- Annual Bisi Akande Leadership Symposium begins on Saturday.
By Adeola Ogunlade
Former Deputy Governor of Osun State, Benedict Alabi, the Chief Whip, of the House of Assembly, Babatunde ‘Lekan Olatunji, and the Former Commissioner for Commerce, Industry, Cooperatives, and Empowerment, Dr. Bode Olaonipekun, are all billed to grace the maiden edition of the Bisi Akande Leadership Symposium.
The symposium, organised by Osun Club of Emerging Leaders, sunrise.ng News gathered, will hold on Saturday, January 14, 2023 at the Banquet Hall of Chief Bisi Akande’s Ila Orangun, Osun State residence.
The convener of the programme, David Opeyemi Oye-Oke in a statement issued yesterday in Lagos, said the symposium is to create a platform for qualitative discourse about important national issues, celebrate an exemplary leader; Chief Bisi Akande, and democratize his leadership core values, which he described as ideal needed in building a desirable Nigeria.
He noted that this idea of an annual Bisi Akande Leadership Symposium was conceived by a team of young emerging Nigerian leaders, who are passionate about seeing the birth of a New Nigeria.
He stated that in the midst of the uncertainties and the decadence in the Nigerian political leadership, Chief Adebisi Akande stands as a beacon of hope for the coming generation of leaders in competence, capacity, and most importantly character. His visionary leadership, which has produced an array of exemplary leaders in Nigeria and beyond is worthy of emulation.
“The symposium will provide a platform for young people to connect and engage in creating trans-generational change in Nigeria. The programme is expected to consciously remove existing barriers to emerging leaders’ political participation”.
“It will foster emerging leaders’ collaborative participation and intellectual engagements with other stakeholders, wherein young people will effectively take part in regular political decision-making processes. The Bisi Akande Symposium is neither a one-off nor a short-term intervention, but a long-term engagement amongst emerging leaders to ignite a consciousness amongst the vast majority of Nigerians”.
Opeyemi Oye-Oke posited that the programme will help the youth understand and redefine their roles in the community. Prepare the youth to become responsible citizens and contributing members of their communities. Empower participants to be actively engaged in addressing issues of concern in their schools and communities upon their return home.