at you. I'm screaming. Let me down.
My mind's dirty and clean.
>> I just can't get enough.
I'm addicted.
>> I just can't get enough. I just can't get enough. I just can't get enough. I just can't get enough.
with an exo love so got me I want to wish her right like presto yesime away for the next time she come around for a toast to the best and she got me fishing for the best and ain't coming down my heart.
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She has dreams to be an envy. So she Thank you very much.
>> Thank you very much. Once again, good morning and thank you for joining us today. On behalf of the Latif Jacon Leadership Academy of Lagos State, I am truly delighted to warmly and very specially welcome you all to the Legos Leadership Summit 2026.
As we officially commence, may I, Caribbean indulgence, to please rise in honor of our dear nation, the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as we take the national anthem. Together, we will sing the first stanza and recite the third stanza. Thank you.
for the national anthem of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
I'm proud to serve us all that battle Lord. And this recount to hand onto our children a shameful one.
Help us to build a nation where no man is oppressed.
And so with peace and plenty Nigeria may be blessed.
>> Amen. May God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria. You may please be seated.
Thank you.
Akubo Adbeation Akubo Adbe. We also have the special advisor project support Shuda Ahmed. The deputy director admin also from the office of the vice president Mr. Balazuberu.
We also have joining us today from the office of the vice president Kabiru Buba. Thank you very much for joining us this morning all the way from the Federal Capital Territory. Joining us today as well, I'd like to recognize and celebrate the chairman, Subb Dr. Babbat Hakeim Shiu.
Thank you very much for joining us. The general manager, Lascopa, please let's celebrate Mr. Aabi Shalo Esquire. Thank you very much for joining us. The director general procurement Lego state, Mr. Fatai or thank you very much for being a part of this summit. The managing director Lego State Bus Services Limited, Mr. Ido Wu, thank you very much for joining us. All heads of agencies present, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, without forgetting of course our host for today, the executive secretary of the Lativ Leadership Academy. Please give a round of applause as we celebrate Mrs. Aisha Abaj Ukadi. Thank you very much.
Thank you. It's a pleasure to see everyone here today at the Lagos leadership summit for 2026.
Now I've gone into the room and I've asked different people to share their most profound leadership quotes and they've shared very interesting quotes.
Leadership is about influence.
Leadership is about legacy. Be the change that you want to see. Everything rises and falls on leadership. We talked about competence. Talked about character. Talked about so many things about leadership. But let's narrow it down to this year's summit and what the theme is. Let's pause for a moment and just look around. Look at the person who is beside you, who sat across from you, or even behind you. There is one thing that we all have in common and that's we've all been shaped by systems. It could be your family. It could be a city. It could be your school. It could be a government. And that's why we're here today. So that in return, we know that we all have the responsibility to build better systems. Before we even delve deeper into the topic of today and the theme for this year's summit, I'd like to speak about what brought us to this summit. Three years ago, our illustrious governor, Mr. Babaj Ola Solu made a decision, a decision to honor the man who first thought that Lagos was worthy of being led with excellence and nothing more.
That man is Alaji Latif Kyod Jakundi.
And so Mr. Governor said, much more than building a statue, much more than naming him after a street, how about we build a legacy in his name and have a pipeline of human capital because we understand that human resource is the most crucial resource everywhere and anywhere. So therefore we started with the Lativon leadership academy and now this summit this is the third year in 2024 which was the first year what we did was a leadership summit and we focused on how exactly and what does transformative leadership look like in Nigeria today.
Last year at the second edition we went even deeper and so we examined how leadership can be responsive, adaptive and inclusive. not just effective. This year I dare say that we are asking the most urgent question when it comes to leadership and that is how exactly do we build systems that I'll leave us not just for now but of course for the future and for many generations to come.
It's not a rhetorical question because we keep asking ourselves how exactly do we build systems that outlive us? That is work in motion. It is a discipline that separates leaders who leave a legacy and not just vacancy. So today we will be delving into that. We have government leaders, political office holders. We have some of the finest and brilliant minds from across different continents and of course some respectable Nigerians who will be upstage to speak to the subject matter building systems that out leave us. And I really hope that we are ready to learn. Not just to learn, but to leave here transformed. That's the whole idea of the summit. Not to be a talk shop, but to be a workshop where we all can live transformed. Our minds are re we have done a reorientation of our minds and then we're ready to go into the world literally to take charge and to be a special effective and excellent leader. Again, ladies and gentlemen, good morning and thank you for joining us at the Latif Jacundi Leadership Academy Lagos Leadership Summit for 2026.
My name is Muji Shosoya. I am a professional compare, a television presenter, and a very proud Legosian by the way. Thank you very much for the applause. I'll take it. Thank you. Thank you so much. Now, without much further ado, we want to tell you a story. And you may ask, what is this story? The story details our journey so far at the Lativist Academy. We want to tell you how far we have come. We want to tell you about our fellows. We've had 60 fellows go through that academy and the impact is enormous. You want to watch this story. So please turn your attention to the multimedia screen.
Thank you.
>> Lego coincidence. It is created carefully, deliberately by people who understand that leadership is not about holding positions but about shaping outcomes. Because in a city like this, the real question is simple. Who is building what comes next? The LEGO's Leadership Summit was born from that question, not as an event, but as a response, a platform designed to challenge conventional thinking and redefine what leadership should look like in a rapidly changing world. Over the years, it has become more than a gathering. It is a convergence of bold thinkers, policy shapers, entrepreneurs, and institution builders who are united by one belief. That leadership must deliver not just for today but for the future. And with every addition something shifts, ideas become action.
Conversations become collaborations and vision begins to take form. But meaningful transformation cannot remain within conversations alone. For leadership to truly shape a nation, it must find expression within the systems that govern it. It was from this conviction that the Abuja dialogue was convened.
Led by the Latif Jacond leadership academy in strategic partnership with the office of the vice president. The dialogue brought together key stakeholders across government policy and the private sector into one room with a shared purpose anchored on the theme scaling excellence. youth leadership as strategic infrastructure for national transformation. The dialogue reframed how youth leadership is understood not as potential waiting to be tapped but as infrastructure that must be intentionally built, strengthened and sustained within that room. Conversations moved beyond theory into responsibility. Critical national challenges were confronted with honesty.
Institutional gaps were examined with clarity and practical pathways began to take shape through collective insight.
Because the true measure of leadership is not in the conversations we hold, but in the systems we build from them. The Abuja dialogue stands as a deliberate bridge between vision and execution. A space where ideas are refined, aligned with policy realities and positioned to drive outcomes that extend far beyond the room. This year, the question becomes even more critical. How do we build systems that continue to work even in our absence? At the Lagos Leadership Summit 2026, the focus is clear. transformative leadership that is responsive, adaptive, and inclusive.
Through powerful keynotes, immersive master classes and honest conversations, the summit will create a space where ideas are not just explored but tested.
Where leaders are not just inspired, but equipped, and where collaboration across sectors becomes the foundation for real progress. No transformation happens without people. Focusing on economic indices without first building the young people who will drive them is like reciting the alphabet from zed which I said from A. Leadership is not defined by titles. It is defined by responsibility.
The responsibility to act, to build, to sustain. The Lagos Leadership Summit is where that responsibility becomes real.
This is not just a summit. This is where leadership becomes legacy.
That our story keeps evolving. just like how leadership must evolve every single time. Thank you so much. And now to officially set the tone for the Lagos Leadership Summit for 2026 and of course welcome you our very distinguished guests, I have the honor of inviting on stage a distinguished Legosian and Nigerian. When we talk about the Lativ Jakund Leadership Academy, it exists because Governor Babaj Ola Sulu thought the idea, brought the vision to life.
But that academy is thriving because one woman is leading with passion, with purpose and precision. She is the executive secretary of the academy. So to officially set the tone and welcome us, please give a lofty round of applause as I make welcome on stage the executive secretary of the Latif Jack Leadership Academy, Aayisat Abaj Okad.
Sustain that applause till she gets on stage. Thank you very much.
>> They're trying to adjust something, >> guys.
at home. She just go >> Hi everyone.
Good morning.
What's that? Good morning everyone.
Good morning everyone.
Let's try again. Good morning everyone.
How are you guys feeling today?
Uhuh.
Okay. So, I can see someone's hand up.
So, if you are very happy today, put your hands up. Maybe I could do that.
Okay. That's half of the room. Let's try again. If you're very happy to be here today, put your hands up.
We are nearly there. We'll try again. If you're very happy to be here today, put your hands up.
If you're going to win a gift through the raffle drawer, put your hands up.
Better. So, you people like gifts, but you don't like to be happy, but you like gifts. Okay, but yes. Um, welcome everyone this morning. I'm very excited to be here as usual. Can you believe it?
This is our third summit. If you were here last year, put your hands up.
Okay, we have some new customers.
If you were here two years ago, put your hands up. Oh, wow. So, we have a lot of people from the first year here as well.
Uh, welcome guys. And can you tell, do you know the person next to you or are you just sitting with your friends? If you don't know the person, so the person next to you right now, I want you to say, "Hi, how are you doing?" You know, just get to know them. Give them a hug.
Give them a hug now. I'm not seeing hugs.
Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Now try the person behind you. My orgas at the top.
G my head of pastors. I beg. So the people behind say hi to the next person that you don't know behind you. Then continue to do that. So ask for their names.
get their name because I think I'm going to have a gift. I can just come down and say, "Who is this person's name? What's this person's name?" Okay, so I can hear the chat. Keep it going. Keep it going.
30 seconds.
Okay, thank you. The energy is up. If you're happy to be here today, put your hands up.
There you go. So it's a feeling now.
Thank you so much everyone for being here. You guys have supported this summit back to back. You know I'm very very thankful that you're here today. I hope today is very meaningful for you.
It will be an substantial experience and honestly we have a lot of things up for grabs. So I'm very excited. But if you win anything remember you are to share it with me. Okay.
Are we clear?
Really don't come and meet me after. Are we clear?
Ah okay. Come and win the gift.
So before I start, I just want to do a quick, you know, in our usual measure or method rather, I want to do a quick thank you to everyone here today. Um, I want to do a thank you to all the ESCO members present. Um, um, the head of Paris Statouse. I want to do a big thank you to the office of the vice president, the folks from the office of vice president that helped us put the Abuja dialogue together. Please help me stand up and give them a round of applause.
Come on.
Please stand up and give them a round of applause. I'm sure you all watched it online. Thank you so much. Thank you very much. Thank you. Um, I also want to give a big shout out to our sponsors.
You know, we always ask to thank our sponsors cuz a lot of you are already getting your goodie bags. So, I want to give a a big thank you to the Lego State head of service. Um, Llama, Llama is always here to help. Um, I want to thank Lassa for their usual support. Every year backto back. Um, you're going to eat some Indomie. Some serious Indomins.
Indomins is coming your way. So, thank you Indomi for your support every year.
Again, I want to thank Access Bank. I want to thank Lagos State Bus Services Limited. Who came here by the bus? If you came here by the bus, you owe it to them for their partnership. So, let's thank Lagos State Bus Services Limited.
Can you hear that pl better? So, that means LBSL, MDLBSL, our balance. We are not paying it. It's replaced it. We are not paying you a balance. Do you agree? Please clap again.
Thank you very much. Thanks for forfeiting that. Right. Um I want to thank LS today as well. They support us every year. I know we have the director, one of directors in LS here, Miss Ariola. So thank you again. The support is constant and she happens to be a mentor so of one of our fellows. So thank you. LS is always giving. Um, I want to thank lottery board, the Lego State Gaming Authority. Um, I want to thank them greatly for their support.
UAC Foods as well. Um, Ballard Kras cuz you'll be eating some small chops. Um, Golden Penny and I know our sponsors are there though. You get the opportunity to meet them. So, Golden Penny Foods, thank you. Um, Adme, thank you. Planet Bottling Company, thank you. Um, Pikmilk, thank you. Cventing, thank you.
I didn't come here by helicopters, but I'll thank them. Right. Um, LSDPC, a big thank you. Um, we have Wawu, WOW experience, Wahoo Africa. Thank you. Um, so I want to say a big thank you to all the sponsors here. I'm really sorry if I missed anyone out. I also want to say a big thank you to the committee that put the sponsors together. So, thank you everyone for doing this. And I it's a very important and I say a big thank you to the LGA family that put this event together backto back hit after hits. I'm not but you get it right. So thank you to the LJLA family. You have to clap for my people else I'll send all of you out.
Right. Thank you very much um LJLA family for this event and putting this together and my chief sponsor is not here yet but in his absence I want us to say massive thank you who knows my chief sponsor what's his name I can't hear you exactly so please let's put a round of applause together for my chief sponsor, our only sponsor. Thank you, our chief sponsor. Thank you very much. So, and whilst I was on the stage, we have the honor of having the deputy speaker here with us. One of my favorite women in government. Please, let's give her a round of applause. If you were here last year, you would have seen her, the deputy speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly. a louder applause because she represents great and powerful things. She looks beautiful, but what she represents is even more powerful.
So, thank you, ma'am. Thank you for being here with us. And I also see that we have the deputy eye commissioner for Canada here. So, thank you, sir, for being here with us. We really appreciate you. Thank you so much, guys. As usual, you know, it's a long day. a long day of learning, a long day of processing, a long day of productivity, um a long day of networking, a long day of change, and you'll get to experience that this morning. So, I'm very very excited that you all are in the room. Um thank you for making this job feel um like it's worth it. Thank you so so much. So um I don't want to do the formalities of speeches um because I do that every year but I just wanted to set the tone for what is to come in the summit and you have a lot of things to come and you guys always do your post evaluation feedback of the summit every year. So I want to thank you know you all for always doing that and helping us be better, helping us be stronger. And also before I speak to why we are here today, um I also want to thank our speakers in the room. They will be here. Some of them are in the green room. Please give them a round of applause as well. Our speakers, our great debaters who are fellows of the academy. Um, we have, uh, you've been seeing it online, Abby. We are popping, so you're going to see a lot of that. So, thank you so much, um, for showing up and showing out. So, I just want to say that to all the young people in the room, you're often described as the future, but the truth is that is that more immediate than ever, you're already within the system.
The question is whether you're engaging it with intention or simply reacting to it. And that's why you're here today, not to simply react to it, but to be part of that solution to teach you what involvement looks like, what implementation looks like and how to advocate for solutions look like in your various communities. What you will experience today at the summit is not designed to impress you because if you know me, you know I don't do that. But I will challenge you. I will drive you. I will push your capacity. It is designed to confront you with new standards, new expectations and with examples of leadership that are structured and accountable. And this is that what that platform is for. You will hear from people who are building within constraints because we all know Nigeria has its constraints. But you will get to experience you know from people who are building within that constraint.
Um they are living within complexities and they are making decisions that carry consequences.
As you all know the elections is coming up. So I hope you've all gotten your PVCs. I'm not going to ask you twice. So get that. That's how you get involved.
And I have a gift for the people that have PVCs. Don't worry. Right. So if you if I were you, I'll quickly find how to go about it. Um even though I know the next phase is starting in May. So you will hear from pay. So I want you to pay attention to that because that's where leadership activity leaves as we formally open the summit 2026, right? I will be clear on what you should expect. I want you to to move beyond conversations about leadership.
We're moving beyond that. And we are committing to discipline of building systems that function s that function effectively. And ultimately we are trying to build systems that will outlive us because that's what legacy looks like. And you might be looking at you yourself from your various um from your various space right now that oh I'm too small. I can't build something that outlives me. You are absolutely incorrect. And that's what this leadership summit is here to prove. We are all can build something that outlive us and that's what we are here to teach you. So I'm looking forward to engaging discussions and your pro thoughtprovoking discussions and I thank you for being here and I wish us a successful summit. Thank you everyone.
That's not for me.
Thank you. That works. Thank you very much. Thank you all. Thank you.
Thank you so much. Let us give another round of applause to the executive secretary of the Latif Jacundi Leadership Academy. Thank you.
Very quickly, I'd like to recognize >> the deputy high commissioner of Canada to Nigeria. Please celebrate Kalus Roas Abulu. Thank you so much for making time to be here and joining us for this very crucial summit. I'd also like to recognize special advisor to Mr. Governor on Agreek and Food Systems Dr. Rotimi Fasha. Thank you for joining us.
I'd like to recognize former Permanent Secretary Office of the Chief of Staff Governor's Office, Mrs. Ganat Akundi.
Thank you very much for joining us.
I know that the executive secretary already said hello to her, but I'd like to officially recognize the deputy speaker, Lagos State House of Assembly, right honorable Princess Mujisola Merida. Thank you very much for joining us today. Now, just a quick announcement before we proceed to the next item on our agenda today. We have many gifts to be worn. And when I'm saying gifts, I'm not talking basic gifts. So, if you have your voucher, you are supposed to keep the blue copy and drop the white copy.
If you still have the white copy of your raffle ticket, you are wrong. So, you can give it to any of the hostesses dressed in blue so we can drop in the pool so you qualify to win. But if you don't have your if you don't drop the white part of your raffle tickets, you won't be eligible to participate in the raffle draw and you would miss out on the many gifts that we have for you today. We have a goodwill message all the way from Liberia. Our next or the first goodwill message today is from the executive director Ellen Johnson Cifial Center for Women and Development. Please focus your attention to the multimedia screen as we now listen to Ellen Pratt Harris. Thank you his excellency Mr. Babaj Ola Sanu Executive Governor of Lagos State. Thank you for convening this important gathering and I extend my thanks to the Lagos Leadership Summit for the invitation and for your continued commitment to deepening Africa's governance conversation.
Distinguished policy makers, business leaders, civil society partners, our esteemed traditional elders and fellow change makers. It is a privilege to address you today as the executive director of the Ellen Johnson Sirie Presidential Center for Women and Development in Monrovia, Liberia.
Everything we do at the center stems from a single north star. It is the life's work and enduring vision of our founder, former president, her excellency Madame Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.
Madame President's commitment to advancing women's leadership and building inclusive institutions across Africa is not just our mission. It is the conviction that brings us to gatherings such as this one. It is it is in this spirit that I offer these remarks.
This summit has posed a powerful question. How do we build systems that outlive us? I want to pose a complimentary question. one that I believe sits at the heart of that challenge.
How long have we been trying to build enduring institutions while leaving half of the decision-making power out of the room? Because the evidence is very clear. The lived experience of country after country confirms it. Institutions that exclude women are less stable, less accountable, and less likely to endure.
Conversely, institutions designed with women's full participation are more transparent, more responsive to citizens needs and more resilient in the face of shocks.
This is not a matter of fairless alone.
Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, though fairness is reason enough, it is a matter of institutional engineering.
If we are serious about building systems that outlive us, we cannot afford to design them without half of our architects.
Across Africa, we have made gains. More women hold cabinet positions today than at any point in the continent's history.
Rwanda and Namibia stand as global benchmarks with women holding a majority of parliamentary seats and consistently ranking amongst the continent's best governed institutions.
It is not a coincidence. But gains are not the same as systems. A gain can be reversed. A gain depends on goodwill of the person currently in power. A system persists regardless of who holds power because it is embedded in law in institutional culture in the expectation of citizens who know what they are entitled to. The work of the Ellen Johnson CLI Presidential Center is grounded in that distinction. We are not simply working to get more women into positions. We are working to change the conditions, the policies, the pipelines, the political cultures that determine who gets to lead and what kind of leadership they are able to exercise when they arrive.
That is the difference between a program and a system. It is the difference that this summit's theme demands we reckon with. Let me be very specific. From across our work in Liberia and the continent, we have identified three pillars that distinguish institutions capable of sustaining women's leadership from those that merely tolerate it. The first pillar is deliberate pipeline development.
Enduring institutions do not wait for exceptional individuals to force their way through. They actively identify, develop, and create pathways for talent, including talent that has been systematically disadvantaged.
At the EJS Center, we run structured mentorship and leadership development programs precisely because talent is evenly distributed, but opportunity is not. The institution that builds a pipeline does not depend on one exceptional woman breaking through every generation. It produces leaders continuously.
The second pillar is structural accountability.
It is not enough ladies and gentlemen to appoint women. Institutions must track the outcomes, report publicly and face real consequences when institutions commitments are not met. In governance, this means gender responsive budgeting, public data on women's representation across all tiers of government and legislative frameworks with substance.
Accountability is what converts a gesture into a system. The third pillar is cultural transformation.
This is the hardest and the slowest work and it is work that most determines longevity.
An institution whose culture is hostile to women's authority will erode even the most welldesigned structural reforms.
Cultural change requires intentional investment.
leadership models that reflect diverse experience, internal norms that reject harassment and marginalization, and senior leaders who model institutions not just in their public statements, but in their daily decisions. We are building a center designed to up outlive our founder, president.
And we have been very deliberate about that from the beginning. Every program we design, every partnership we forge, every research publication we produce is oriented towards institutional endurance and sustainability.
However, I want to close with a direct challenge to every leader, policy maker, and emerging change maker here today.
Please do not leave this summit having only been inspired. Inspiration without commitment is the enemy of systems change. It makes us feel good about problems we have not solved. Instead, I invite you to leave with a specific institutional commitment.
Ask yourself, what is the one structural change I can make in my organization, with my company, in my community that will make women's leadership more possible 5 years from now, regardless of who is in charge. It might be a mentorship program you will fund, a reporting mechanism you will mandate, a recruitment process you will redesign, a law you will sponsor, a culture you will begin deliberately to shift.
Whatever it is, write it down, commit to it, share it, and be accountable to it.
That is how intentions become institutions.
That is how moments become systems.
We look forward to the partnerships this summit will inspire. I thank you indeed. We look forward to the partnerships and much more the transformation that this summit will inspire. We're thankful to Ellen Pratt Harris for lending her voice and her wisdom to the discourse for this year.
Now, as we move on very quickly, I have the honor of inviting on stage a distinguished Nigerian who currently serves as a deputy speaker Lagos State House of Assembly for her goodwill message today. Please give a resounding applause as I make welcome on stage, right honorable Princess Misola Meronda, a round of applause. Thank you very much.
Good morning, distinguished ladies and gentlemen.
Well, I would like to stand by the already established protocol by the organizers, distinguished participants, esteemed faculty and the brilliant minds gathered here today.
It is both an honor and profound responsibility to address this assembly at the Lagos Leadership Summit 2026 convened by the Latif Jacund Leadership Academy committed to shaping the next generation of transformational leaders.
At the outset, I must commend the leadership of the academy for its foresight, discipline, and unwaving commitment to excellence.
The Latif Jacund Leadership Academy has in a relatively short time distinguished itself not merely as a training institution but as a system builder in its own right.
deliberately grooming leaders who are intellectually grounded, ethically aware and institutionally minded.
The quality of its fellows, its products, if I may call them that, is a testament to a modern model that prioritize competency over charisma, structure over spontaneous, and impact over impression.
Indeed, the very act of convening a summit of this cibra is it an embodiment of the term before us.
Building systems that outlive us.
Platforms like this do not do more than host do more than hosting the institutionalized.
thoughts, standardize excellence and create a network of influence that will continue to shape governance and leadership long after this gathering concludes.
In that sense, this summit is not an event. It is an intervention in the leadership architecture of our state and our nation.
The theme before us is not merely philosophical.
It is essential.
It challenges us to interrogate the very essence of leadership beyond personality, beyond tenure and beyond applause.
History has constantly shown that nation do not rise on the strength of individuals alone.
They rise on the resilience of institutions.
Research by the World Bank indicates that countries with strong institutions experience up to three times higher long-term economic growth than those dependent on personalitydriven governance.
Similarly, studies from the African Development Bank underscore that institutionalized continuity, not charismatic leadership, is the most reliable predictor of sustainable development across merging economies.
This bring us to a critical question.
Are we building legacies or are we building systems?
As deputy speaker of legos of assembly, I have come to appreciate that laws when thoughtfully crafted and faithfully implemented are the architecture of enduring systems.
Every bill we pass, every motion we advance, and every oversight function we perform must be measured not by immediate political gains, but by its capacity to outlive us. Its ability to serve generations yet unborn.
Systems that endure are not accidental.
They are intentional.
They are built on clarity of vision strengthened by accountability as sustained by collective ownership.
They require us to move from a culture of discretion to a culture of structure from who is in charge to what is in place for us in public sector. This means institutionalizing transparency, digitizing governance processes, strengthening legislative frameworks and ensuring that governance is not disrupted by transition in leadership.
It means creating policies that are not only people centric but also processdriven so that the service delivery does not depend on goodwill alone but on welldefined reliable system yet beyond policy and governance there is a generational imperative Nigeria is a young nation with over 60% of of our population under the age of 25.
The demographic reality is not just a statistic.
It is a strategic advantage.
However, it also pleases a burden on us to build system that empower young people not just to participate but to lead responsibly within structured environments.
To the young leaders here today, your greatest contribution will not be in how loudly you are heard, but in how effectively you can design, sustain and improve system that work even in your absence.
Because the true leadership is not proven by relevance in office but by relevancy after office.
In Lagos, we are continually involving frameworks that reflect this philosophy, leveraging data for decision making, strengthening international memory within the legislature and fostering collaboration between government, private sector and civil society.
These are not just initiatives.
They had deliberate steps towards building a governance ecosystem that is sustainable, predictable and future ready.
Let me conclude this thought.
The measure of our leadership will not be in the moment we build. Will not be in the monuments we build but in the mechanism we leave behind.
Not in power we will but in the processes we institutionalize.
Not in how long we lead but in how long what we build continue to lead. May we all in our various spreads commit to building system that are stronger than our ambitions, more enduring than our tenurs and more impactful than our individual efforts.
Thank you and may our collective work continue to shape a Lagos and a Nigeria that truly outlives us. God bless Latifon day leadership academy.
God bless our Lagos state and God bless our dear country Nigeria as well as each and every one of us seated here this morning. Thank you all and God bless.
Thank you very much, Deputy Speaker, Lagos State House of Assembly, right honorable Princess Mojisa Miranda, thank you for lending your voice and of course your thoughts to the conversation today.
I love that she actually talked about how in Lagos State, we're not just building youth who will learn about leadership, but actively participate in leadership. And that's what makes Lativ Jacund Leadership Academy completely different from any other program. So at the academy, we do not just train young people to listen to leaders. What we do is train them to also become leaders. And so what you're about to witness on stage right now, as you can see from the setup, is a debate and it will be hot. And that debate will focus on a topic that speaks to Africa's development challenge is not policy design but execution. We have six Latif Jack on the leadership academy fellows who will debate on this topic. We have one moderator and I bet that you're about to have a really good time listening to these debaters. But just to reiterate that if you haven't dropped the white part of your raffle tickets, which should be filled by the way, because some people are dropping theirs without filling it, your name and every other detail that is required of you, please feel on the white part of the raffle tickets. You hold on to the blue, but you drop the white one in the pool.
If you haven't done that, please feel adequately and hand over to any of our hostesses who will be more than willing to receive from you and put in the pool so that you can benefit from the raffle draw when the time comes. All right, like I was saying, we have six debaters, one moderator who will stare the powerful debate very shortly. Again to reiterate the topic for the debate is Africa's development challenge is not policy design but execution failure. Of course we'll have people who support the motion but some who are against the motion but I won't be moderating that.
I'd like to invite on stage the head of programs research and development at Latif Jacund Leadership Academy to moderate this session. Let's make a welcome Cynthia Aagbe Simon. A round of applause for her. Thank you very much.
I'll also be inviting the debaters on stage as I call them. Please give them a round of applause. Titi Lope Sahed Raman Abayomi Samuel Bay Okamos Haleimad Bellow and Shalom Ernest. Thank you very much. I will hand over to our moderator to take over from here.
Good morning, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen. It's time for the favorite session and one of the most anticipated segment of the Lagos leadership summits and like previous years we'll have fellows of Lativ Jack on the leadership academy take the stage to discuss poent matters. The motion before us today addresses an important conversation in modernday Africa's story. It says, "Is Africa development challenge a failure of policy or a failure of execution?" My name is Cynthia Hag Simeon and I will be moderating this debate. The debate is not just theory. It challenges us to confront whether the slow growth of Africa is the lack of right ideas or the lack of discipline. Without further ado, let me introduce the debaters for today.
Each team was asked to share their story and here is what they had to say. First team team pesetas born of the catalyst court forged in the halls of Latif Jacund leadership academy. They carry the echoes of those before them not as shadows but as sparks. Each step a continuity each move a declaration.
Their position is simple. Africa's challenge is not policy design but execution and result depends on getting implementation right. Now we meet members of the team starting with the captain Bayad O Thomas a fellow known for his passion for culture shaping using storytelling to translate organizations policies to impactful relatable narrative that drives policy public acceptance and real world adaptation. Next is Al Lima Bo, a fellow passionate about girl child protection committed to addressing gender based violence intentional about raising a generation of boys who protect, respect and uphold the dignity of women. Then we have NS Shalom, a fellow who is relentless in his mission to ensure every young person is trained and operating at optimal potential not just in their personal lives but in their career a youth development expert is now dear audience is team petas.
Now I introduce to you team touchbearers start starting with your story which says there are those who watch history there are those who write it and they are those who carry its pain its promise and possibility upon their very bones.
Touchbearers do not point they lift.
Africa feels their touch. Today they stand tall and say Africa needs better policy frameworks to develop. Please put your hands together as I welcome the captain tit a fellow known for a strong analytical approach to governance public systems and clear ambition to serve and lead at the highest level. Also on the team is Sed Raman. A fellow who has made personal commitments to change is relentless in that pursuit. He wakes up every morning with one thought on his mind. Transforming the community and the people of Equ. Finally on the team we have a Biom Samuel bringing his statistical pers to the team. He believes navigating data as a powerful instrument for change and is currently the president of his cohort at LJLA.
With the debaters here, the stage is set for what promises to be a thoughtprovoking exchange. Let the debates begin. Captain Tim Petus.
Your excellencies, distinguished guests of honor, ladies and gentlemen, the labor of fools spirit them, wears them out, frustrates them, for they do not know how to enter the city. We can answer the question of what, we can proceed to answer the question of why, but we will fail to answer the question of how. We'll be doing so great an action, winking, but doing all of that in the dark. My name is Bodet Thomas and I stand here as the captain of the pace setter team to assert that Africa's development challenge is not policy problem but execution failure. This debate is not about what we start to plan but what we plan to start but what we fail to finish. If we gather together all the document that Africa has developed over the last decade I can promise you we have more than enough paper to bridge the Atlantic. Our challenge is that we are fantastic champions in the drawing board. We can come together in a boardroom under AC share small jobs with a sitting allowance drafting.
But we are made spectators in the field of action. Execution. Execution.
Execution.
Execution is the only bridge between fantastic idea and a change life. A policy on digital literacy cannot teach a child how to code. A classroom and a teacher with a belief to raise the nice young Africans can. A policy on sanitation stop our sanitation problem.
But a people with a collective vision to see a cleaner Legos camp. Today my team and I will will enforce and demonstrate that until Africa prioritize discipline in delivery over eloquence of documentation, Africa will only be a continent of immense potential but stagnant reality. Ladies and gentlemen, it is time to stop drafting and start implementing as you were.
Thank you very much. Bad day has set the conversation rolling and emphasized that Africa's development challenge is fundamentally one of execution. He said we must stop asking questions of just what to do but how to do it. Now that we have heard the captain of pay setters, let us now hear from the captain of team touch bearers tilqu.
>> There is a popular myth seductive comforting but utterly false that Africa is a graveyard of good ideas. We are told that our policies are perfect but our people are broken.
Your excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, I am city and captain touch bears and we submit that Africa's development challenge is not an execution problem but a crisis of design. If a policy is perfect on paper yet difficult to implement in our socultural soil then it is not a design it is a mirage anation in Geneifa signed in Abuja and buried at noon in Egla town. Let me take you through the divine postulation of policy design. Proverbs 24:3 with wisdom a house is built through understanding it is what established. Quran 42:3 Why? Why?
Now let me tell the story of a city that typified policy design. This city makes 0.3% land mass yet generate 80% foreign trade. This city has a GDP of 54 billion making it the second largest in Africa.
This is not execution magic. This is not luck. This is Lagos.
from developmental strike to fiscality to institutional discipline to infrastructure to our own main leadership. Lagos has continued to show that true intentional policy design impact is inevitable. Five governors, one city, same policy design. Which is why Lagos is what the center of I have given you the diagnosis. My colleagues will explain the symptoms.
When I return, I will give you the cure.
Thank you.
>> Thank you very much. The energy is high, but we have four more speakers to go.
Let us settle down and listen to them.
Over the next three minutes, we shall have speaker one from the two teams.
Starting with the first speaker from Ali said indeed Allah will not people what is in themselves your excellencies please existing protocols I am adorable and I stand before you that development challenge is not policy design but execution failure My people, my argument is simple. Africa always better off policies that cut across healthcare, education, infrastructure, you name it.
The policies already exist. The problem is not policy design but execution.
Nigeria is a perfect of this situation.
For example, electricity. On the 8th of June 2023, Nigeria electricity act and since then till now 3 years old has already been amended. This goes to show that the problem is not framework design or framework amendments lacking attention but implementation beginning to fuel because tell me why the world back reports that over 85 million Nigerians do not have the national grid and those who have still suffer a power supply. This is not a design failure but implementation failure. Take for example sanitation. Nigeria has several clean water policies. Yet 18 Nigerians still practice open defication. This is not design problem but implementation problem development project the development commission since inception till date has used 60 in in funding allegedly I didn't say so but over have been left abandoned and uncompleted since it policy design failure for execution you might wonder why this gap exists let me remind you weak systems weak institutions bureaucracy corruption all go wrong laws in cateism But let's not be labor to point. My people, it is time for us to address the issue that is us playing the obeying our heads in the sand. We must begin to see that it is people who drive development, not just policy papers begin to move from policy writing to delivery.
Policies will not build roads, people will. Policies will not treat patients, people will. Policies will not teach students, people will. Let's begin to move from drafting to delivering because only action can bring about change. I rest my case.
>> Thank you very much. Al Lima has also had a comeback by quoting the Quran. Now we listen to the first speaker on team touchbearers, Sahed Raman.
You cannot blame a builder for a collapsed building when the architect designed a skyscraper on a shifting side. Do not listen to the word of my opponent and do not allow a beautiful face to lure you to wallow in ignorance and still intelligence. Your excellencies ladies and gentlemen is my name and I'm here to prove to you that my client Africa's execution is innocent of the allegation made by my opposition. Ladies and gentlemen, please pack your bags and come with me to Utopia where we would see in January 31st 2015. Our leaders gathered in Adi Saba to sign the AU 2063 agenda. A beautiful policy designed to achieve in 50 years highspeed rail line across all of African countries and a uniform currency for economic transaction. But guess what? This policy failed because it was designed to rely on foreign fundings rather than our leaders incorporated in all nations budget and national aspirations. I'm sure you are informed unlike my opponent and you would agree with me that Africa's vision can never be funded by foreign wallet.
Now let's start with stopover at Bkina Fasu where we'll see how the 2001 supplementary protocol on good governance and democracy also failed in Bkina Fasu and all other African countries democracy is now a thing of the past. This is because this policy failed to include electoral conduct and elemental practices in their policy. Now let's come back because before we come home do we also think that foreign ideologies will bring us success. We've also seen that in Nigeria, we imported the IMF policy in 1980s, a beautiful policy that was that was designed to help our strong economy. But guess what?
It took us from 5.4% inflation rate to 14.9% inflation rate. This was because this policy was designed because with first what realities they assume that Nigeria had a diverse manufacturing base and if our currency was cheaper, we would export more. How do we say it to a man who prepare a big feast for the people of Equ without cooking fish or for Ghanaians without cooking eggs? What a waste. What a shame.
Ladies and gentlemen, now let's go home.
Landed at Mohammed airport and I'll bring to your foresight that well-designed policy will always translate to success. We've seen how the Lagos Metro line policy designed under leadership of Alat Jandi translated into the strategic transport mobility master plan currently being redesigned by the ministry of transportation. This policy translated into the L ferry, the BC buses, the Lagos red and blue light rail delivered by trans leader governor.
This shows us that for Africa to achieve sustainable development, our policy must be designed, redesigned with our own ideologies, for our own realities, for our own preferences and conveniences.
Our failure to do this, distinguished leaders, aspiring young leaders, you must agree with me that if Africa failed to design policy for all realities, Africa's development would be nothing but vivid imagination.
Thank you very much. That was a quick ride across Africa landed us safely in Lagos, Nigeria, where we see intentionally curated policies continue to thrive. The it is getting utter and as the slang says the pressure is getting worse. Moving to the second speaker, let us hear from the first second speaker of team pace setters, NS Shalom. You have the floor ch working in the Nigerian paral this simply means that talk is cheap, execution, action and result is the main deal. Good morning your excellencies, distinguished guests present here. My name is Shalom Nest. Strongly on the motion that Africa's development challenge is not a policy problem, it's an execution gap. It might interest you to know that in a research carried out for 39 African countries, 71% of them showed lack of confidence and trust in their government. Why? Execution gap.
For clarity, what I and my team are saying here is not that Africa is a barrier ground for good policies. We are simply saying that albeit the good policies exist certain things disrupt execution. What are some of these things? Weak delivery capacity, corruption in procurement and contracting, misallocation and mismanagement of public funds, successive governments coming in and refusing to continue in the project and policies of their predecessors for political reasons. You see, I will attempt to help my opponents because I see they are confused. They are confusing policy design for policy delivery. Talk about adopting Western policies. Think about it. If these policies are weak, if they are unrealistic, why do some African countries experience results? Rwanda adopts a system of public accountability through imigo, a document they have. For my women here, Rwanda has one of the highest female representations in their parliament globally. I mean globally and this was a western influence policy. Can I talk about our institutions? Our institutions are not weak because the policies designed them. So our institutions are weak because they lack enforcement and accountability. These policies don't die on paper. They die in the ministries, departments and agencies where they are meant to be executed. I rest my case here and I hope you understand that execution is the gap.
Thank you.
Another quick trip across Africa. We have heard NS stop us in Rwanda telling us a large distrust in government fractures execution. Rwanda has enacted foreign policies and it has been successful. So no problem. It is not the use of intentional designed policy. Now we shall hear from the statistics man of team touchbearers a bayomi Samuel.
>> Shame shame.
Shame on all eloquence and leaves us with a taste for itself and not a thirst for his substance. He who establishes his argument on noise shows that his reason is weak. These are not my words.
They are the words of mine. My late speaker here has said we should focus on the fundamental flaws in the blueprints themselves and not the building. They chair the house. My name is a bayomi set.
We stand here today to talk about what the challenge of Africa development is.
We have a plethora of policies that are designed to take eternity to implement.
And we sit here to say execution is our problem. I say shame. A landmark study by Harvard Kennedy School on state capability shows that many African nations are stuck in what is called capability trap. Now in that study of over 100 countries, it shows that for Bangladesh right to reach an institution quality institutional quality of a country like Cyprus is going to take them 191 years. For many African nations to reach that same institutional quality, it is going to take them over 300 years. Now tell me, reason with me, how do you take a policy that requires a Cypress level institutional quality and you take it to Ebola in a country that is 300 years away from that? How then can we now see it shamefully and say execution is our problem when the design is a failure initiative.
We have simply designed a policy that is mathematically impossible to implement.
Hold on. Why are we not even talking about policy overload? the sheer volume of mandated designs that cause system crash. You see, in all of the noise of my opposition today, there's something I agree with them on is that we have enough policy to cover the Atlantic Ocean. And my friend, I tell you that that exactly is our problem. Recent research on policy proliferation shows that in some years a single African ministry is going to be required to submit 600 KPIs to track 600 KPIs. How do you give a >> Thank you very much on me. And that's the end of the three minutes assigned to abomin.
However, before you left the stage, you spoken about policy overload leading to systems crash. We have heard from Cho Chame.
Now it is time for the team captains to come back and lay this argument to rest.
The first captain we will be hearing from is captain of pay setters. Bad day.
You have just two minutes to close this argument.
>> The past and few and present governors that my team my opponent here has mentioned have done fantastically well because of their execution prowess.
It is a me shame for them to mention these past governors to support their motion. This is a derogatory qualification of their capacity as fantastic executives. All I've seen this debate do is major on the minor and minor on the major with so much noise and shouts here. Ladies and gentlemen, let me ask you, how can we factor in corruption into policy design? How do you factor in mismanagement of funds by an individual into a policy design? How do you factor in transition in government into a policy design? You put so much premium on policy design instead of us to bury our hands and our foot to get the job done.
Let me tell you about a policy that has worked. This polic was designed to incubate and build the next young Nigerians.
This policy was handed to an executing governor governor Babach Olu who with his executive intelligence employed an executing executive secretary Mrs. A is a who ensured that this policy saw the light of day. Ladies and gentlemen this same policy is reason why myself my team and even my opponents are here. This same policy is what has created the Lagos leadership summit. This same policy is the reason why we all are here today. Let me introduce you to the Lativ Jack Leadership Academy. This policy has worked because of executors not just policy design. Ladies and gentlemen, should we continue to argue or we should just continue to say that even a weak policy in the hand of a fantastic executor if we try we need to move beyond these debates and answer the question that execution is the key.
>> Thank you very much Bad.
Thank you very much biod for coming to lay to rest the position of your team that execution is the problem and not that of policy. However, we are going to hear from one more captain of the team who is coming to buttress a point that policies is the problem for you have the floor. Two minutes please.
Fellow Africans, our opponents have blamed weak institution, corruption and bureaucracy for Africa's development challenge. This type man has done what he knows to do. He just mistook this summit for a tast competition for noise and whitewashing. Now let me translate their stance to you. Blame Africans ex excuse the architect. You see, you cannot put something or nothing and expect it to stay there. It will sly collapse. Only the lawyers here will understand. Now he spoke about Lativ Jack on Leadership Academy. Can you imagine LGA with a dumb ears? Can you imagine LJLA fight only for the kids of the rich? He spoke about Rwanda and Gata system succeed only because it is cultural to Rwanda.
Butana polar fund was made simple that even a child can audit it. Ladies and gentlemen, they want us to believe that Africa's development challenge is a people's problem. But we want you never to forget that it is just a blueprint catastrophe. For example, Trump's action in Iran today. Now, let me tell you what failed policy design looks like. It looks like developing a national development plan in a language spoken, written and understood only by 20% of the population. It looks like developing an IT digital system excluding the headsman simply because he does not have a birth certificate. I don't know how to shout. I am not so tall. I can't kick but my brain works functionally. And I'm here to let you know that we have only told you the truth that parent is the that design is the parent of execution.
Abi, can you carry me up without bringing me down? What goes up does what? My name is Tan.
Thank you very much.
And that concludes the argument from the touch bearers saying that policy design is the problem.
Distinguished audience, both things have come with rigor, clarity and above all solutions that stand the test of reality. What this debate has made clear is that African development challenge is neither purely policy problem nor solely execution gap. At its core, it's a systems challenge. If we are not if we do not see real progress, then focus must shift from both sides to building system where solid policy is matched with discipline execution.
Because ultimately development is not defined by what we intend to do rather what we are able to deliver. I thank both teams for their depth, their courage and their clarity. Can we have the debaters from both teams please step forward?
Let's make And to our dear audience, the question now is not just what we believe but what we as we pause on that thought I'd like to ask if you believe that P setter has driven home their point and they have convinced you that execution is the problem please put your hands together for them.
Okay, thank you very much. And if you have been convinced by team touchbearers that policy design is the major culprit to having Africa's development slow, please put your hands together for them.
Thank you very much, distinguished audience. At this point, we draw the curtains on this year's debate. As we look forward to seeing your beautiful faces come next year, let the debaters take a bow.
You can please exit the stage.
Thank you very much everyone for listening to the debate from fellows of Latin Jack Leadership Academy. They have their colleagues to the right side of the hall and together they are all called the class of catalyst. Class of catalyst, please put your hands together for yourselves.
Again, my name is Cynthia Hag Simeon and it was a pleasure moderating this debate. Thank you very much.
Wow.
One of my friends, younger friends will say the matter is hotter than fire. That was a very hot session. But can we give all of them a round of applause intelligently and articulately delivered? That is what we do at the Latif Jacund Leadership Academy to ensure that our youth are thinking critically and analyzing situations across different sectors of the economy, across politics and across everything that makes leaders leaders. So, thank you so much for to everyone who participated. Now, we're moving on very shortly and this is another interesting segment. Like we said, we always evolve.
Over the years, we have evolved since the establishment of the Lativon leadership academy. And one thing we always say is that leadership cannot leave only in conference halls. It has to reach every ward, every local government, every LCDA, every street where young people are asking themselves, does my voice really count?
So we developed and designed something new at the Latif Jacundi Leadership Academy and it's called UL lead. UL lead is not just a program. It's a declaration that civic activation is not just the exclusive domain of polit politicians and policy makers. It belongs to every young Nigerian who is willing to show up for their community.
So it's a grassroots activation of leadership. And so we have cured a video that tells a story of you lead. So one more time please focus your attention to the multimedia screen. Thank you.
>> The challenge the challenges are real. Environmental degradation, limited access to opportunity, and a generation at risk of being left behind. But this time something shifted. Through the UL lead program, young people were brought together, equipped with knowledge, and guided by facilitators to think differently. Through the Latif Jarond Leadership Academyy's UL lead civic activation program, my hood, my solution was born. Young leaders were not just trained, they were trusted. Eight teams, eight communities, eight bold responses to real problems. Developing solutions that could make a difference. From coastline cleanups restoring dignity to our environment to digital skills training unlocking new economic pathways. From health interventions reaching underserved families to social awareness campaigns shaping values and protecting the next generation. These were not ideas, they were action. Over 80 young people trained in digital skills. Hundreds of community members reached through sensitization. Waste cleared. Systems introduced. Behaviors changed. lives impacted immediately and measurably in just days. We saw what happens when young people are equipped, empowered, and given ownership. They don't wait, they build, they lead. While every team showed courage and commitment, three teams went above and beyond. Today, we recognize excellence.
But this is only the beginning. You lead is not just a program. It is a model, a movement, a scalable solution. The question is not if it works. The question is how far we are willing to take it.
Well done to the Latif Jacund Leadership Academy for ever evolving and for particularly taking leadership to the grassroot. Well done and very well done to the leadership team as well. Now it's time for some goodies we have. I'm looking at the list I have here and I'm so excited for those who will be winning. Can we have the raffle machine on stage?
All right. To help with selections, I'd like to invite on stage two of our distinguished guests who will join us from the office of the vice president. I'd like to invite technical advisor on women and youth respectfully.
Please join us on stage. Madame Haw Leman, you'll be helping to make some selections here. I'd also like to invite the managing director of Lego State Bus Services Limited, Mr. Idu Gutana. Please join us on stage as well for the selection. Thank you, Mr. Ido Gutana.
Thank you very much.
This is the time you start praying really hard.
Pray, pray, pray, pray.
Sorry, are you telling me something I need to know?
Okay. All right. Mr. Idana, please can you join us on stage? Thank you very much.
Not to worry if you haven't dropped your tickets here. We would have another segment and there's a lot more gifts to be won. So, all right. So, we would roll and roll. No other raffle ticket can join this one. But we'll roll and roll and we'll select. We have about three about 15 gifts to be won this time. Yes. So let's start.
>> Yes. So you roll, sir. Yes. And she'll be pray pray if it be you. Oh, all right. And now it's time for selection.
Man, the way this thing is locked. All right. Great. Yes, we have it. So, please, we'll pick six right now. The first six and then we'll go again. Pick another three. We'll pick one. We'll pick two. We'll pick another two and another two.
So, six first. Make sure you have the corresponding blue ticket. Once your number is called or your name is called, you come out with it. All right. Do we have up to six, ma'am? Thank you.
All right, ma'am. So, Fumi, congratulations for me.
Sound excited.
Okay.
or not.
Muloney, you didn't write this well, but Muloney.
All right, please come up, sir. Yu Hamemed Kyote. Congratulations to our first six winners. Congratulations to you.
Oh, okay. Yeah, please come up. Let's verify.
No, your name.
>> Can I flip flip the other side? 0051.
>> All right, we have two three four. Great. So the first one will join the power bank winner since we couldn't claim. Oh you are back. Oh okay. Are yousef please come up sir? Let me just verify. Can I see 0286?
Congratulations. Please go to the left side of the hall. Someone will attend to you. So we'll select three here and keep the um there's a name here that is incomplete.
It's Kenny, but your ticket number is 0238.
Kenny 0238.
Where are you? Signify by waving. All right. Thank you. Please come up. Kenny 0238, Edun Olubus.
Edun Olubus. Congratulations to you.
Emmanueli, congratulations to three of you. You've just won Airbuds, but I need to verify.
I promise you it gets better. It gets better. So, let me verify these three.
We'll keep that for the next set. Or let me just actually there's one um goodie bag. So, this person gets a goodie bag.
Kilo Yu Kilo Yuf, please come up. You have a goodie bag. All right. Can I verify what is your So Kenny, you're going to the left side of the hall as well. You've won Airbuds.
Um, hello ma'am. Edubusah 11108. Congratulations to you, Emmanuel.
Emmanueli. Oh, is it? All right.
Congratulations. Please go to the left side. Congratulations. And then you have a goodie bag. Kilo Ysef, congratulations. Where are you? We'll move on. Let's we'll take the next. And this we're doing four now. Yes, four.
Congratulations to our winners so far.
Kilo Yu, if you are in the auditorium, please come up quickly.
You have a goodie bag.
Kilo Yu.
>> So you have a goodie bag. Go down. No, to the left side. You're going this way.
So now we're selecting four.
Yes. So the first two. Ada glory. Ada is spelled A D A I S E. Adise if um apologies for the wrong pronunciation if I mispronounced.
Congratulations. And Francis Kudus, congratulations.
You have won the best gifts today.
Leadership books. You get leadership books.
You see I said the best because you have to read. This is a leadership summit. If you are not reading, what are you doing?
Congratulations 0425.
We're proud of you. We know you would read and invest in your future. Francis Kadus, are you coming out for your to receive yours? Francis Kudus going. Francis, where are you? You remember that story they told us when we were younger that somebody got a book and didn't read it for eight years and there was a check right inside that book.
Okay. When I was younger, my father told me that story that somebody won a book and was very upset that why would you give me a book? And by the time they opened the book, the check had expired and could no longer be cashed. So Francis Kudus, are you coming to pick your book today? I might be saying much more than you are hearing. Okay. Okay.
Going.
Francis, are you here? You are contemplating. Go and collect your book, my friend. Let me see. 037.
Congratulations.
Chem, what did you put in your stew? Chemaya, where are you? Congratulations, Roda. Abana, is it Abana or Abasa?
Roda Abana and Inmaya.
When you get to the stage, I'll tell you what you've just won.
But you must tell us what you put in your student social media palance. Don't worry for you know millennials that are here going this one my yes I'm yes I'm I'm not going to wait for you to get here in 10 seconds if you're not here we'll pick the next two roda abana where are you and demaya congratulations to both of you but I must verify First, where is the second winner? If you don't take it, I'll go and collect your gift on your behalf.
Can I verify?
Congratulations.
Hold on.
I think you know what you have won because the way you are catwalking is it's making me feel like you have an idea. Anyways, as you approach the stage, let me announce to you very specially that you both have just won yourselves brand new phones.
Let me let me verify 0733.
Congratulations. Please go to the left side of the hall. Brand new phones for both of them. It gets more interesting.
Don't worry. Don't worry. One last time we'll pick two. Yes, two for the last one.
When you are praying, you have to be specific with your prayer.
Don't worry. Don't worry.
So, we'll select two for this final category. Just in case you haven't dropped the white part of your raffle ticket, make sure you do. Aqui, where are you?
Are you going going?
You're not sure what your name is. We're still contemplating and this is also incomplete, but the ticket number is 0086.
All right, hurry, make your way to the stage. Thank you so much, Madame Leman.
Thank you very much, sir, for the honors of helping to select. A round of applause for them as they exit the stage. I acquire and very quickly, I need to confirm you have won smart watches. Smart watches, you would 0431.
Here you go. Congratulations. Where is Olid?
Oliday, you'd see me backstage to verify. Alida, if you're here, just wave. All right, just come backstage because we need to move on very quickly.
Thank you, your excellencies and distinguished guests for making it here today at the Lagos Leadership Summit for 2026.
As we move on today, we will now listen to the theme speech and this will be delivered by a woman who has inspired me for most of my life. You know, when you hear that women are breaking biases and women are doing exceptional work, this woman was the first African female president because she reminds me of a dream that I've nursed for so long to be the first female president of Federal Republic of Nigeria. But this we're about to listen to a theme speech from the first African female president, former president of Liberia. Please turn your attention to the multimedia screen as we listen to President Ellen Johnson Salif.
Excellency, the executive governor of Lagos State, thank you for this gracious invitation and for the warmth with which Lagos has once again opened its arms to Africa's leaders and thinkers.
I offer a special word of appreciation to the organizers, the Latif Chakandi Leadership Academy.
Distinguished delegates, leaders, young change makers, friends, and fellow Africans, it is a profound honor to speak to you today.
When I reflect on the theme of this summit, building systems that outlive us, I am moved to remind you that systems that outlive us are not built through the force of personality alone.
They are not built by those who seek power but by those who relinquish it gracefully and deliberately.
They are built by leaders who understand that the true measure of their legacy is not the true praise they receive but the strength and independence of the institutions that they leave behind.
When I assumed the presidency of Liberia in 2006, we inherited a country devastated from 14 years of civil war, facing a collapsed economy, destroyed infrastructure, dysfunctional institution, and a public without hope.
We had to build urgently, painstakingly, not just roads and schools, but systems of accountability, transparency, and the rule of law.
We had to restore our nation's credibility, address its crushing debt burden, and instill hope through commitment from national leaders to serve the people.
I therefore want to speak plainly to the leaders and aspiring leaders in this room, particularly the young ones.
The strength and quality of governance define a presidency and the levels of authority in the determination of a well functioning nation.
A nation that delivers sustained development through structures of inclusivity, accountability, and equity.
But we all know that strength alone does not deliver change and positive results.
leadership does.
This is why I consider that the greatest untapped resource for Africa's future is the full and equal participation of women in leadership.
When I became Africa's first democratically elected woman head of state, there was celebration.
But I was always cautious about what that celebration might obscure.
One woman reaching the pinnacle of power does not constitute a system.
Symbolism without structural change is just symbolism.
That is why I committed myself to join the movement for the ascendancy of women leadership through the Ellen Johnson Presidential Center for Women and Development.
this work that defines my postp presidential life as we are committed to building precisely those structures, membership pipelines, policy advocacy, research and networks that do not depend on any single champion to survive, but on a collective of women leaders across Africa ascending to the highest levels.
I do this because I know from experience that when women lead systems improve.
Not because women are more or less superior but because diversity of experience produces diversity of solutions.
When half the population is excluded from decision making, you are governing with one hand tied behind your back.
I therefore urge every leader in this room not to wait for women to force their way into your institution.
Open the door. More importantly, let them sit.
with you and talk to you, be with you at the table.
Invite them to bring their seats to the to the negotiating table.
Work with them and collaborate with them.
To the young leaders in this room, know that on your shoulders rest the future of Africa, the Africa that we want.
strategically poised to be an Africa exercise in sovereignty for self-dependency.
We invite you to prepare for leadership that must be based on knowledge, on collaboration, and more importantly on honesty. A virtue most times lacking in many of our countries.
Let your purpose of leadership be governed by inclusion, courage, and resilience to serve the people of Africa and to enhance the strength of Africa and to promote the unity of Africa.
Thank you.
here. Thank you. Let me do a quick pulse feel in the room. Are we having a good day? Has this been well worth the past couple of hours? No, that energy is giving me a five over 10. I want a 10 over 10. Has this been well worth the past couple of hours? Awesome. Thank you so much. And thank you for being a part of this year's Lagos Leadership Summit.
Has anyone completed their journal?
Anybody wave? Let me just see. Okay.
Okay. Do you all have copies of the journal now?
Okay. So, if you don't have, it's okay.
Beckon on any of the hostesses. They'll be more than happy to bring to you. Just indicate and inform them that you like a copy of the leadership experience journal. It will be very good for your leadership journey. And that's why we have created that workbook for this summit just so that you can experience leadership on a personal level. That's what we preach here. Transformative personal leadership journeys. All right.
So we're moving on now to our very first roundt session today and we'll be speaking on designing governance and enterprise for generational continuity. To moderate this session, I have the honor of inviting on stage a vibrant and influential figure in the Nigerian music scene with a deep passion for discovering and promoting emerging African talent worldwide. As the artist services and relationships manager at Trace Anglophone, West Africa, she plays a pivotal role in fostering strong connections with artists, labels, and DSPs and media outlets outlets, beg pardon, further establishing her presence within the Afrobeats genre.
Please make welcome on stage head of talent relations, Trace TV West Africa, Simei Badiru. A round of applause for her. Thank you very much.
Our first speaker is an economist passionate about sustainable development, finance, investment, and youth employment. He began his career as a research assistant at the Lagos Business School and has spent over a decade in various banking roles with First City Monument Bank and Stanic IBTC Bank where he was the country head of theme banking. He was also the pioneer executive secretary of the Lagos State employment trust fund where he led the development of programs that provided loans of over 6 billion to 10,000 beneficiaries. Please make welcome the honorable commissioner finance akit state government chairman forum of finance commissioners of Nigeria honorable akitude odd a round of applause please. Thank you very much.
Joining the round table, we have one of the few women, one of the few women owned and managed growth equity and gender lens funds in Africa. She is the founder and CEO of Arua Capital Management. She has over 15 years of investment banking and private equity experience in developed and emerging markets from global institutions such as JP Morgan. Please make welcome on stage Adua Okubo Roads. A round of applause for her. Thank you very much. And joining them finally, but by no means the least, we have the executive vice chairman and chief executive officer of Cavatin Offshore and Offshore Support Group. Please make him welcome with a resounding round of applause. Thank you very much. As they take their seats, I'd like to respectfully recognize the deputy governor of Katsina State, his excellency Baruk Lau. Thank you very much for joining us, your excellency.
Over to you, our able moderator.
Okay.
Good morning everyone. Uh my name is Sini Badu. I head artist services and relationships at Trace Anglophone West Africa. And this morning I will be um moderating this panel on designing governance and enterprise for generational continuity. Um so we often talk about um legacy um in a very in very aspirational terms but the reality is very few institutions actually outlive their founders. Even fewer remain relevant, resilient and impactful across generations. So today we're moving beyond theory. The conversation is about what it really takes to build systems that endure across leadership, transitions, economic shock, and shifting political landscape.
I'm joined by an intersectional group of leaders who sit at the intersection of policy, capital, enterprise, each with firsthand experience on building and sustaining complex institutions.
As um Moji said earlier, we have honorable Akiti who is commissioner for finance for state. Um Mr. Aua Rose who is founder and CEO of Aura Capital and Mr. Alabadola who um is vice chairman and CEO of Captain of SH support group.
Okay. So my first question I think I will start with Mr. Dura.
Everyone talks about legacy, but few systems actually outlive their founders.
In your experience, what's the difference between an institution that lasts and one that merely succeeds?
>> Thank you for the question. Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. Thank you for having me here. Um, so to your question, I think a successful organization is one that maybe rewards the founder, you know, makes the founder rich. uh but an enduring institution I think is one that you know 10 people behind the founder that you've never heard about are also able to create wealth. Um so a lasting institution goes beyond the founder. Uh and we've seen this in in the business of what we do.
Uh so I run a private equity fund that invests inmemes here in Nigeria. Uh we've invested in over 15 companies um in real in the real economy. So essential goods and services within health care, within local manufacturing, within financial services, within renewable energy. Uh and what we see about the successful businesses is yes we want to invest in founders that have you know a passion and a vision but the successful businesses that endure that are able to outlive the founder are the ones that have put in the processes the systems that are able to create a bench for succession that take succession planning seriously where there is no information monopoly just with the founder. You know what has that founder done to team? What has that founder done to put in place policies and systems that makes decision making without the founder seamless. So if you have an organization where a founder cannot be absent more for more you know if a founder is absent for 90 days then the whole business collapses then that is not a business that we want to invest in. So it's something that we always you know check for something that we always do diligence on is what are the structures that this founder has put in place for decision- making for corporate governance you know for internal controls how is this founder being held accountable. Uh it's either he's either being held accountable or she's either being held accountable by a board an advisory board a team that you know it's not only one person signing the checks.
it's not only one person receiving the inflows. Um, so governance is something that really uh I strongly believe is what makes uh not just a successful institution but a an institution that outlasts and can create wealth for you know multiple people.
>> And a quick follow-up question to that would be um do you think that there are founders that somewhat get in the way of legacy or building a legacy business?
>> Yes. Uh and I called those businesses personalities with payrolls.
Um you know it all revolves around one person. Um and you know it's all about them. Uh I think you know you know you have sometimes founders can get in the way because you know they think this is my sweat. This is my blood. You know where were you when I was building this business with no money? Now that we're successful you want to take it away from me. Uh so I think sometimes founders may have a short-term um mindset uh that may prevent them from empowering people around them. Uh but I but I believe that the most successful organizations are where the founder is able to get out of their own way, empower people to be able to make decisions. Uh empower people to, you know, do the right thing when you're not there in the room. uh because it's those businesses that are able to scale sustainably.
>> Okay. Thank you. My next question will be for Mr. Bjima.
Um so in Nigeria, many institutions are personality driven.
Many institutions are personalitydriven.
What does it practically take to move from a personalityled leadership to a systemled governance? And how do we effective and how does that last? Like how do we effectively make that? Um thank you very much. I that's a very interesting interesting question. I think it follows up from what the last speaker was saying in terms of uh how how founders especially of businesses want to be seen or want to be perceived.
There are there are founders where that walk into a room and um no one knows who they are until the company walks in before the founder walks in. And there are founders where the personality in itself and that is what I think you're referring to um speaks to today and a lot of it um said was is really centered around uh the corporate governance structure that exists within that organization. Um a founder that um that builds a business from from the ground up sometimes holds on too tight. We call it micro micromanaging obviously and uh he signs every single check, he employs every single person. Um from my own point of view, you as a founder, you always want to be a part of the pond.
You always want to be the dumbest person in the room. You want to be surrounded by smart people. You want to be you want to learn because that is the only way you can actually physically grow a business. And in terms of what I what we found as a as a founder in order to create last and legacy, you have to be able to listen. So you always have to be the last person to speak when actually taking uh decisions in terms of a business and having the right strong corporate governance structure especially centered around um financing is really really important and always building for tomorrow. Uh there's that old uh there's the common saying that um um founders or or people that think generationally they plant trees that they know would they will never sit under it or give them shade and really that is what um I think we have to sort of embibe in terms of creating these uh lasting legacies.
>> Thank you.
Next question is for honorable de.
Um when systems are tested, economic shocks, political transitions and leadership exists. What governance structures usually hold and what which structures collapse?
When systems are tested, economic shocks happen and political transitions happen within businesses. What govern structures usually hold and which structures usually collapse?
you know um you have the business people here so maybe you want to ask them um but I think you know and I my experience in government has been very interesting about just how to ensure structures endure but I think the starting point I always use Emerson's quotes as a starting point for building structures um that the institution is the lengthened shadow of one man or one person and it's always important to understand I think it's more important when you set up a system to understand the weight of responsibility on you as a founder whether it's a private sector founder or in my case establishing now two government institutions across two states um and I remember when we started the employment trust fund in 2015 everyone we hired every single employee said to me my biggest fear of joining this place is what happens happens if the governor or you know doesn't after 8 years right what happens to this institution when we expect this governor would have finished his two terms in office but as you might know the governor who set up that institution my boss at the time only spent four years in office we didn't even have the benefit of an 8-year runway which was the general expectation of all government institutions but the answer to everyone was simple the weight of responsibility on our shoulders is to build something to Bod's point that will long benefit society after we're gone. Um, and that discipline then means that you build without recourse to yourself, right? You don't build for your benefit today, right? And I always say, especially for us in government, you wield power or influence the way you wish it will be used on you, right? Because if you understand the transient nature of political systems, then it's important that you build with a structure that endures after you. And now what does that look like? So first it's the kind of laws that govern institutions. Um in government it's always important to say let's start with the laws. Let's start with the policy direction. It takes some time but it's important to build the foundations properly. So you start with what kind of laws um help these systems endure. The second thing is what is your strategic direction and building the right governance systems that allows you to take decisions for the common good.
So for example with us at the employment trust fund we had a board right board decisions were unanimous. I mean I didn't like it at the start. I wanted a majority because the first time we went to a vote the vote I wanted carried. So you know but over time building a consensus was an important enduring way of decision making and it meant that when our systems came under pressure the fact that 10 board members aligned to take a decision means that every one of those people is indeed convinced this is was in the best interest of the organization. So governor structure sometimes we're in a hurry you know we want to move quickly we want to get immediate results governor structure sometimes we think it slows us down you know but if you're building for a generation you know losing 6 months or one year is not a big deal in the context of generational building. I I think the third thing is just to understand that with everything that I've learned, I think across my experience in government is that you have to build for turbulence.
Um, and you have to recognize that it will always get turbulent. I don't think you can avoid it. You can't wish it away. Uh, and so we found that the systems we built endured, right? The people we loaned money to were not our friends. The people we supported were not people we knew. There was a process that ensured you didn't see a human being before you applied for a loan from the employment trust fund. Right? And that means that today anyone who goes there to go and audit those guys will see that nobody funneled money back to anybody, right? Nobody gave money to their families and friends. Yes, the some of those people failed to repay their loans as in the course of doing business, right? If you back 5,000 businesses, some are going to fail. But the realization that we also needed to plan for that failure that look not everyone we give money to is going to succeed. But in these winners are we going to be able to back people who create hundreds of jobs you know who contribute in paying taxes in creating jobs in the economy of Lagos state?
Absolutely. So I think those are fundamental I'll say building blocks. Um I don't want to hold the microphone so I'll stop there. Thanks.
>> Okay. So no we are still going to hold the microphone for a bit. So you gave us an institution that you've built that has worked, right? So I want you to give me give us an example of one that hasn't worked and why it hasn't worked just so that we have the >> um I mean I think I've been lucky I you know I I've not really experienced a lot of institutional failure but I'll tell you what so in my career in banking um I used to run business for Standard Bank uh across West Africa and we had this thing called the theme quick loan right it was supposed to be a lending product to revolutionize SM lending in the country and we had gone to Harvard Business School got these fellows from Harvard who built this behavioral tool right you took a psychometric test you got past a certain score we gave you a loan um we lost our shirts in a pretty interesting way 30% of that loan book went bad right um now the lesson for me there were two or three lessons one was timing we did this and you Nigerians are very interesting. The guys from Boston called me and said, "Akin, there's either something going on in your business or Nigerians are incredibly smart and are so smart. We've never seen a cohort of such people in the world."
Because one of the questions in that assessment was a number recall question.
The global average for recalling numbers that flash on your screen was seven digits at the at the top end, right? Uh people were doing 10 11 digits.
Obviously, somebody allowed them bring their mobile phones into the thing. So, they would just type it, you know, and then when the thing flashes off, they just look at the phone and then they write the numbers. But what did I learn from that? It's also timing was very important. We did this at a time where, you know, uh global standing instruction was not a thing. BVN did not exist. NIN did not exist. We didn't have a single identifier for identifying a borrower or a test uh or someone who's coming to take a test. So you found that if body for example passed this test he went ahead and built a he forgot his own business and started taking tests for people right so the one thing for me I think is timing is everything if you think about businesses that fail and succeed uh or even how government institutions are built sometimes it's the right idea it's the wrong time um so getting the timing right I think for me was a critical thing but the second thing is it's very difficult to inspire hundreds and thousands of people to think alongside with you as a founder or as an ideator, a creator of a business.
So I found out that I would make these presentations right in Lagos at our headquarters in Walter Carrington and everybody understood it. By the time he got to Walter Carrington branch, same building downstairs, 50% of the message was lost. By the time he got to Ini or Aba where allmemes were, it was 30% of the message. the further you went down the country, the more watered down that message was. So, it's also important that you learn that you don't build far ahead of the people you follow. Um, and that, you know, sometimes it'll take you longer, but it's better to get more people understanding, following, buying into a message uh before you start to implement. Thanks.
>> Okay, thank you so much for that answer. Um, back to Mr. Desa. um how do you balance the pressure of short-term returns um with the discipline required to build something that's generational?
>> Yeah. So, I think we've kind of touched on it. Um Mr. Bod mentioned the tree that you never get to sit under. Uh but I always say to my team, you know, it's short-term sacrifice for long-term benefits. Um in my own story, you know, I set up Arua almost seven years ago now. Um, I was only 29 years old when I set it up. Um, and I left a very, you know, well-paying job at JP Morgan in London to set it up. Uh, and for the first five years, I didn't pay myself a salary.
Um, so that's the one that's the example that I have where it was painful, but I wanted to make sure that I was empowering the people around me and I was attracting the best talent to build the foundation that we wanted to see and that we're now enjoying today.
Um, so I think sometimes, you know, it's uncomfortable. You have to invest in yourself in those early years. You have to take risk in those early years that would not immediately pay off. But setting the foundation for your organization in terms of the team that you build, the processes that you put in place, the advisory board or the governance that you put in place. Um, it's building for how you want to continue. Um and it's uncomfortable at the beginning um is my own experience was very uncomfortable uh but uh but you know it will pay off in the end so I think that's my that's I can talk from lived experience uh and I always encourage the portfolio companies and our founders as well to think that way uh that yes you might have a deal in front of you now that seems very juicy but is it the right deal to do at that time uh will this deal cost you in 5 years if someone was coming back to look at it. Um, so it's always having that long-term thinking I think is what also builds enduring because I think we we're in a convenience economy. Everyone wants the short way out, wants the quick way out. Uh, but you don't build generational wealth that way. Um, so I would always encourage people to take the long-term view.
>> Okay. Thank you so much. Back to Mr. Bod.
Um, cavity is known to be a generational business, correct? It was passed on. Um, generational continuity is ultimately about people. Um, what deliberate um systems do you put in place to produce leaders rather than just appoint them?
>> You rather than just appoint.
She promised me she wasn't going to bring up Kavaton because after all this is a leadership summit, but you know, fine. Yes. Okay. Um I think first of all it it's it starts with with a leader.
I think uh there's a um famous saying in our office that you don't work for us, you work with us.
And that in itself is what what creates or embibes that generational wealth. A lot of people when they talk about um succession planning and generational they think it's about family or or my son has to uh look uh replace me when I'm gone. And there is this um trap that people may fall under that the the person that succeeds the founder has to be a replica of the founder. You say ah he he's the same way. He talks like chairman. He does this like chairman. But the fact of the matter is the chairman was operating in a very different environment than you're operating in today.
So in terms of that succession planning, you need a leader that operates for today and tomorrow, not a chair, not someone that behaves or acts like the chairman because his time is passed, right? The chairman probably doesn't know difference between cha GPT and Claude, you know, and uh and that is the reality of what we live today. Um and so that's part of it, I think. Um the other thing is it ultimately boils down to the ethos and and what the company wants to project. Um we like I said we we try to encourage people that if you put in you can't you can't take out what you don't put in. And it goes from the cleaners all the way up to the pilots and the engineers or or the boat captains that we have within the organization. And for as long as you look after the company at whatever strata you are in, whether be it in and I say that not just in terms of business, but in terms of even in government, for as long as you're a willing to look after the organization, the organization will always look after you. If you come leaders of tomorrow, your leader is not the one that leaders of tomorrow. Your leader is not the one that does exactly what the chairman wants or does exactly what does exactly what the chairman wants or does exactly what his line his line manager wants.
Your leader is the one that looks out that puts the company first or puts the organization first. That is where you find leadership. That is where you find that okay if I'm not here tomorrow this person would look after my interest and he would not make this organization about himself. And so there's a a long arous process that sort of goes into it that you have to sort of take the time to sort of understand and nurture uh future um future leaders so to speak or people that will take look after uh or or build that legacy that you are you are true that will take look after or or build that legacy that you are you are trying to trying to um that you are trying to to more or less more or less create. Um they say be a shepherd and not a butcher because a butcher um thinks about the quality of the meat today whereas the shepherd considers the entire flock and how it would last from one season to to the next. I think those are the things that I sort of look at and think of when when we look at at least from from Catton's point of view and I think it's something that is sort of replicated across or or can be sort of replicated across board. Thank you.
>> Thank you very much.
>> Okay. So I want to throw this last question to everyone. If you had to be brutally honest, what's the biggest lie we tell ourselves about building institutions that last? and in Nigeria and what would do we do differently if we truly want continuity?
We truly want continuity. If we truly want continuity, >> what is the biggest lie we tell ourselves in Nigeria?
>> I can start.
>> I can start. I can start. Uh I think the biggest lie we tell ourselves is we blame everyone but ourselves. So we blame government, we blame policies, we blame the environment, we blame FX, we blame everyone. But what are you doing when no one else is watching? Are you paying your taxes?
Do you have a board that can vote you out of your company if you do the wrong thing? Are you holding yourself accountable? Are you building a team?
Are you building the processes? Are you building the systems? So you know in my world which is the world of investments and capital we try and encourage our companies to not think of governance and accountability as a burden but actually as a competitive advantage because the the capital that that this continent and this country needs is capital that invests for 10 20 30 years. Are you building that type of business that patient capital can back?
Um, so I think that's the one lie that we tell ourselves is we try and blame everything else around us without holding ourselves accountable to the decisions that we're making when no one else is watching. Um, so stop blaming everybody. Just do what you need to do.
Build correctly from day one. Put in the processes in place. Have accountability systems, whether that's mentors, whether that's an advisory board, whether that's a formal board. have a bench of a management team so that decisions are not just resting with you. Do what you need to do on your side so that your company is sustainable and you can create jobs, empower people. There's a huge trickle down effect when our private sector is working. Um so that that would be my message is that that's the number one lie. It's blaming everyone around rather than taking accountability for yourself, your business and your ecosystem.
Um so I think and across both public and private sector institutions um we get sucked into the myth of the alpha character um that there's this single in there's this individual on whose shoulders rest all the solutions. Um and so you see it show up in many ways. You see it show up in meetings where everybody's waiting for the leader to speak and set the direction of the meeting and then everyone toes in line. Um you see it in governments and in political institutions where people wait on a single decision maker uh and just say hey this is what Mr. X or Mrs. Zed has said uh this must be the right way. Um, and at the risk of uh putting my neck on the chopping block, you know, I remember someone I work for now um had made a decision or had proposed a suggestion in a meeting within the first week or two of his assumption of office and someone came to me and said oh but this is how we're going to do this and I asked why are we going to do this this way and he said to me oh but xyz has said this is how we're going to do it. So I asked him a question 6 months ago before XYZ got into this office. If he had given you a solution to a finance problem, would you have taken it? Would you have second guessed it?
You are here because you are the professional, right? Um the person there is a generalist and has a vision, but he leans he or she leans on your opinion, right? and your expertise to come up with the best possible outcome to suboptimal outcomes. It's because the burden of decision making is often left to one of decision making is often left to one individual. I don't know if it's a part one individual. I don't know if it's a part distance problem that we have as a country but I find that this is not just government. Even when you leave government and you go into the private sector, even when you go into the family for example, you find that you know as a father and husband they think you than my partner. So it's a it's a I think it's a fundamental problem about collective decision making we have as a country uh that shows up whether it's in the household, whether it's in the workplace, whether it's in public or private institutions. Thank you.
I should have gone first.
Um I I actually just came from a speaking engagement just before I came here. And um whilst I was preparing for that, it just so happens that it's amazing that you're asking the same question because I think it rings true for us. And I'm just going to read it's a quote from uh Theodore Roosevelt and it says in any moment of decision the best thing you can do is the right thing.
The next best thing you can do is the wrong thing and the worst thing you can do is nothing.
And I I want you all to just think about that for a second because and that's why I said something about the blame game and all of that. And sure, look, let's be honest, things are tough.
And when things are tough, everybody's looking for someone to blame, right? And yes, you can find blame in all manners or everywhere you look.
There's always someone to blame or no such thing as failure because if given the opportunity you get a chance to try again but what you cannot do as this is a leadership summit is not do anything.
It is a case of looking around your community and seeing how in your own small capacity can impact your community and hopefully that filters out of your community into the broader uh ecosystem that we call uh Nigeria. So I'm going to read it again as my closing uh statement. In any moment of decision, the best thing you can do is the right thing. the next best thing is the wrong thing and the worst thing you can do is nothing. Thank you.
>> Thank you so much for um your contributions today. I think um ultimately what's clear from this conversation is that building institutions that last is not accidental but um is deliberate often uncomfortable and requires a level of discipline that goes beyond individual ambition. in the if continuity is the goal and the real question is whether we are willing to design the system that can function without us. So thank you guys again for being on this panel and speaking to us and sharing all your knowledge and I hope you guys have a good day for the rest of the summit. Thank you.
>> Thank you very much. Yes, we'll take a group picture. I'd like to invite the executive secretary of the Latif Jacon Day Leadership Academy, Mrs. Aisat Abajio Okuad, to please join our speakers on stage for a quick photograph. Thank you very much.
Very well done. Thank you to all our speakers. Thank you very much, Mr. Ola Mola. Thank you, Mrs. Adua Okumbo Roads.
Thank you honorable Akint Ode and our able moderator who the conversation so intelligently Simei Baderu please position for pictures. Thank you very much.
Can we give them another round of applause please? Thank you very much.
Baby, I found a way to let you in.
>> Thank you, Annie. Very well done. Thank you very much.
I'd like to very quickly recognize the deputy chief of staff Katsina state government aliu Salawa. Thank you very much for joining us again recognizing the all of Kingdom.
Thank you very much your royal majesty for joining us today. Quick announcement about restrooms and any other thing you need to note to the end left and right sides of the auditorium. We have restrooms located there for persons who would like to use the restroom during this summit. Also announcing that if you still have the white copy of your raffle ticket, please make sure you drop it so that you can participate in the next raffle draw. We have a lot more gifts to be won. We have videos from our partners and would like you to please turn your attention to the multimedia screen to watch that video. After that, we'll take a video testimonial that details an experience of a participant that has been a part of the leadership summit in the previous year. So again, please turn your attention to the multimedia screen.
Thank you.
distinguished guests, respected organizers, government representatives, partners, leaders, and every young person, woman, and entrepreneur gathered here today. Good day. My name is Emanuel Lenox, and I have the privilege of serving as the chief steward of Wawu Africa. At Wawo Africa, we are building practical pathways for youth, women, and entrepreneurs to move from aspiration to achievement. And that is why we are proud to support the Lagos Leadership Summit 2026 because gatherings like this should do more than inspire. They should open doors. So today, our support is simple. Real tools, real access, and real opportunities. To the youths, women andmemes here today and everyone at this event, we want you to know that this is only the beginning. You now have access to free CPD UK accredited trainings with diploma certificates that are globally recognized. You also have access to our Panaffrican e-commerce ecosystem for those in the fashion, beauty and art space, as well as opportunities within the Wuaw ecosystem to support careers, growth, employability, and access to work. Because at Wawu Africa, we believe that when people leave a room like this, they should not just leave inspired, they should leave better positioned than they came. to the organizers, stakeholders, and every partner here today. We are your allies, and we need you. So, let us work together. Together, we can create stronger systems of support for our youths, our women, ourmemes across Lagos State and beyond.
Thank you and God bless you and toology and also the executive director, Lagos Blood Drive Initiative, formerly Mar Blood Drive Initiative. If it is thinkable, it is doable. Today I want to share with you the success story of the blood donation drive that I championed and how Lagos leadership summit contributed to the success. In turn 25 at the blood transmission service where we invited the executive secretary of the board, the person of Mrs. Oshikoya to educate and sensitize young people in Bari about the personal and communal benefits of blood donation.
After the sensitization, we called for volunteers, we called for donors, and on the 21st of May 2025, we had the first ever blood donation drive in Badri where over 140 young persons gather at the bad General Hospital and we had 101 people who were fit to donate. They donated one pint of blood each and we were able to get 101 pint of blood to the Barali General Hospital and also to the Lagos State blood transfusion service. After the donation drive, we ensure that every donor got back the cost of transportation down to the venue. And again, everybody left with a package that contains a black tonic, milk, ja, thank you note, and also a branded t-shirt with an inscription that further propagates the need to continue donating blood. All of this might not be possible if I didn't drop that comment. If I didn't attend the Lagos leadership summit, if I didn't summon the courage to mount that stage and ask that question, if I didn't pitch idea to have the first blood donation drive in Badri, my fellow change makers present at this year's summit. We need to start thinking about what we can do individually and collectively to have a Lagos and a Nigeria that we so desire. Let us rise.
Let us take responsibility.
Let us come together and do something to help our community. If I can champion first ever blood donation drive in Bangi, yes, you can also champion that social impact project that you've been planning to work on. Remember, if it is thinkable, it is doable. Please note, the blood donation drive is not just one time thing. It is a continuous project that we are going to be doing every year. As a matter of fact, on the 9th and 11th of June 2026, we are having the second edition. And guess what? We are not just having it at Baragi General Hospital alone. We are also having it at Lagos State University Teaching Hospital in KA. Two locations this year. And we are on the lookout for socially responsible institutions and individuals who would love to partner with us in bringing this life saving initiative to life. Once again, thank you Lagos State government for the opportunity. Thank you Latifi Academy. Thank you Lagos Leadership Summit and thank you all. We will not stop contributing our kota in making Lagos a better place. Thank you and God bless you.
Wow. Delivered with so much passion, such intensity and intentionality.
When I was introducing her excellency, former president of Liberia, and I talked about how she's inspired me in several ways, especially because I also desired to be the first female president of Nigeria. That seemed it's okay. Yeah, one day I'll be here delivering my manifesto.
But, you know, it seemed quite farreaching. But when you hear the story of persons like this who are creating change within their environment, it reminds me of what Favor said when we're asking about the most profound quote you have ever heard about leadership. And Favor said, "Be the change that you want to see." I hope that some way somehow this summit is stirring something inside somebody here and you know and recognize that indeed you can be the change that you want to see. I also talked about how we all are beneficiaries of systems. So it could be your school, your family, your city, your government. You must also pay it forward. And although this is not a women's summit, if you think about the theme for this year's International Women's Month, give to gain. What are you giving so that generations ahead of you can actually gain? What are you building? What change are you championing? It doesn't have to be big. It can be big, but it doesn't have to be so big that you think, "Oh my goodness, where do I start from?" Just start from where you are. Be the change that you want to see. And we hope and believe that next year your story will be on the screen to be told. If you believe that is you, make some noise.
Okay, I only have change makers on this side, so I'll just focus here. If you are a change maker whose story will be told next year, can I hear you make some noise?
That's more like it. But beyond making some noise, we want you to actually find a challenge, prefer a solution, and be the change that you really want to see.
That is leadership. Not until you have a big title. You can have a title, but in the case that you don't. Be the change that you really want to see. That in itself is leadership. Thank you to everyone who has joined us. I'd like to recognize members of the Lagos State Executive Council. Thank you for being a part of this conference. I'd also like to recognize members of the body of permanent secretaries Lagos today. Thank you very much for coming out this afternoon for Lagos Leadership Summit 2026.
Now, as we proceed, I will introduce the next masterclass session that would happen. And to facilitate the master class, I have the honor of inviting on stage a UK registered mental health nurse, Nigerian qualified lawyer and founder of Sacred Hearts Healthc Care Services, a nurseled community-based healthcare organization operating in the United Kingdom. She'll be speaking to us on leading without burnout, mental resilience for young leaders. really because no system can outlive a leader who runs themselves into the ground. It is therefore my privilege to invite on stage Mrs. Banker Abaji. A round of applause for her. Thank you very much.
Have you ever found yourself giving and giving and giving and then you feel exhausted inside?
I'd like to give you a few seconds to ponder in that. My name is Banky Abbaj and I'm the founder of Sacred Heart Healthcare. Sacred Heart Healthcare is a mental health organization focused on embedding mental health into our systems.
I believe that you do not have to have access to mental health to go to the hospital or specialist hospital. We must have access to mental health in the community. Mental health must begin to become a spoken normal language in Nigeria.
Your excellencies, distinguished leaders, guests, I welcome you to this session where we will be exploring leading without burnout, mental resilience for young leaders.
When I was given this topic, two things struck me. Firstly, the theme of this year's leadership summit, building systems that outlive us. How do we build systems that outlive us if we do not build sustainable leaders to build these systems or who will build these systems?
Secondly, burnout.
This is something I could definitely relate with or I can definitely relate with.
When I was qualified, nearly qualified as a nurse, I worked on the ward in the UK and many at times I was a shift coordinator. As a shift coordinator, you were basically your responsibility was to ensure the smooth running of your shift. So that meant multitasking.
I would work four days on and three days off.
Because of the demands on the ward and because I wanted to make extra money rather than rest in those three days, I would take on those three days or part of those three days and work. And then by the end of the month, I'm feeling exhausted. I began to think to myself, this isn't feasible.
Even though I was a talented nurse, according to my colleagues and seniors, I just couldn't carry on.
Shall we say that the organization lost talent due to burnout? Cuz I just could not carry on. What is burnout? Burnout is when you over exceed capacity even though you are very very capable.
What are the signs of burnout? Constant exhaustion.
Loss of motivation or passion.
Irritability or emotional withdrawal.
Reduced productivity even though you're very capable. Feeling overwhelmed by small tasks. Sudden crave of instant relief. I'm sure a lot of us here can relate with some of these signs. You find yourself just snapping for no reason or snapping at the littlest things. Why? Because you are overwhelmed or feeling exhausted from the inside.
Let's make it practical.
I enjoy walking. That's my best form of exercise. Two weeks ago, I had, you know, done two days in a row of work walking. On the third day, I wanted to push. Five minutes into the walk, I just could not do it. I decided to head back home. Why? Because I knew what it was. I knew I knew what it was to get the best outcome from my exercises when my body is rested.
I rested for the day and the following day I carried on with my exercise and I had the best outcome. I got the mental clarity that I get when I exercise and I burnt the calories, amount of calories I I target when I go on walks.
That's a practical example. I know some of you here have examples personally in your minds already of burnout or something you an experience of burnout you can relate with.
I like to think of leadership as a lantern.
We all know what lantern is in the past.
It was used. I'm not sure if it's still in use now. A lantern shines light. But a lantern cannot power itself if it has no fuel.
In the past, kerosene was used to power it.
Your body is the body of the lantern and your mind is the kerosene that fills the lantern.
You are all light that needs to shine.
And this shine mustn't be cut short through burnout.
Let's take a few seconds to ponder on what fills you as a leader.
I'll share what fills me as a leader that allows me to maximize my capacity and potential as a leader.
As a founder, it meant that I do a lot of things at the same time. But one thing I do that does not allow me burnout is taking it one step at a time.
So even if I have a lot of work to do all looking at me, I don't look at the mass of the work. I focus on what is priority. deal with it and move on to the next one. That is what fuels my own lantern. What fuels your own lantern as a leader? Is it impact? Is it rest? Is it exercise?
Let's come to the causes of burnout, stress, pressure, lack of rest, and saying yes to everything. A lot of us feel bad when we say no. A lot of us want to be seen as the best who can do everything at the expense of your own mental well-being.
A lot of us don't know how to balance work life and this causes to burnout.
This this which eventually leads to burnout.
So burnout is not a big event. It's small little events that adds up together and accumulates leading to the body to shut down mentally. So if you're thinking, oh, if I have a big task and I do that task, um I become burned out from it. No, it's actually from the little little things doing this here, doing this there, it accumulates and then you break down mentally or shut down mentally due to doing too much.
I'd like to share with us the concept of a conscious leaders leader. In the past, leadership was often focused on the work that was produced. Oh, this person is an amazing accountant. Give him this work.
He will produce the work. But what about the other areas of this person's life?
Is this good work they are producing? Is it costing the other areas of their lives that they're supposed to be thriving at?
In modern times and as leaders that we are all here in this room, we must begin to think about the concept of conscious leadership and begin to adapt to that concept. So a conscious leader is somebody who thrives in every area of their lives. They thrive in their workplace. They thrive in their relationships. They thrive in their social life. They thrive in everything that makes them fulfilled as a human being. So it's not just this person is good at the work they do and at home they are crashing. at home, they're depressed, they're going to bed crying.
A conscious leader has emotional intelligence.
A conscious leader is able to delegate.
A conscious leader is able to say no, they have boundaries. A conscious leader is wise.
There's nothing wrong with saying when you're giving work, let me think about it and come back to you.
I'd like you to spend a few seconds again. Think of a leader you would describe as a conscious leader and what makes them different.
So you pondering on that, I'd like you to also use the opportunity if you're not towing the line of a conscious leader already to adopt a concept of a conscious leadership from the person you've been able to reflect on. And if you have nobody, make yourself as as an example.
So you know how we say life happens, burnout isn't like that. Burnout actually happens from the little decisions that we make as leaders.
Now, how do we prevent burnout?
Like I mentioned earlier, through delegation, using the support you have around you, pair-to-pair support, mentor support, workplace support. It it isn't just using about using this supports. It's about identifying them and actually actively using them as your support system. So if it's pair-to-pair support and they're in the line of your work, share your experiences with them.
If you have to get external support, maybe go to a counselor or something, by all means, make use of it.
Remember, only stable leaders can build systems that outlive them.
Let's share some practical tools.
on how not to get burnt out.
Discipline.
You can have a to-do list for the day and have it timed.
Have a time that you will stop working for the day so you can get your rest.
Being able to say no thank you.
Being able to pause and think through things before committing to it.
Getting enough rest because it is very important that our body is rested.
That's the only way we can maximize our capability.
Socializing is a very very good aspect of how not to get burnt out, not isolating yourselves.
Remember that you're not responsible for the functioning of everything.
Identify your responsibility, your role, and what impact it makes to the given structure you're working under. You can by all means thrive in the role that you are given. and that that that your thrive will contribute to the overall success of the organization you work for or of the task you've been given.
I'd like to use this opportunity to do a call to action. I'd like to plead with every business owner here leaders to include support in their business structures, in their organizations, government pastorals, government system.
We can do this through regular supervisions, through open door policies, being approachable, allowing your employees or colleagues to be able to come to you and express how they feel without feeling compromised or undermined or feeling uncomfortable.
team bonding exercises, having the opportunity to have away days outside of work with your colleagues, spend time together outside of work, get to know one another more, do things that will contribute to the overall health and outcome of your work and structure an organization.
a proper HR structure. HR is very very important when it comes to systems that support employees, colleagues and whoever works under under us.
We cannot build systems that outlive us if we not put our energy into building sustainable leaders who will build these systems.
Remember that every leader here is light and every leader here is a leader because they want to create impact.
You cannot create impact if you are burnt out. You cannot create impact if you run out of fuel. Ensure that you keep your light shining but make sure also that you do not run out of your fuel. Thank you very much for today's session. Thank you.
Thank you very much. Coming up next, we will marinate all that we've heard today. And so we'll be having light entertainment and that will be by a talented violinist. So please let's make welcome CJ. A round of applause for him.
Thank you.
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Heat. Heat.
Heat. Heat.
Heat. Heat.
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Let's go.
Let's do this.
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Let me let me feel me when you move like that.
Let me feel me. Don't stop. Don't talk.
Just feel. Let me >> It's a leadership. Don't worry. Don't worry.
>> Thank you. Thank you very much. Wait, you would agree with me that there are violinists and then there's CJ who is a leader in his own league. Please give him a round of applause. Thank you.
Thank you. See, I was almost tempted to just continue dancing. I was like, "Focus, Moji. You have to focus." All right, distinguished ladies and gentlemen, we're moving on now and we are moving to an interesting segment.
You'd agree with me that one summit, one event like this cannot hold all the conversations around leadership. That's why the Latif Jakund Leadership Academy has taken the conversation beyond Lagos State. We had the Abuja dialogue where we had the honor of having the vice president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in attendance and there were so many conversations particularly focusing on youthled initiatives and how that should look and feel. to give us a recap on the Abuja dialogue. I have the honor of inviting on stage the head of projects and implementation at the Latif Jacund Leadership Academy. Please make welcome Tbog Timmy or Motope.
You're going to pardon me in case I murdered your son. Please make welcome Tog. Thank you very much.
Thank you so much. Um good afternoon everyone.
Um good afternoon your excellencies, royal fathers, executive members of the Lagos state government, head of ministries, departments, agencies and so that I will say like um we say already has a working model. The lativ leadership academy has shown that this is not just theory. When you select on merit, train with intention and embed young people with inside government systems, you don't just inspire them.
You literally prepare them and more importantly you make government work better. The third was that youth engagement must align with national priorities and this was where the renewed hope agenda become became critical. Youth development cannot sit on the sidelines. It must connect directly to economic growth, digital innovation, public service delivery and national productivity because youth are not just beneficiaries of policy. They are the drivers of policy. The first is that this must be a federal state partnership. No single institution can solve this and the dialogue made it very clear. The presidency must lead. The states must adapt and then systems align. Recap of the Abuja dialogue. Today I'd like to make a few recognitions. Um I'd like to recognize the commissioner, Ministry of Women Affairs and Poverty Elevation, Los State, Mrs. Bulaji Dada. Thank you very much for joining us today. I'd also like to recognize special advisor on health, Mrs. Oluki Oui. Thank you very much for also joining us. Special advisor to Mr. Governor on tourism, arts and culture, Mr. Idris Arabbe. Thank you very much for joining us. Commissioner, honorable commissioner for agriculture, Miss Busah Olusya, thank you for joining us.
Commissioner for Youth and Social Development, Mr. Mubalagi Uendi. Thank you very much for joining us. as well.
As we proceed today, I'd like to invite on stage as we continue to look critically at leadership and how we can build systems that outlive us. Now, I'm truly honored to invite this woman on stage because I dare say she's one of my mentors. She's a mentor of mentors, a leader of leaders, a trusted voice in ethical financing, a champion of Africa's creative economy, and someone who understands the importance of building legacies and building beyond you. Please, let's make welcome the president of Woodhole Capital Group, Mrs. Mujisola Huponusu. A round of applause for her. Thank you very much.
Now I do know yeah because if things change >> right after we receive her for a session she'll be back up anyway so in case you have questions there's going to be a keynote dialogue where she'll still speak but today we would have Mrs. Mojisa. So a round of applause please noon.
Good afternoon. Good afternoon.
Please permit me to stand on all standing existing protocol, but I would like to particularly highlight and recognize Mrs. Aisha Abaji Auad, the executive secretary of the Latif Jacund Leadership Academy.
Thank you for putting this together and thank you for having me here.
Distinguished leaders across the public and private sectors, ladies and gentlemen, good afternoon.
If institutions are to outlive indiv individuals, then the conversations must begin with people.
Not just leadership at the top, but the del deliberate development of those who will take over when that leadership is no longer in that room.
Across sectors, we often focus on policies, capital, and infrastructure as the drivers of sustainability.
Yet time and again we see institutions weaken not because they lack vision but because they lack continuity.
Knowledge sits with certain individuals instead of within systems.
Leadership pipelines are assumed rather than built.
And when transition comes, it exposes the gaps that they were never intentionally addressed.
This is why the idea of human infrastructure is not abstract. It is foundational.
At Woodh Hall Capital, the firm I lead, one of the most consistent lessons from our work across sectors and markets is that systems do not fail suddenly. They fall quietly.
They fail quietly over time when people are not prepared to sustain them.
Whether in advising governments, structuring transactions, or building institutions, the difference between short-term success and long-term relevance is always the same. The strength of the people within that system.
Over the last 11 years, as we have mobilized over $6 billion dollars into Africa and worked across Lagos, Abuja, London and Dubai, we have come to understand that capital can initiate growth, but only people can sustain them. This is a particularly evident in our mandate with the Nigeria governor's forum and the forum of state investment promotion agencies of Nigeria Fossipen.
While the objective is to raise international funding for subs sovereign projects, the deeper responsibility is to ensure that these projects are supported by systems and people capable of sustaining them beyond any single administration simply because without continuity even the most well-unded initiatives become temporary. This brings us to mentorship.
Mentorship is commonly practiced is often informal, well-intentioned but inconsistent.
It depends on individual generosity, personal relationships and proximity.
And while that has value, it is not enough to sustain institutions.
For mentorship to serve as infrastructure, it must move beyond goodwill. So many people come up to me and ask, "Madame President, can you please be my mentor?"
But I know that it's impossible for me to mentor as many of those who come.
First, because I'm busy. Second is that I do not stay in one place. I popularly refer to myself as a moving bullets.
So I encourage them to find those who have structures and who can give them the time. It must be structured. It must be intentional. And it must be measurable.
At the Woodh Hall Capital Foundation, this has shaped how we design our programs. I refer the mentees to our various programs, which I'm going to tell you a few about. Through Grip, the global generation's rising in purpose, we have engaged over 1,500 young people not simply to inspire them, but to expose them to structured pathways of growth through the executive edge mentorship program. We're building deliberate pipelines for globally educated women preparing for seauite executive positions, ensuring that preparation meets opportunity.
We have loads of women, myself included, who moved back from the diaspora. I moved back from the United Kingdom in 2008. I was lucky. I was poached and brought back home and I found a ship when designed properly does not does three things. It transfers knowledge. It expands access and most importantly it prepares individuals to take responsibility.
18 years later and today, Mr. Akisha Akifa who hired me as a 30-year-old executive into a bank sits at top as the chairman of Woodh Hall Capital. That is when mentorship properly structured gives access sponsored and ensures that the next generation have people who can talk to or who they can talk to when times get rough. And when the excitement of success, they're there to ask you to be anchored so that that success can last. And that preparation is what determines whether institutions endure.
When I approached him to be the chairman of Wood Hall Capital, he said to me, "Mojis, I have resigned. I've retired and I'm not looking at sitting on boards, but so that I finish what I started with you 14 years ago, I'll sit for a year. Guess who is still the chairman of Woodh Hall Capital today, four years later? Mr. Akishwa. I think he's having fun. Within organizations, one of the most revealing questions is this. If key leaders were not to step were to step aside today, who's ready not in theory but in practice to step forward? If the answer is unclear, then mentorship has not yet been institutionalized.
This is the shift we must make from mentorship as a relationship to mentorship as a system.
A system that is structured where expectations are clear. A system that is intentional where selection is thoughtful and a system that is accountable where outcomes are measurable. Because anything less leaves continuity to chance. You know, I was speaking to my daughter the other day and she said to me, "Mommy, I hope you realize that I am not I may not be interested in working in Woodh Hall Capital." And I said to her, I hope you realized in working in Woodh Hall Capital. And I said to her, I hope you realize that I that I never thought that it would be automatic for you to take the helm Woodh Hall Capital. There are many other capable people and we are looking at them. We're grooming them from inside. So it is not a right, neither is it an entitlement. A system that is structured where expectations are clear. A system that is intentional where selection is thoughtful. The opportunity before us is to move from episodic success to sustained impact.
And that requires a different kind of thinking. It requires leaders who do. As we transition into the keynote dialogue on the human infrastructure mentorship as a system for institutional survival, I invite our institutions to continue without us because ultimately systems do not outlive people by accident. They outlive people because some for that address. We can't wait to have you back on to recognize special advisor on economic planning and budget, Mr. Leo Balugu. Thank you very much. I will like to specially recognize the special advisor to Mr. Governor on climate on climate change and circular economy, Mrs. Titti Oshui. Thank you very much for joining us today. Thank you.
Now we'll move on quickly to another session and now we'll be speaking on accessing capital in Africa. What every young founder should know. Very important conversation. We talk a lot about capital and this is crucial. Now to deliver this presentation, I have the honor of inviting and introducing on stage a seasoned finance and investment professional with extensive experience in structuring large-scale infrastructure and capital market transactions across emerging markets. He currently serves as a special advisor on corporate finance and strategic investments to the governor of Lagos state. Please make welcome Akinta Sulu.
A round of applause for him. Thank you.
Thanks Moji.
Now good afternoon everyone.
It's a privilege to be here with you today.
Now, let me kick off rooms like this.
Consistently is often what separates those who build from those who intend to build.
My name is Akinta Sonulu. I'm based in Lagos, born and bred. My career, my working career across investment banking, asset management and public finance, structuring transactions, mobilizing capital and helping shape how capital flows across different markets.
Now that journey has taken me from London to Lagos to Dubai, walking across African, Middle Eastern and global markets. I have actually seen how capital moves and equally where and why it does not.
Now I bring that that perspective here to this room today because the opportunity I see in Lagos and across Africa is as compelling as anywhere I have worked and I want you to see it the same way.
So our conversation today is on capital and access for founders and I will keep this very simple and practical.
By the end of this session, I would like you to leave here with three strong takeaways.
A clearer of understanding of how capital works, a more honest view of where your business currently sits, and of course a sharper sense of what it takes to become fundable.
three key things. Clarity, structure, and action. If there's anything you're going to leave here today with, it is clarity, structure, and action.
To begin with, let me start by asking a simple question.
How many of you here today at some point have said to yourself there's no money for my business or I have tried but I cannot access funding. Please let me see a show of hands for get money because it reflects a wildly held belief that capital is gas.
But the reality is more nuanced and the and that distinction really matters. You know why? Because it reframes the whole conversation we're going to have here in its entirety.
Now the question is no longer where do I find capital. The more useful question is what does capital is what does capital actually respond to?
Because why capital does not move randomly. It does not move to every idea, every founder or every opportunity. It what it moves deliberately.
I'm going to focus on certain key words here today and it would be great if you can just put them as pointers in anything you're going to note today. It moves deliberately. It is allocated and not distributed. And it is only allocated to businesses that meet and not distributed. and is only allocated to businesses that meet a certain level of expectation.
At minimum, capital looks for clarity.
Can the business be understood quickly?
Is the problem for clarity?
Can the business be understood quickly?
Is the problem clearly defined? Is the solution?
It also looks for evidence, not projections, not forecasts, not intention, evidence.
Has the idea been tested? Are there users? Is there revenue? Tested? Are there users? Is there revenue? Even at this small scale, capital responds to demonstrated behavior, not anticipated outcomes.
discipline in how it is run.
Trust is not abstract. It is foundational stage, right? For the type of capital it is seeking because capital is indeed layered and each layer solves a different problem.
When there is a mismatch between stage and expectation, capital does not adjust.
It's what draws.
So when we say capital is selective, what we are actually saying is that capital is constantly evaluating.
We must move from asking for how do I find capital to asking how do I build a business that capital actually recognizes because the capital is there across Africa. Billions of dollars are deployed every year across sectors across markets across stages. Yet we find out that only a fraction of businesses are able to access it. Why?
Not because they are invisible but because they are not yet aligned with what capital indeed requires.
To understand that alignment you have to understand how capital builds up.
Capital builds over time.
Capital builds over time.
And saying that it does not meet ambition at its peak.
They are not starting points. They are outcomes. They are the result of progression through these stages. And progression requires the C plane.
If there's one principle to hold on to, it is that capital follows clarity. It follows evidence, not ambition.
Flutterwave was founded by Oluen Gaga with $1.3 million. It is now valued at over $3 billion today.
By 2022, it had processed over $16 billion US in transactions. And guess what? GB, as is popularly known, did not start with connections to global offices. It started with a real life problem.
Payments across Africa were fragmented.
He started with a clear problem, a technical team and proof that pain was real. And what happened? The capital followed clarity.
And the pattern is consistent.
Businesses that succeed in raising capital tend to do a few things consistently well. They anchor themselves in real problems, not imagined ones. They demonstrate that their solutions work even at a small scale. They build systems that can be understood and evaluated by others and they remain focused long enough for that proof to compound.
It is not complexity that drives outcomes. It is consistency.
So the next question becomes more personal.
Where are you really not where you intend to be? Not where you describe yourself to be, but where you actually are.
Are you testing the problem? Do you have users? Do you have consistent revenue?
Are your numbers reliable? Because why?
Your position determines the type of capital that is relevant to you and your business and just as importantly, the type that is not.
A significant amount of friction in capital raising comes from misalignment at every stage.
I want you to answer four questions honestly about your business, not your idea, your business.
What problem are you solving that people are already experiencing?
If you have to explain why the problem exists, then just maybe it's not real enough. A problem, a real problem leads.
What is your proof that it works without asking for money first? A WhatsApp group, 10 paying customers, 30 merchants, small proof beats a polish tech every time. And that is the story of Piggyvest.
Could a stranger trust your business today vest? Could a stranger trust your business today?
Are you registered?
Do you have a business account? Are you registered? Do you have a business account? Can your numbers be verified?
Can your numbers be verified? Now again, trust is built before. Now again, trust is built before you walk into any room.
Not after. Not after your deck, not after your speech. Before your speech, before you walk into the room, are you walk into the room?
Are you going deep enough into your lane to win it? The founders who succeeded were not the smartest in the room. They were the most the room. They were the most consistent.
Debt before consistent.
Debt before breath.
Breath.
Now let us look at data.
Now let us look at data.
$3.2 billion US dollars was deployed into African startups in 2025.
Ups in 2025 up 45.5% year on year. 45.5% year on year. Now yet Africa received only 0.5% of global venture capital. 82% of that went to just four markets. That is not a risk story. Is a perception story, not a risk. Africa's default rate sits at a mere 1.6%.
Lower than many emerging markets. Now, there's close to$4 trillion US in domestic savings on this continent.
over hundred billion US dollars in annual diaspora remittances which clearly says one thing is as a result of trust.
You're building in Lagos and that really matters. Lagos generates 30% of Nigeria's non- oil GDP from 10% of its population. The economy grew 27% last year. The ecosystem is here. The question is whether your business is positioned to use it.
Now, one of the most dangerous mistakes a founder can make is chasing the wrong type of capital at the wrong stage. Let us fix that right now. Listen carefully.
Capital comes in four stages and each one is looking for something different.
Grants and early support want a clear problem and early pilots.
Angels and seed funds want traction, real users, early revenue.
A WhatsApp group of paying customers beats a polish deck at this stage.
Growth capital wants unit economics that work and a model that can scale.
Scale capital wants stable sustainable cash flow, audited financials and institutional credibility.
Now ask yourself honestly, which stage are you actually in?
Because if you mismatch your stage and your ask, you will be rejected. Not because the investor is wrong, but because you are the wrong person for the wrong thing at the wrong time.
Now take a look at Maven for example.
Maven did not go straight to the Universal Musical Group. They built into it. First came structure, discipline, and a system that worked.
Then came the billion streams. By the time the Universal Music Group acquired them, they were not buying potential.
They were buying proof.
Structure attracts capital. And what does capital do? Capital builds systems.
Nigeria's first Euro bond was 500 million US.
The orders came at $1 billion.
Global investors were not avoiding Nigeria. They were waiting for a credible entry point. The money was always there.
What changed was actually the structure.
Capital markets are not your starting point, but they can indeed be your destination.
Information is really power.
You cannot access what you do not know exists. So let me tell you what indeed Lagos has built for you. Lagos generated 1.26 trillion in intelligently generated revenue in 20124 the highest of any subnational in Nigeria that funds infrastructure innovation programs long-term partnerships with the private sector.
Essentially when you work with Lagos you're working with a government that plans indicates and not election cycles.
The Leki Deep Sea port was funded by a single ship.
Before a single ship had been docked, before a single ship had been docked, it was funded. And that is what it means for a project or an opportunity to be bankable. Credibility that makes investors say yes before the asset exists. And that is what this ecosystem can do for your business too.
And guess what?
The rules are changing in your favor.
CAC registration for instance is under 20,000 naira and in under 24 hours it can be done. So what? No excuse to remain informal. The IA 2024 opens new funding pathways for crowdfunding to digital securities. Pioneer status reduces early tax burden and preserves runway secbox lets you test and build within regulation before licensing. The infrastructure is there but it only works for businesses that show up ready before capital becomes a conversation.
Investability must become a reality.
Investors do not fund potential. They don't. They fund structured verifiable businesses and there are four non-negotiables.
You need to ensure you register your business. A legitimate entity is the floor not the ceiling. No registration means that no institutional.
So what do you do this week before I round up? Register on CAC under 20,000 naira under 24 hours. Open a dedicated business account. Apply to platforms like the LCTF for loans or last week for grants. Get a tax compliance certificate. Attend a Lagos Innovates event. Start tracking your numbers today. In 12 months, that record is indeed your proof.
There is capital. There's always been capital. The question was never where the money is. The question remains, have you built something money can recognize?
In three simple sentences, be clear, be structured, be proven.
Thank you very much. And I'll now open the floor to questions.
If you have any questions, please feel free to speak to the team.
Go ahead.
We would only be able to take about one or two if you're already out. So maybe one gentleman and a lady please come quickly. your name, your question.
Straight to the point.
All right. Thank you for the opportunity. I am Gala, a 500 level law student of Lagos State University. Okay.
Thank you very much for the um lecture and everything. My question is basically as a traveling student, we Our main focus is our education rights. But some of us use entrepreneurship skills and all to survive. But however with the fact that we are trying to strive, so many doors are being locked based on the fact that we have not build up to what they feel they can invest in us. How well do you think we can convince them?
There are so many opportunities out there that we had applied for but um that we have been denied based on the fact they see that they still young. I can't invest. They don't have the experience. Could you please butcher us on that? Thank you.
>> Do you want to take the second one?
>> No, no, she can stay.
>> Okay. Hold on.
>> Hold on.
>> The second question >> and then the second question. Somebody else.
>> We can only take two. I'm sorry. So just one gentleman. Thank you.
Was it you that was there?
>> Good afternoon everyone. My name is Larry Olu a participants at the sit school of government. Thank you so much uh sir for that impactful delivery and this is my question. I believe that uh leadership is about influence and uh we have different type of leadership transformational leadership and transactional leadership.
Transformational leadership we talks about you know discovering a problem and solving it and uh I believe that there are so many people in in Lagos state that are doing great. Thank God for LGO state a center of excellence which now my question is there are so many people with great ideas over there looking that have identified problems looking for ways to solve them but until they get involved.
Sorry, chief.
So, I needed everyone of you to pay attention to every single thing I said in less than 15 minutes.
I was clear about something.
Capital does not move randomly.
It does not move to every idea. It does not move to every founder or every opportunity.
It moves deliberately. It is allocated.
It is not distributed and it is allocated to businesses that meet a certain level of expectation.
A lot of people talk about businesses here today and I ask you a few key things and you just I just need a response.
The rules have changed in your favor.
CAC registration, ISA 2024, the sex sandbox.
Each of you has probably registered your businesses.
And the question is, do you keep clean financial records?
Do you really when you sit down in rooms to ask yourself these questions? Do you separate personal and business finance?
And do you know your numbers code?
These are genuine questions that it requires so much granular intention but a lot of us take for granted. You sit in rooms whereby people tell you have business ideas. Again, capital does not follow ideas. It follows what? Clarity.
Right. So I hear you when you say policies and this and that.
Remember the kind of market we are in.
We're a growing economy and things have evolved over time. In Lagos for example, there's a Lagos innovation fund. Have you reached out to platforms like last week like LCTF for once? Have you tried them?
Have you? Excellent. And what happened?
Sorry.
Ah, sorry. Can she get a microphone, please?
>> I will just project. Okay.
>> Okay.
>> The thing is I'm an entrepreneur. I sell seafood.
>> Yeah. I've reached out to so many organization that let out money to students and all but so many criterias telling me to bring a landed property to stand because I can get money and so many so many things that they know I can genuinely not meet with and those are really baffling. I mean I'm not the only person that is yet as an entrepreneur and as a student. So the access to those loans as they are so so tedious. I mean the the qualifications everything that you need to get I've made attempts and they have been rejected based on the fact that I don't qualify them.
>> Thank you.
>> Thank you and chief.
>> Okay. You want me to ask question?
>> Yes. Correct. And I tell you why you spoke so much about >> okay >> access government connections and all that. But again, GB for example, GB did not start with connections to global offices. GB's company today is valued at $3 billion.
He didn't go out there to the global guys. Started locally. Today, that business is valued at $3 billion. So, I hear you loud and clear without a doubt.
Would Nigeria be great someday? We're getting there. Policies are growing.
It's an emerging economy things are moving up and things are getting better.
You may or may not believe but Nigeria is better for it today.
Now happy to hear you.
>> All right. What I'm saying is is this that for example you have a an idea you know I have I have know I had an information that Lagos state you know even go as you know length of recruiting people from the private sector to make trans to to make to transform some sector of the economy when they see good arms >> but there are some other people also with great ideas.
>> Yeah.
>> You know that want to suffering major problems in Lagos state or even in Nigeria. But these people need government policy to to influence some of these things to make it possible to work. But until this is done and or until they have access to the government people government in charge, there is no way they can even translate their solution into reality. What is Lagos State? Maybe it's not for you. Maybe to our leaders, what is Lagos State or Nigerian doing? So you know there something they call talent a hunt maybe I should call it you know creative innovative aunt people that can solve problem like for example let me say I have a solution that can put two 3 million Nigerian you know that can solve 2 million jobs. Can you give me a round of applause?
>> 2 million job and I have a solution that can bring billions of naira into the covers of government in a month. I share you with a notable barista and he said this idea you have to save it because even if the commissioner se it can even attack it from you.
>> Sorry. What sector is this?
>> What >> what sector is this? is in housing generally and is said this thing are we going to help you package it to to the >> so you're saying the commissioner must not see it >> no what I'm saying is that you know was just trying to say it's too it's too loaded >> your business you go to the right people you have spoken about PPP but I heard you talking about local government chairman so you still need to understand how the system works there is a public private partnership office in Lagos state today have you written a letter to them.
>> I did not write a letter to them. I wrote >> okay >> a member of >> this conversation is a lot deeper that we can take >> engage you afterwards and ensure that that your letter gets >> state government barrista abasali hund please give her a round of applause we will receive her on stage very shortly but we thank her for being a part of this conversation.
Now this keynote dialogue has a topic the human infrastructure mentorship as a system for institutional survival. To moderate the dialogue I have the honor of inviting on stage founder and CEO of Kain Educational Foundation. Please make welcome May Asagaba. A round of applause for her. She'll be staring this conversation that features two power women. First, I'd like to invite on stage for her second appearance and assignments today, President Woodh Hall Capital Group, Mrs. Mojisu.
A round of applause for her. Thank you very much. And you see why I say it's a power session. Joining them on stage is the secretary to the state government, Lego State, Barrista Abima Salu Hundai.
A round of applause for both of them as they make their way to the stage to join May Asagaba for this keynote dialogue.
After that, we will take a few questions from the audience. So, please listen attentively, prepare your questions, and we will take them. Over to you, May. You have the stage.
Thank you. Hello.
Thank you.
>> Good afternoon.
>> Good afternoon everyone.
Is it too loud?
Okay. Good afternoon everyone. I'm honored to be moderating the session on mentorship with two powerful women today. Now, this is a topic that's dear to my heart and applies to all of us in here. So, we're going to dive right into the questions for today.
I'll start with you, Madame Moji.
Mentorship is often spoken about as a relationship but your work suggests that it is infrastructure.
What does it mean to design mentorship not as goodwill but as a system that sustains institutions?
>> Good afternoon and um I'm back here again. Um let me first um acknowledge his excellency Mr. Babajin Sonulu his executive governor of Lagos state Dr. Cadari Obafi Hamzad, Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Barrist Abin Bola U, SSG, Lagos State.
Your excellencies, distinguished leaders, emerging leaders, thank you for being here. Yes, we're talking. And I had given us a talk earlier describing and explaining that mentorship could start with a relationship but very quickly if you want it to have the impact very very quickly it should become a structured conversation it should go into a structure and I talk to tomorrow wearing face caps trousers and just going with the flow with them that's a sort of mentorship the mentorship does not revolve around me I'm just one of the speakers that come when I can there's a program there's an internship so there's a structure that they can follow and most importantly there's a structure that we can measure the impact so I've been mentoring you for two years what has that done for you what have you gotten from it so it's important that we gave out internships yesterday there was a first class student she got a 5.0 old from Redeemer's University and we've offered her a one-year internship in our investment bank and then a year in our London office and then a year in our Dubai office. So mentorship should be structured. I don't just want you to look up to me. I must be able to identify your talent and sponsor you, immerse you and give you access. That's why it's important that it's seen more as an infrastructured program than just a relationship.
thing looking at he takes charge of our finances so please I've done that make sure that um and then my brother who is in charge of our food systems Mr. rice that we call him. Is that another colleague of ours? No. Oh, okay. Thank you very much. And I want to acknowledge this very very distinguished audience.
Uh the list is long. I'm told the chairman of um conference 57 is here. I can't say him. But then please everyone here is important. I don't want to take too much of your time more so that I know that majority of this audience constitute youth and I know that we the young ones like me we have come that's mentorship sponsorship creates opportunities for you somebody sees you and gives you a job that's sponsorship like my sister first said that they got somebody who had a 5.0 zero and then a first class student and they've given him an opportunity to work in various places that's that and then we also have access what gives you most important I'd like to be honest with you young people sponsorship is the reason is a lot of people in our state in our country even globally have been mentored they've gone through universities they've gone through trades they've learned all these things unfortunately they don't have the opportunity to be sponsored. When we say sponsorship, we're not talking of sponsor as they see it in Nigeria. Who is your sponsor? No, I'm talking of that person, that organization that gives you the opportunity to prove what you have been mentored over the years, what you have learned. If you've gone through law school, that is why sponsorship is great because even though mentorship, I mean mentorship is good, without sponsorship you cannot deliver. And that's why sponsorship is very important. Access is equally good but your access does not really make you. What makes you is how you prove yourself like the LJL the latundday leadership acade academy has given you through Lagos state through Mr. Governor it is for you. Thank you.
It is for you to everything you are being mentored there. This is for you to make sure that you do not only learn but you're well positioned to be picked upon so that you can broaden yourself and show that this is what you have learned.
Let me also add this while sponsorship is the one that stands out out of them is all these mentorship and the rest can build bridges. We can build roads but they don't they are not what we need to make government work to make a society progress. What you need is the sponsorship, the exposure. how you are well to carry that duty that has been placed in your hand as a doctor, as a lawyer, as an engineer. That is why sponsorship is key and that is why you have a great opportunity now that you're young to understand the difference that when there is this, you should take it with all your might and excel in it.
Thank you.
Sorry.
>> It's not working.
>> Thank you.
>> Barrista Binga said mentorship helps to build capacity.
Access grants you exposure and sponsorship gives you the resources you need to actually execute. And according to her, sponsorship is the most important. So you think of the three actually helps to drive continuity. And where do you think most leaders actually get it wrong?
>> Um I'm going to say the same thing.
Sponsorship >> sponsorship as I said from my own example when I moved back to a team in um in the institution.
But he did more than just hire me. We had structured CL that mentors you. Very important that people realize that um that a lot of the mentorship I've received personally have been from men um who have identified the drive, the ambition, the purpose and maybe the seriousness and the intentionality to to to get to the top. But sponsorship is the most important thing because inherent in sponsorship is access. If someone sponsors you and you're well behaved and they're proud of you and they think you listen and you are um humble, it comes even it might not be directly from them. Access is inevitable. Access is entry is a door opened by people studying you by people vouching and vouching for the way you conduct yourself, the way you carry your business, your discipline. And so sponsorship is the most important because from there the two are guaranteed. Mentorship is guaranteed and access is inevitable.
>> Thank you very much.
Okay. Over to you Barisa Binbola. If you were to build a mentorship system with an institution from the scratch, what are the non-negotiable components it must have to actually produce leaders over time?
Thank you very much. I'll be honest with the young audience in Nigeria today. We do not lack ideas and we do not lack intelligent people.
These people were looking at not all of them are products of LJLA but I tell you if we would look at each and every one of them they will contribute concrete strategic things to our society today that is good idea. Thank you. But the truth is unfortunately a lot of these ideas I'll use the word buried because there are no opportunities no access to prove them to show their worth. So the truth is we do not lack ideas. What we lack is the opportunity to ensure that these ideas are well structured and they are well positioned to ensure that we have an irreversible indispensable governmental upward movement. It is possible for Lagos state and Nigeria as a whole to enjoy irreversible developmental in terms of upward movement if these ideas are put into practice. That's why I said we do not lack ideas, we only lack people to carry them out. So if I would now go to your question which is that which is that um I would also say your question talks also about I would look at the fairness because you have to be fair if you're going to look at those you want to mentor those you want to bring out we keep saying that Lagos state is a state of excellence and that is very true excellence actually comes from standards you would have to set up standards for yourself if you must be excellent you just don't prefer excellence by words of mouth there actions that can be seen in you they are you're not at work and 30 minutes you're just picking your phone to talk about personal issues.
That is far away from somebody that truly wants to deliver an excellent result. You can't be in the office and all you think about every two three hours is ah mama don't come I better get me con I better get me amala. That wouldn't take you far. As young people, you have a great opportunity to learn from those who are above you. But then you also have a greater opportunity because the things that is are happening now with AI with technology and the way governance is being structured particularly in Lagos state opens you up to a wider range of excellence and that's why I'm going to advise our young people that it is that bit we should pick. Let me be honest with us.
Bootlicking takes you very limitedly far. Please read my lips. Limitedly far, not far. If you're good at what you do, if you are sharp, you are excellent and people can rely on you, they will look for you anytime. Thank you.
>> Thank you very much, ma. So according to barisam bimbola excellence over to you madame moji. So what incentives do you think we can provide so that we can build mentorship systems within an institution?
Um I think um first of all the mentorship um idea and the vile for it must come from that person. They must be willing to be mentored. Um, a lot of people say they're looking for mentors, but my biggest question is, are you willing to be mentored? So, the the the drive that um tomorrow we're in Lassu looking for the best youth available um for various things for grants, but I I I tend not to push grants because grants means that you need me to give you again next year. What we're looking for are bright students, driven, ambitious who we can put on our internship program.
Woodh Hall Capital with its offices in Lagos, in London, in Dubai, and in Abuja. We're looking for the best of Nigeria. We're looking for locally educated individuals who can sit next to their counterparts from various universities across the world. So you can imagine the sort of caliber of those that we're looking for. We have programs as I said earlier we have an executive edge program that mentors people who have moved back who need to localize their mindsets. They need to acclimatize to the the way things are done here and to do them properly. Um so we have a program for that and that's an incentive. We have a diaspora program on the grip where we reach out to young people outside Nigeria and Canada and London in America who are looking at coming back. We show them opportunities within withhold capital but with other um counterparts of ours partner companies and we say look come back home if you're tired of um just doing the same thing over and over again. there are opportunities. You have peers. You have um willing leaders. You have mentors that will help you. As I mentioned that I was helped and we look for them. Look my chief of staff I hired him last year as the head of HR but he was excellent and to within six months I said I don't think you're you're actually frustrating yourself um sitting in HR. Come and sit in the office of the president and let me mentor you. and I mentored him and he's still going through that mentorship as chief of staff. Look, if I had to ask a firm to recruit as my chief of staff, they'll probably think that I would want an IV league educated graduate, but that's not what I wanted. But by by noticing that he was in HR, he was energetic, passionate, willing to listen, willing to be mentored, and he has that ethics. I myself asked him to move into that position that they were trying to recruit for. So, so building on that mentorship systems can either democratize opportunity or reinforce gatekeeping.
So, how do we design like he's you're not getting the best of what's out there? So, look, he he travels with me around the world. um two was it a few months ago the ambassador to the UAE asked me um why we weren't going to the Dubai office often and I said it's because my people don't have visas he issued seven visas to people so he travels with me around the world he's going again with me next week if I gate kept and if I wanted only specific people to be in that room I am doing myself a disservice I'll be burnt out there was a lady who was talking about mental health I'll choose nicel looking people who cannot do the job I will end up doing the job and in that way I'll be frustrated and not happy at my job look when I walk into wood capital every day and I see how energetic passionate the group of people I am mentoring out of the office of the president are I want to come to work every day they were in ED yesterday they got to the office before me this morning at 6:00 a.m. and they're on their way to Lasso to set up for um for the event tomorrow. You need people like that. And if you gatekeep, you would only get what you can see. But if you widen your your reach and you give opportunities to people who you may not know and you mentor them intentionally, you would get the best of what Nigeria has to offer. Thank you.
>> Thank you very much.
So in a nutshell, please do not gatekeep. You'll be doing yourself a disservice. Open up your mind. Don't be biased. Don't be ruled by stereotypes.
There are a lot of people that are in underserved communities who can deliver excellently well. Okay, over to you, Barisa Binga.
Where have mentorship systems failed?
either in your experience in the public sector or in institutions that you've observed and why do you think this mentorship systems are failing?
I'd like to also be very honest with you. Mentorship systems fail often times because the mentors themselves are looking for those who will do eye service.
A lot of mentors rather have staff that come new to them, tell them they are the best and then before they get into their offices, they are carrying their bags, asking what they will have and doing all that. It's not based on that. True leadership is based on competence.
We must begin to consciously intentionally realize that when we are working together even though we use the term we're family but day and for the future of our children. So we must realize at all times we should ensure that the good coordinated and that the impact is very positive on the people. It is not for me to think otherwise. I must be focused at all times that the essence is Legosians have better living. The essence of governance is Legosians have better living. That is the first rule in leadership. And it is because often times we omit this that we think leadership has to do with if you personalize your office you cannot mentor anybody. You should not think of what you want to do now alone. We must think of when I am gone, how am I remembered? Today a lot of us talk about Pawa the sage. And I tell you because our law brought in free education. A lot of us attended free primary schools and yet we can compete with those who went to private institutions because those primary schools were well funded. He was focused that I must ensure that my children in future can stand globally and hold their own. This is what it should be. Let me also remind us we talk about good policies. Today in the morning I was there to represent Mr. Governor and we're talking about engaging the insurance people to have an insurance policy against the risk of flooding in Lagos state. We have observed before now that it is when flooding occurs that we begin to look for solutions to help those who have been affected, the vulnerables. Now the government has now gone into partnership with a lot of partners who now have put in place before the flood. We now use data to see the areas and within 3 days that it happens we are able to give you something to resettle and start your life. That is leadership. You must be willing to think ahead. You must remember that it is not personal. If you lead a personal leadership, you're just building dependence. You're not building leadership. Leadership is building the people's needs and their welfare. And that is the true mentorship, sponsorship and access that we need. Thank you >> very much ma. Wow, those were amazing points. So we need to focus on the vision. Do not be shortsighted as a leader. Do not be carried away by eye service. Be focused. Over to you, Madame Moji. So, what do you think are some of the ways we romanticize mentorship and how do you think this is really hurting institutions?
I think some of the ways that we romanticize this is that we forget that leadership particularly within institutions is for a season and that you should be trying to build legacy.
Legacy as I define it is building a system that you may not be a part of.
>> You may not be a part of it when the results begin to come in. Are you willing to build beyond you? Are you willing to identify someone today and say that person should be sitting in this seat? Look, I was interviewing a lady last week or two weeks ago and at some point in the interview I looked at her and thought this is me. In 6 months time she should be taking over this role. Are you ready to begin to identify your replacements whilst you're there?
Are you ready to provide an enabling environment for that replacement to thrive? If you can't see anybody else being in that seat but you and you're not actively looking and trying to identify who will take it, then you're not ready for mentorship. Talkless of being a someone that provides legacy for that institution. Legacy as I said is building an institution that you may not end up being a part of and that unselfishness is you know is something that I think a lot of leaders need to actually develop more of. Look out for the next person that should be sitting in this seat.
Don't don't personalize your office as SSG said and remember it's only a season. you will be gone and your legacy is what you've done and the people that you've built into those positions.
>> Thank you very much.
So, I like the recurring theme here. We need to be far-sighted. We need to look at our replacement and mentor them because they are the ones that will help you build your legacy.
Over to you, Barrista Binbollah.
So leaders who often think in terms of performance and outcomes, what is the measurable return on investing in mentorship as a system?
Performance and outcomes are also very important because if you cannot perform then it shows you're not being properly mentored or you just refuse to be mentored and then your outcomes are important. But the important thing for sustainability is continuity.
And if like my sister said then if you cannot sit back and say when I'm gone who takes over then you haven't built anything. I just mentioned to Aulawan now because he left a legacy that nobody can forget. His name is all over and I will tell you something.
I heard a story from Professor Shinka for our young people to let you see the importance of building a legacy what you leave behind and you would start building for yourself. Now Professor Shinka told us that at one point in time Chief Aulawa had a problem finder time and Aulawa said that brought him to serious pains. But chief Allesia said to us, but after that I will always stood up to himself and said this is just a bend in the corner. I will arise and be a great man that I'm meant to be. Do you know Prof ended it that I long short that today all over the world people talk about Aulawa. When you mentioned him anywhere, they know he existed and he still exists in terms of ideas and ideologies. But if you mention his friend, he's just a full stop on a semicolon.
So I ask you my dear friends, sons and daughters, do you want to be a full stop on a semicolon or you want to be an awo?
Thank you.
>> Thank you very much. mic. I give your mic. Wow. I'm going to ask that question again. Do you want to be an awa or do you want to be a full stop at a semicolon?
All right. So, over to you, Madame Moji.
This our last question.
If institutions are only as strong as the people they produce, what must today's leaders start doing differently to ensure that they are not the last strong generation?
Um I think we've both said it. We must be conscious of um the shorttermism of leadership. It's for a while. It's for it's brief. And I the legacy is again building institutions that can outlive you. You may not be a part of it and you just have to accept it. I think the other thing is um creating an enabling environment for those would be leaders.
So for example there are many leaders that can identify the person who could take over the role but the environment in that institution would not allow that person to stay. A leader's job is not to allow that person to fight those battles. A true leader would fight and sanitize the environment for the next generation to thrive. It shouldn't be based on leadership. It shouldn't be based on loyalty. It shouldn't be based on those who bootlick you. It should be based on those who provide value for the organization. So a true leader would sanitize, would structure and provide a a playing field for those that are coming to take over from them. If you do not sanitize or do not curate that environment for the next generation to thrive, the institution will fail. So it's not only choosing the right people, you must give them an enabling environment for them to take over from you. Thank you.
>> Thank you very much ma. So I think this is a question we all need to live with.
Have we created an environment for the right talents to thrive?
You can ponder on this but barister I would like to hear your perspective from someone who has worked in the public sector for years now. So what systems do you think today's leaders need to put in place so that they are not the last strong generation?
>> Thank you.
I would also be very sincere with you.
One of them is a leader that wants to put a system in place that will outlive him must be deliberate. You must be intentional and you must make sure that not just the policies even the outcomes are measured. You must and that is why I would also go back to the state that I'm serving that is the Lagos state government. The creation of Lativ Jacund Leadership Academy is a deliberate attempt by Mr. Please clap for the governor if you are happy with him by Mr. Governor and I recall and I want to say this if Mr. Governor is watching he will bear me witness one or two persons that were there even Aisha was there that day before this institution uh took up they had a lot of stormy sessions and I was very new less than a week as SSG and Mr. The governor looked at me. We were in a meeting in his office and he said, "Ssg, most of them are women. Look at what we're going through. I want this to take up because the destinies of the young people of Lagos State matter to me." I was touched that day. I saw and I was convinced that this man truly love his people and that was why he made sure everything was done to thank you very much. And that's why we have them today. It's a great opportunity I'll tell you LJLA that you might not get elsewhere. The LJLA of Lagos State is a number one leadership academy in Nigeria and you know how much Mr. Governor put into you. I recall when we went to India together the kind of things you learned there what we saw and these are things you yourself you are being mentored and you're being well positioned to create visibility ensure that when you get there there is continuity this is continuity because they will be taking over the oldest in LJLA is usually 30 something 30 what 35 so we are positioning you to take over from us this is true leadership, practical one. And on that note, I want to say to all of us that any institution that cannot reproduce leadership the way Los State is doing is already in decline. It would only take time.
Thank you very much. Thank you.
>> Thank you very much. Does that mean does that mean I'm too old to work in your um leadership academy? Not old. That will work to be to be a student.
>> Oh, okay. Okay. So, I'm too old to be a fellow.
>> H I thought you were going to say we'll make an exception, ma.
>> No exceptions, ma. Sorry, ma.
All right. On that note, I would like to say a big thank you to our amazing panelists. Um, please let's give them a round of applause.
and to also our amazing audience. So, we're going to throw two questions to the audience. Do any of you have questions for amazing panelists? Just to Can we get Sorry, my name is um distinguished ladies and gentlemen, I'm sorry, ma'am. Please, I'd like to acknowledge the presence of the deputy governor of Katina State. I'm just told that he's here. Thank you for being with us.
>> Thank you.
>> Good afternoon everybody. Uh my name is Gabriel Ano. Thank you so much for this privilege. It was such a beautiful panel session. So I have a question to Mamoji.
How does structured mentorship contribute not only to individual skill development but also to long-term leadership capacity and institutional sustainability particularly in environment with limited access to formal opportunities?
>> Um >> should I take it again?
>> Yes, please take it again.
>> Okay. Okay. So, how does structured mentorship contribute not only to individual skill development, but also to long-term leadership capacity and institutional sustainability, particularly in environment with limited access to formal opportunities.
>> Amazing. I don't know if you heard the example I gave of my chief of staff. He started, we hired him from another institution. He started as the head of HR and within six months he um was promoted to my chief of staff. He gets to sit with me on a weekly basis. First we have a 8 to 8:30 meeting every day.
Then he gets to be immersed in the worlds I'm in. He's not here today cuz he's gone to Lassu because we're there tomorrow. He walks into every single room with me. That's access. He gets to go to any country that at least has to go with me to the Abuja office. He at least has to go with me to the London office and or any other country I'm invited to to speak or to transact. That is him. But we all knelt down on the on the plane um last year because that was his first time of leaving Nigeria for the first time when the ambassador of the UAE asked and issued seven visas.
that is changing lives and that happens when you're in a structured environment corporate and you submit to mentorship.
Thank you.
>> Thank you very much.
>> All right. Good day everyone.
>> Okay.
>> Good day sir.
>> Question.
>> My name is Ibrahim from Los State University of Science and Technology. Um my question goes to um Barister Bimba Hund.
All right. So my question um I you mentioned some things ma you said um we do not lack ideas we lack opportunities.
So I want to ask that what happens when we have the um the the opportunity but we we were denied the access.
Um I have a um like I have an example.
So yesterday I and my colleagues from LAStech we created something very reasonable. We developed um a music not just a music just short music dedicated to um Alhaji Lativ Jakundi because we read about him everything he has done um when he was a journalist and when he became the governor of um of Lagos state. So we we combined everything into um a sound and um we we also mentioned that AI is a very powerful tool. So we we we understand that yes we have a very limited time. So we developed this high with our lyrics the lyrics is our highest. So we developed it and we we prompted our AI. So the the AI give us a very sound music. So that is very okay.
So we um pitched it to the organizer though I must say Mrs. Aisha is very kind and humble. I understand her point.
She's just um she's been skeptical because um we have she they need to scrutinize the music before they play it to everyone. They don't know whether we're trying to like um pass something that's not meaningful to people. So I understand what where she comes from.
But yeah, what happens in this case when we have the opportunity but we denied the assets. Thank you so much.
>> Thank you very much. Thank you. May I say this? First of all, let me thank you for your ingenuity and for the research.
Ahajat Junde is a governor of Lagos state that nobody can forget horridly.
He do you also know that Aajulativ learn to emulate. As for your music, I I told you earlier on I said when there is sponsorship and she also said it usually why sponsorship is the most important is it kind of crafts in the access and the mentorship because when you've been mentored and you get someone that says okay come and do it tomorrow is your music two minutes. So with her permission please and I'm here to represent Mr. Governor.
Okay. No, we it's >> okay.
>> All right. Um, thank you so much.
Please, we just want you to Can we give it to the DJ or Give it to the DJ? Play it now. Let's hear you. Now you have access. You see?
So, let's see.
All right. Thank you, Mom.
>> Okay.
life of service. You shared the truth with strength and purpose.
With the punch, your voice was clear, bringing hope for all to hear.
You stood for people.
England, man of the people.
Jack, we honor your name.
You can for the people. We sing your praise. Jack your legacy remain.
Man of the people, we honor your name.
You care for the people.
Your legacy remains. One more. One more.
Jack, man of the people.
Jack. Thank you so much, ma'am. Thank you so much. We have very proud of you so much.
Please give them another round of applause.
Now that's what we call leadership. Even in the academic setting, they're coming up with good music of the people.
That is legacy. Thank you.
>> Thank you. Thank you very much everyone.
I'd like to invite the executive secretary to please join for a group picture. Yes, please. Let me just keep you on stage for a few minutes.
Are we still here?
No, that energy is not giving. Are we still here?
All right, that's more like it. Very quickly, before we take our final goodwill messages today, can we give a round of applause for Mrs. Mojisahu and Barrista Abin Bala Sali Hundi as they exit the stage. Thank you very much. Thank you may Asaga for also staring the conversation. The technical advisor on women and youth beg your pardon from the office of the vice president Madame Hawat Leman has a comment to make. So I would invite her upstage very quickly for her comment.
Please give her a round of applause ladies and gentlemen. Thank you.
Okay. Um, I'll be very fast, don't worry. Um, I just want to give a response to the two um, the lady, the entrepreneur and the gentleman that asked two questions while um, the last presenter made his presentation. So, as an entrepreneur myself, um, the student where is she? The student entrepreneur. So I would like to answer you and advise you if you listen to him carefully he told you at the early stage people cannot put money just like that in your business because you don't have the process you don't have the right structures and all and they cannot risk that money all these banks you're seeing is not their money is people's money so they cannot risk it and give you so I'll advise you there are opportunities they here in Lagos other private rivate organizations that have such grants as part of their corporate social responsibility. There are private individuals that also invest in young entrepreneurs with great ideas.
So look out for these opportunities.
They are everywhere online. How well do you utilize your social media? Look out for funding for small businesses. And please stop limiting yourself. There are global opportunities that fund small businesses even ideas. So look out for them. Do not restrict yourself to Nigeria alone. Then also the second uh person that like the Latifon leadership institute I'm sure they have within and outside Nigeria. If your idea is good I bet you room for you to perfect that your idea very well. We have so many fellowship programs. We have so many government interventions across ministries. But I tell young people stop limiting yourself to Nigeria. is a global village and there are global opportunities.
Interestingly, even if it's not through government that you you're able to have your breakthrough, if it's through another international platform or a private organization platform, eventually the government at a point will have no option that to invite you to come back and invest you know through programs like this. So if you have all such um events, make well, make time and attend. You never can tell where your breakthrough is going to come from. So my message to Nigerian youth is please leverage opportunities locally and globally. Being patient and consistent.
I became a Commonwealth scholar after sending in 24 applications over 11 years. But I eventually got it and I proudly parade myself as a Commonwealth scholar. So if you just give up after a single attempt, you cannot make it. Be very patient. Be consistent. Every no should be an avenue to prepare more. Go back to the drawing board. We can make Nigeria great. Let's make Nigeria a better place for all of us. Thank you very much.
Thank you very much. Every no should push you to the next opportunity because that is what no is. N O next opportunity. So you fight harder and you get it. Her story is testament to resilience to doggedness which is the typical story of every Nigerian. We're very resilient people. Thank you for pushing that. For the next goodwill message today I have the honor of inviting on stage the all of Equ Kingdom. Please make welcome his royal majesty Dr. Larry, thank you so much for being a part of this summit. After that, we will take a video goodwill message from the deputy secretary general of the United Nations.
But first, we'll listen to his royal majesty Dr. Olu Lariu.
Thank you so much, Kabu.
Thanks.
Thank you very much great Nigerian students particularly my very own constituency the Lagos State University that I'm just their brand new chancellor. Thank you and God bless you all.
Good afternoon everyone. His Excellency the Governor of Lagos State Mr. Babaj Oluy represented all the members of the state executive council the his excellency the deputy governor of uh Katino state. I was here earlier and the technical assistant to the vice president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and uh the chief hostess of today, the executive secretary of the Latif Jacundi leadership academy.
I'll use her to rest on the existing protocols.
I bring you warm royal greetings from the good people of Arara Kingdom in Equ division of Lagos State.
I also greet all the students that are here.
Thank you. It is with great honor and a deep sense of responsibility that I address this distinguished gathering at the Lagos Leadership Summit 2026.
I commend the Lativ Jacund Leadership Academy for its foresight and commitment to nurturing a new generation of leaders. The theme of this summit, building systems that outlive us is both timely and profound behind for future generations.
In our traditional institutions, we have long we have long upheld the principle that leadership is a sacred trust. It is a call to serve with integrity, wisdom, and foresight.
Today as our society faces complex socioeconomic challenges, the need for resilience systems, ethical governance and visionary leadership.
The future of our nation rest on the capacity, character and competence of our young people. It is therefore imperative that we invest deliberately in their training, mentorship and empowerment, equipping them not only with knowledge but also with the right values and mindset to lead effectively.
Furthermore, collaboration across sectors, government, traditional institutions and the private sector is essential in building sustainable systems.
No single institution can achieve lasting transformation in isolation.
Together through shared vision and collective action, we can build structures that promote inclusiveness, accountability, innovation, and long-term prosperity.
As custodians of culture and tradition, we as traditional rulers remain committed to supporting initiatives that foster unity, peace and development with our comm within our communities. We recognize our role in shaping values, strengthening social cohesion and guiding the younger generation towards towards purposeful leadership.
I therefore encourage all participants at this summit to engage actively, share ideas freely, and commit to actionable outcomes that will drive meaningful change. Let this gathering not end as mere discussions, but as a catalyst for enduring impact. Once again, I congratulate the organizers, the Lativ Jacundi Leadership Academy for this laudable initiative and wish all of you a successful and impactful summit. Thank you and may our collective efforts continue to build systems that will stand the test of time. God bless you all.
>> Thank you very much indeed. May our collective efforts continue to build systems that will stand the test of time. Thank you very much your royal majesty Dr. Olu for Kayong the all of EP Kingdom. Thank you for your kind message and your goodwill message today. We will now take the final goodwill message from the deputy secretary general of the United Nations.
So let's turn our attention to the multimedia screen as we take Amina J.
Muhammad's goodwill message. Thank you.
His Excellency Babid Ola Sulu, Executive Governor of Lagos State. Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, I would like to thank the government of Lagos State and the Latif Jakandi Leadership Academy for convening this important platform and commend the governor for his leadership and commitment to building a Lego state that is inclusive, resilient, and future ready. The theme of this summit, building systems that outlive us, is both timely and necessary. This goes to the heart of leadership because leadership is not only about what we do in office. It is about whether what we build endures beyond us, whether institutions are stronger and whether trust is deeper and whether those who come after us inherit firmer foundations than the ones that we found. That matters greatly for Nigeria and for Africa. At a time of global uncertainty with deepening inequalities, climate shocks and growing multilateralism, the case for capable, accountable and trusted public institutions has never been greater. We cannot meet today's challenges people. And that is why the sustainable development goals and the African Union's agenda 20 nation that the contrican institutions and the SGS remind us that development must be anchored in equity, dignity and opportunity for all. So when we speak of systems that outlive us, we are speaking about governance that serves people, institutions, people, institutions that can withstand transition and leadership that unders that can withstand transition and leadership that understands the importance of continuity, integrity and public trust.
This matters especially for young people across Nigeria and across Africa. Young people are already shaping change through innovation, enterprise, advocacy, and leadership in their communities. They're not waiting to inherit the future. They're already building it. Our responsibility is to ensure that public institutions are able to match that energy with opportunity, tenure, and to strengthen the systems that will carry forward the pro from the >> We are Oh wow.
Are we having a good day? Oh wow. Are we having a good day? I want you to please focus your attention to the screen.
There is a QR code and we want your feedback. It will be displayed right now.
It's the feedback form. So, please scan it. It'll be up in a few seconds.
And poverty elevation, Mrs. Balaji Dada and special adviser to Mr. Governor on health, Mrs. Oluki Auyami. They'll be helping to make the selections.
Dr. I apologize for that. Special advisor to Mr. Governor on Health, Dr. Oluki Ouyi, thank you very much. They'll be helping to make the selections.
Okay. All right. Thank you. The QR code is on the screen. Before we spin and roll, everybody bring out your phones.
If you have your phone, please wave.
Wave it. Wave it. You can take my picture. After taking my picture, you can scan the QR code. Actually, don't worry about my picture. Just scan the QR code. We want your feedback. So that at LLS 2027 we would have we would have implemented your suggestions because we count it value implemented your suggestions because we that's how important your suggestionable that's how important your suggestions and feedback are to us and feedback are to us so please scan this QR code I'll give you about 10 seconds 12 15 seconds scan the QR code and then Please fill the form and let's have your evaluation. Let's know how well we have done and what we can do better in preparation for next year. Okay, great.
Who's ready for some more gifts?
Okay, let me allow them return to their seats since we don't want to take the gifts. Who's ready for some more gifts?
The universe is listening, so you better be excited because if it be you. Oh.
All right. So we'll roll we'll spin now and then I'll announce what we have.
All right. So we'll pick two for starters.
The other part of your raffle ticket. So yes, please.
No, you wrote. Okay. So you pick the second one.
So two. We're picking two tickets for now. Yes, please. Thank you ma'am.
Okay, so we have two lucky winners.
Salami Mubarak.
Wait, what what's the issue?
Are you happy for him or you are surprised for him?
It's both now.
Okay. Um Salami Mubarak, can we have you? So please come up with your corresponding ticket. And Vadmos Tul, are you here? All right. Congratulations to both of you. Please come up with a corresponding ticket so we can verify.
Congratulations. You both have just won yourselves.
Brand new car house.
Come up. Let's verify before I announce what it is.
>> Okay.
Yes.
>> Okay.
>> Oh, so you just found your twin. Are you Mubarak Salami as well? Oh, okay. All right.
But we had to verify with the ticket number. They bear the same name and surname. We are fair and just people here.
All right. Congratulations. Um, do we have yours?
0.
Congratulations.
Brand new smart watches. Please go to the left and pick up your watch. All right. Left of this of the stage. All right. Yes. No, we still picking. We'll select four now. Yes, we still have more gifts. Thank you.
We'd also like to thank Origin Group for being one of our sponsors. Thank you.
Thank you. to thank you origin group for your contribution for lending your resources to this cause and for being a formidable partner to the Lagos Leadership Summit 2026.
All right, so we have four winners here.
Oundle Rex, where are you? Aundle Rex, congratulations.
Your constituent members are very excited.
Um Abdul Razak Aizat, you have to come with your corresponding ticket so we can verify. Abdul Razak Aizatoui, are you still here? If you are, please wave. Oh, are you okay? Please come. And then Toy Abi.
Toi Afalabi, congratulations to you. We would verify your ticket.
Congratulations.
Where are other three winners?
Yo, it's up to you. You have to take it. So 0281. Okay. This one. Tony A for a diet 03. Yes. Okay. Congratulations is here.
035.
Okay. Yes. Congratulations.
All four of you get brand new tier robber.
We will be back after this commercial break because punctuality is a stable clock.
Sorry, not alarm clock. Stable clock. So you you have to keep to time as a leader. So please go and get your tablec clocks from there on the left side. Brand new tableclocks like never before. No, we're not done, ma'am. We're getting We're progressing.
We're progressing. There's still a house to be worn.
Oh, I like what I'm seeing here.
We have very generous people in Los State. So, more gifts are popping up.
So, we'll pick three now.
Three. Ooh. Okay. Okay. Okay.
We'll pick three.
>> Three. But they win three different gifts. Actually the first person Aziz Abdulatif Oh, congratulations.
Congratulations Aziz.
Now just in case your B are you coming with your correspond? Okay, great. Make sure you come with your voucher.
Congratulations Abdul Aziz. You've just won a brand new power bank so you can always keep your phone charged as a leader. Ado, where are you? Congratulations.
Ado, are you here?
Where? All right, great. When you get on stage, I'll tell you what your gift is.
But can anyone guess? Come.
Congratulations. Please pick up your power bank from the left side.
Addio Ado, where are you?
And then Odesh, congrat congratulations.
I have great news for both of you like every other person. Anyway, Ado, can I confirm?
I confirm solemnly. What kind of phone do you currently use?
Okay. Well, I'm pleased to announce to you that Curtsy Legos Leadership Summit we will be and then Odessa Solido.
Where is she? If she's not here, we'll change the ticket, too.
Are you her boyfriend? Why are you so passionate about it?
Oh, is he's sorry.
Okay. fellow of the Latif Jack leadership in addition to a coaster biscuit dinner with I can feel some ladies saying why is it not me that won it you will not win it you will not win it well done congratulations we have but there's more there's more there's more and these ones you will love so we'll spin for five more. Five actually six more. Six.
Six more and we will wrap it up and move on to the next six more state government barrista Bala Salu Hundai. Please join us on stage for the final round of selections as we gift our precious participants at the Lagos Leadership Summit for 2026.
We have Maybe they're tumbling down and put up a fight. They didn't even make a sound. I found a way to let you in, but I never really had a doubt.
Standing in the light of your Well, I have before me now Zakius.
Is it our read or something? We can't read this well, but the ticket number is 1018.
Zakius maybe he doesn't even know >> Zakio ticket number 1018 is it Maybel the pen just >> no she the one she want So why would you say >> in the morning and throw what I wanted and go >> so Mayel Zakius Mayel come step forward.
I'm pleased to announce to you, are you going to force me to make the announcement that you have just won?
Look into the audience and smile.
A quarter of a million naira, 200 one 125. Just for me, >> this is Jui.
Are you still in the room?
Just to me or she going I can see her.
>> It's about to be gone.
>> Where is J Sutfomi? Oh, okay. Come with your ticket. I'd like to invite special advisor to Mr. Governor on CBD. Please join us on stage ma'am for the final presentation. This is the penultimate one.
All right, thank you very much. You've just won yourself a spa session at Oriiki.
Congratulations. Please go to the left and get registered.
Next winner 0598 So clear >> please. SA rice at general please. We want you here 0598.
My culture and destiny question.
>> Well, turn face the audience. Face the audience. Your dress is lovely. Thank you for being a part of the summit.
You'll get an 80 leaf exercise book to write down your goals and plans for the rest of 2026.
And to accompany that, she also gets We'll be right back after the commercial break.
>> A quarter of a million naira.
There's no exercise book for you. I was just playing.
Well, the saka sak nuts.
Ticket 1057.
Is she available?
Are you sure?
Okay.
Okay.
>> Good afternoon.
>> Um I have here Bakari Aliu with a ticket number 0502.
Tickets number 138. Uluatonyi Abbas.
Is he here or is she here?
138.
Going.
Going.
only.
>> Okay. So Bakar Aliu please step forward Abas is not here. All right stand beside on behalf of the exos on stage please step forward sir. No both of no forward.
Where are you running to here?
>> Can I have some silence in the room please?
We won't present this cow.
Wait now.
Okay, sir. Why is your heart beating?
It's not house. It's not car. Don't worry.
Okay, let me do something interesting. I won't tell you who you're going to have.
Both of you would have separate dinners with two exco members. But I had an interesting argument backstage.
Would you want money or would you want the dinner? Wait, are you on stage? Are you on stage?
Money or dinner?
>> Money.
>> Money. Thank you.
>> Money or dinner?
>> Money.
>> The arguments I was >> the Hold on. Hold on.
for the argument. I said people would choose money but they said the dinner that people will choose dinner they were confident so I said let's allow the winners choose but the es want to make a comment so you you will get your money but that dinner could have brought you fired I'm just joking echoing your >> so please come join us sir so drum rolls the first nomination the first winner of the governor's award. Um, so I'll pass it round and we'll start. So we'll start with the SAS. You can announce the first winner of the governor's award for this year.
Okay.
The the first one is the stellar initiative boycode Africa governor's award for social impact presented we're presenting on behalf of Mr. Governor Mr. Baba Jio Luchal Sulu, Governor of Lagos State at the Lagos Leadership Summit 2026.
>> Africa >> and they are they here >> boy.
It's coming.
>> It's coming to announce. Yeah.
>> Yes. Yes.
>> And and they win 5 million naira.
Congratulations. The Stellar Initiative Boycode Africa, >> please clap.
Take the clothes off and let you steal the food right and I'd watch Okay, the next >> in line for this governor's award raising star African Foundation is it is raising Star Africa Foundation this governor's award for social impact Congratulations Africa.
>> Favor with the amount of five million naira only.
Thank you very much.
Congratulations, Shimala.
>> Thank you very much. Please clap for them. Please clap. Please clap. It might be your turn next. And you want everyone to clap for you.
The next award which is the governor's award for social impact at this Lagos leadership summit 2026 is the let cerebral pulsy kids learn foundation. Congratulations the let cerebral pulsy kids learn foundation. Congratulations.
Where are they?
Okay.
>> Thank you very much, sir.
You know it. King already you know it everything you know it already you know it going to shineing bling all the shots on your head you know it already my baby you know it pop everything you know it already you know it already.
>> Thank you so much. So I have here with me. So I would be I'll be doing the honors to announce this one before we go into the UL lead winners as well. That's another component. So of young people doing amazing things in their communities. So I'll announce this one and I want to announce this one because this one also they were finalists from last year and they happened to make it again. So I'm I'm announcing big hearts great impact. Do we have big hearts great impact here for the governor's award for social impact? Big hearts.
Yes. Os big hearts please come. Are you here or we should take it?
Are you sure?
You should have worn high heels. So they are running over.
So that's 5 million naira on behalf of Mr. Governor. So also as you're winning this morning, also note that we follow this money to ensure is used to for the cause it's supposed to be used for. So when we call on you before the money is transferred to you, you have to sign the documents to give us the updates on this. So, it's not wig money, is actual impact money. But you're already doing great things, which is why you're here already. So, well done.
Please, let's give it up for Big Heart.
Great impact.
Please, let's clap. 5 million on behalf of Mr. Governor.
>> Thank you, Bigs. Thank you so much. So you people are pumped up for next year, right? Exactly. So you might be the winner here next year. So our final awards, we have the UL lead award. Um what Latash Academy as you saw in the video is been we have basically been engaging with young people in partnership with Ministry of Health.
We've been teaching them CPRs um emergency response um readiness. Um we've been teaching them civic engagement um and also giving them the tools to make them more employable and more attractive and also turning them into solution providers. So we challenged them we started with Ibedulei. So we challenged the members of the young young people in Ebilki that they should find solutions to something that is worrying their community. So a lot of them have gone in done amazing stuff. They've trained a lot of young people in digital innovation. They've um they've gone to clean up the the waterfronts, the beaches. They've done amazing things. And this is what we are saying about young people doing great things. And we might be in your own local government next.
So, be prepared to join the UL lead program, which is a two-day program. So now we are ready to announce some of the winners that did a lot for their community following our sensitization and activation of the Ulid. And these young people are from IUI.
Who are you? Is anyone here from Ilei?
They are here. No, I don't think they are here. Oh, >> are you sure?
I can't hear them.
Okay. So, um I'll hand this over to my principles to make the announcement for the team. That one you've seen it already.
This is second one runner up.
>> Yes. For so you can announce.
>> Okay.
>> Okay.
Team Elliot has won the sum of 250,000 naira to advance the court.
>> Team Ellit Congratulations.
Stand strong.
So now we want to announce the second runner up. So Essie Agree could be doing us the justice of announcing it. So sir, please announce second runner up.
>> Okay. The first runner up is um Excel Minds.
Excel Minds.
And the amount is 500,000 naira.
>> 500,000 naira.
>> Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Hurry up. Up. So this fund is to help you advance the cause, not for shawama.
You're welcome.
So now we're on our last one. So cab.
>> So cabious also some of the impact social impact that they did enter as well just to interest you.
>> Wow.
The team that won the that came first is Blue Guardian with a sum of 1 million naira. Congratulations.
The winner is Blue Guardian with a sum of 1 million naira.
Congratulations.
I was down so down. Took a hit. Was a mcle that got me through.
The world made my news.
baby.
I'm a world sirret.
>> So thank you. So you can go to the next session. So everyone set. So after that just all right.
Congratulations to everyone who's won something. If you are not jealous of them, give them a round of applause.
This is so beautiful. Leaders celebrate other leaders when they win. Thank you very much. I'd like to quickly recognize special advisor to Mr. Governor on blue economy, Mr. Olua Dame Manuel. Thank you very much for joining us. I'd also like to recognize the senior pastor at the Logic Church, Apostle Flourish Peters.
Thank you very much for joining us today. Now we're taking our final master class right now and the topic is youth talent and the future of work. Youth talent and the future of work. This will be presented to us by the managing director Trace Anglophone West Africa global business development director Tracy's Africa. Please make welcome Samuel on Mequay. A round of applause for Samuel. Thank you. Um, Samuel will not come up stage until we applaud him. A round of applause for Samuel Onu. Thank you very much.
>> I'll take it.
>> Hello. Hello. Hello.
Um, I have to say first that the organizers um, madame, how do you do? Nice to see you. Um, executive secretary, you're wicked, though. So, after all this giving of money, I'm to talk.
So, you don't want to make it easy for me. But, um, no, thank you very much.
Uh, ladies and gentlemen, I know you've been here all day throughout the day, and so I was very, uh, pleased to hear such excitement and applause on this last thing. So please give me a few minutes and they say I know some things.
So hopefully one of you at least one of you learned something from what I tell you today. Um but first of all I want to stand on all protocols observed and thank his excellency uh the executive pres uh executive governor of Lagos state uh the honorable uh Samuel and of course the honorable commissioner of tourism, arts and culture. Um, I'm proud to call my friend Mrs. Toker Benson and of course the convenor of today, executive secretary. You've done an amazing job. Please, I won't make you applaud though cuz you're already tired, but Okay, small applause. Small applause. You've done well. Thank you.
So, my name is Sam on. Wow. Oa, don't I have slides? I see slides. So I go by Samo because of that last name but of course everybody here in in the room uh can say on easily so but you can still call me Samo. I've been doing this thing for some time. I am the global business development director of Trace TV. Um I've been in the business for 20 years.
I've done business with everybody. Yafu Yafu is all all all. So don't worry about the list. and I have uh high school sh I' I've done a fine arts degree which I I realized I was not a good artist so I went into business so then I now I now uh wed jam with uh MBA and MS information systems next slide because now I want to get on to the matter building sustainable uh systems that outlive us is the theme of today and it's important it's very very important whether you're in your 20s and you're just starting off.
Whether you're a teenager, you're interested or you want to be a creative, whether you're established in business, building systems is the most important thing I can do. A lot of my friends, a lot of people that I meet when I'm in the out and and about in the industry often say to me, "But you don't seem stressed. You don't seem busy." And the reason is systems, right? I can take a meeting and not pick my phone and know I'm focused on that meeting because I know that my systems are working for me, my staff are working for me, and they know what to do. 95% of anything you do, 95% of everything you do in business as well as in life is repeated every day.
And if it's repeated every day, there's a better way to do it or there's somebody who can help you do it, especially in business. And that's what systems are. So when it comes to content and when it comes to the creative industry, the first thing I'll talk about is that content then the phrase that we all use every day, content, content, content. To me, I cancel that that phrase, right? Because content in and of itself is disposable. It's noise.
Uh how much content do they make every day? How many new uh videos do you see on Instagram? Even those of you on Tik Tok all day, even if you're not tired of scrolling, it's a lot. It plenty.
There's videos constantly. That one is easy. You can do it anyhow. Right?
Creative. I consider anybody who calls themsself a creative. You're a worker.
You're just a worker waiting for your paycheck. Right? You may be independent.
You may feel you're on your own, right?
You control your destiny. But unless the algorithm is happy with you, unless you gain enough followers, even then when you gain enough followers, you're still waiting for YouTube to give you your check based on the number of views you had. Whether you agree with it or not, they don't care. This is what you get.
They send it and you're done. Am I right? Am I saying something? All right.
So, I like to think of creations because creation is an asset. you own.
And if you only make videos and put them out there and nobody wa or somebody watches, it's gone today, you have to make tomorrow. But if you build an asset, and I know it's I'm speaking English, many maybe even plenty English for some people, but building an asset means that you own something. Think of Dora the Explorer. Who remembers Dora the Explorer for when they were a kid, right? Think of the whole world of Dora Explorer. backpacks, lunch bags, the TV show, uh the character when they have uh birthday parties. Do you know that Dora the Explorer is also just a piece of content? We could say it's the same content that somebody here is doing.
Okay, it's animation, so maybe it's a bit more difficult. But Dora the Explorer is a $3.5 billion asset because they can exploit everything about it.
They can exploit everything. And I want you to have that mindset even if you're a content creator. How do I build something that is sustainable that I can work? Oh, yeah. Where do you monetize if you're a content creator? I mean, just name them.
Uh-uh. Help me now.
YouTube, Netflix, if you're if you're lucky to make big big movies, Instagram if you if you have if you have enough followers, etc., etc., etc. You're an artist, of course, streaming revenue and the like. And these are all important platforms. They're useful. They're needed. But sometimes the hype gets us in this industry and we get too focused on it. How busy is YouTube, etc. There's there's videos every day. How do you stand out? But what I want you to know as a content creator or somebody interested in in the creative industry is that who went ahead with my slide. Now, I was just about to I was just about to announce make the big announcement. There's lesser known platforms which actually can be more profitable and more important to your growth as a creator, as an industry than that. So, go to the next slide. We already shown them.
You've already uh removed my my shirt.
There's lesser known platforms that are s very very important for everybody in here that's listening to me now. I guess we don't go on Facebook anymore. Does anybody go on Facebook anymore?
Okay. All right. Well, let's not expose ourselves. But there's still Facebook is still the number one platform of social media in Africa, right? And there are creators making five on average three and a half to five times more than YouTube creators, right? Because of a few reasons. Because the audience is bigger. The audience is also older. they have more spending money. So therefore, Facebook pays higher CPMs, cost per view. So if you didn't know that and you're making content and you're not putting it on Facebook, don't say I didn't tell you, right?
There are lesserk known platforms. Okay?
So telco browsers, I al always tell people don't sleep on the browsers.
Phoenix browser, Opera browser. People are there making millions and millions of naira every month on their content alone. They're not known on Instagram.
They're not popular on on on Tik Tok.
You know, the trendy people may think, "Ah, there's nothing there." These guys are making real money and they're getting their content out there and they're building assets.
Uh programs, uh, of course, there's there's ways to go past advertisers. I won't go into it too much. direct to fan cuz I'm running out of of time.
Newsletter, Substack. Who's writing on Substack now? All right. All right. I see some hands. Please keep it up. PE keep it up people. It's an amazing thing. You can go direct. People can pay you directly to subscribe to your your thing, right? Uh crowdfunding. Has anybody ever done crowdfunding here?
Trust me, it works if you're doing something amazing. I helped a celebration once raise over $20,000 for on fundraising on crowd uh this this thing uh crowdfunding right digital products selling products selling this there's an audience for you you don't have to be the most popular you don't have to worry about the glamour when there's real business behind this thing oya now I'm going to move on to the second part because I have very limited time left but I want to tell you something important when it comes to creators. When it comes to identifying talent, I call, can I swear here? I call nonsense on anybody who tells me in the record industry, I knew this guy was an artist. I heard this song. I knew it was going to be a hit. I don't believe you for Shishi. You know why? Because the only people who decide whether a song is a hit or the only people who decide whether a content creator is amazing or the only people who decide whether an actor becomes a star is the audience, the collective of the audience, right?
Sure, media companies including me like Trace may influence it because we blast somebody's content in front of you over and over and over again and you get familiar with it. But I guarantee you, you take a song and an artist who will never be a success and you can blast it to kingdom come and nothing will happen.
Right? The audience is what determines it. So there's I call it there's 0% engineering. I'm being extreme in the way I'm saying it to make a point. Of course, we can mess with it small. You can help people improve. You can train them. You can give them uh tools to do better content music. You can put them with a an outstanding producer. So many things you can do, but at the end of the day, you can't really change it. Are you hearing me? So, all we're doing as a record label, as a a creator support is trying to improve the chances of an artist or a content creator blowing.
Does that make sense? Am I speaking to you? All right. So, I want to say something. Virality going viral. saying, "We're going to do this thing and it's going to go viral." That is not a strategy. It's not a strategy. You may want to go viral, but who's going to decide if it goes viral or not? The audience. Thank you very much. You've got it. So, it's unpredictable. Uh the audience reaction, it's unpredictable.
In fact, I will tell you, I've been in the room with some of my good friends in the industry. I've sat with Jazzy and he said he we listened to an album and he said he likes this song and this one he doesn't even like it and it's that one that became a hit. I've seen it happen myself. So you it's always unpredictable.
But what you can do discovery is timeless since before time be before we were colonized before my my mommy's people them joined us colonize us we still had our celebrities we still had our stars even here in our country in our regions in our hometowns there was always the popular one right there will be a a a a maybe a town crier or an entertainer who uh you know the leader might say oh you're my guy come that was the same thing so talent discovery is timeless but what we can do today is we can build systems to allow talent to emerge do you know what my job at traces my job is to clear all of the problems all of the nonsense to make sure that our creators can create so they don't have to think about anything else so the guys who are editing and and filming and doing all of this. They don't have to worry if the gen is failed, the equipment is working, if they if uh everything to do with the the job.
Sorry, I'm not there to uh to settle their problems at home, but when it comes to the office, right? When it comes to work, my job is to make sure they don't have anything to think about but being creative because that's what creatives do. I do it today. I do it today on a daily basis with artists, right? to make sure that an artist when it's time to perform, they got nothing else to deal with. You may see it on on on your social media. Sometimes it sounds ridiculous what artists think of before they want to go on stage, but that's because they need to be in the zone. You know, Whiz Kid has been doing this thing forever, but he still gets nervous. Well, okay, I don't know whiz himself, but most artists still get nervous before they go on stage and they have to have it just right. Some get into superstition. They football players do it. They say if I don't put my right foot boot first then my left boot after then I wear my captain's armband I won't win the game right so they need to be in the zone and that's your job as a creative to only focus on that and our job as business leaders to give you that so structure uh systems don't count on on luck don't count on bets build everything you can to be able to repeat what you do and give yourself the best chance of blowing them. Have I talked to you? Am I complete? My name is Sam on Lukquay and I will show you one other slide because I want you to know what we're doing at Trace. So lastly, all right, no other slides.
I guess the your brother in the back is tired also for a long day. All right.
So, I will make one other announcement since I came on after all the prize money and the giving. There's a young man who boldly approached me outside. Uh he said he knew who I am and he said he does content. If he's here, I will also give out a prize of 50,000 naira to Mr. Adam. Are you here?
Am I seeing Adam?
All right. Well, my applause wasn't about the same as the five million, but shock, you know, want to try and give back. You know, school fees were just due.
Otherwise, I'd have tried to do better.
All right. So, we at Trace, what we're doing to to to adapt to this new reality, right? Because let's be honest, I doubt many of you still subscribe to DSTV, right? DSTV is doing more and more with Canal to try and keep you attracted, but many of us are on our phones every day, all day. In fact, I even sometimes call it the universal remote control of our lives. I know me while I shout at my children, "Stop using phone. You're addicted." Me, I'm there from morning to night. Abby.
Okay. So, what we're doing is we're opening what we call a physical hub, a space. We're doing it here not too far down the road at Landmark. You know, Landmark uh across from Hard Rock. And we're opening a space where we want to invite creators. We want to invite partners of trace to come and make their content, have small events, bring together the the creative industry, and we will use our TV channels and our brand new FM radio that will launch in about a month to amplify everything you do. For me, you know, honestly, there's nothing that there's people talk of passion and sometimes we just your eyes glaze over. It sounds sounds confusing.
Is it real? But for me, honestly, I don't get any more satisfaction when I see young than when I see young people doing great stuff. You know, I sit there, I'm a fan. I'm a fan and I see people producing stuff. I'm like, guy, I love this. Right? So, I want to see creators grow. We won't take everybody, right? You have to get yourself to a certain level. Trace, I guess we're we're at the pinnacle of the entertainment industry. But grow yourself. Grow yourself. Discover that that talent. Make sure that you have people around that can let you do focus on your creativity. Build your stuff.
Build your your thing. Find these alternate ways to make money because there's real money out there. I hope some people here have applied for grants. Has anybody applied for a grant?
by show of hands.
Oh my god, that is far the the amount is too small. There are companies out there that are looking for you to give you thousands of dollars to create content.
If you've never looked for a grant today, promise me today you go online tonight and you look for a grant to apply for.
Amen.
I don't understand what you said, but good job.
All right, I think my time is up. It's been up. Uh, thank you for spending the entire day. I will say congratulations and a big round of applause to Lagos State and the TJ Jack on Day Leadership Academy. And uh, I appreciate your time.
I hope you learned something good.
Madame, am I free to go?
>> Yes, you are.
>> Up God down.
>> Thank you so much, Samu. Thank you. All right, a round of applause for Sam on Meu. Thank you for your presence, >> Samo.
>> Samo. Okay, I take out the Sam Oilquay.
Thank you, Samo. Thank you, Samo. A round of applause for Samo. Thank you.
>> All right, a few announcements before we wrap things up. Multimedia, can you display the evaluation QR code? If you haven't completed the evaluation form, can I see you wave your hands? If you weren't able to scan when we displayed earlier, we will display again.
Multimedia, can we have that QR code on the screen? Your feedback is valuable to us and not because it's cliche. We honestly value your feedback and assessment of all that has happened today just so that we can be better ahead of next year. We want to implement things that you think we should do better, but you should also tell us what you think we did great. So, please scan the QR code displayed to the left and right sides of the screen and let's have your honest evaluation of LEO leadership summit for 2026.
If you haven't scanned, please do so in 5 seconds. Secondly, part of being a leader is that you must perform your civic duties. And what is the first step in doing that? You should complete your voters's registration. So, if you haven't done that, another flyer will be up on the screen. Multimedia, please help me do that.
All right. So, there is a flyer that speaks to how you can complete your voters card registration. I want that on the screen very quickly. Thank you very much.
I know people have scanned the QR code for feedback, but can we have the voters registration on the screen? Thank you. Let's make it as fast as possible.
All right. So, this still allows you for feedback.
But on that note, ladies and gentlemen, we have officially come to the end of Lagos Leadership Summit 2026.
No, I thought the applause would be louder because it's been a full day.
We have officially come to the end of Lagos Leadership Summit 2026. We will see you next year at Lagos Leadership Summit 2027.
We hope that something has been stared inside of you and you are inspired to be the leader that you truly are. To be the change that you want to see. To remember that everything rises and falls on leadership. and to build systems that will outlive every one of us for future generations. We have our sponsors and partners who have their stalls to different sides of the hall. So, please make sure you stop by, make inquiries, make purchases, just ask them questions when you go there and you know the next steps to take from there. But please stop by our sponsors stalls to make inquiries to ask questions to do the needful pretty much and you will be directed accordingly. Thank you for being a part of LLS 2026. We will see you at LLS 2027. For all the recipients of the Governor's Awards, please come by the left side of the stage to pick up the pack for your plaques. All recipients of the governor's awards that received the plaque, please come to the left side of the stage to pick up the plaque for your plaque. Thank you very much. We will see you next year at Lagos Leadership Summit 2027. Have a good night everybody. Thank you for coming. Strength and purpose.
Every step your work would show.
Helping Liz to rise and grow.
land of the people.
We honor your name.
You care for all the people. We sing your praise.
Day your legacy remain.
You build a path where dreams could grow.
Gave many hearts a chance to glow.
Touched the lives of young and old with a spirit brave and guided by a bright way.
You gave your best from day to day.
>> Simple life and gentle, a helping hand in time of need.
man of the people.
We honor your name.
You care for the people. We sing your praise.
Your legacy remain.
about period to
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