Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Friday, shared an inspiring moment with interns admitted into Lateef Jakande Leadership Academy (LJLA), engaging the fellows on purposeful leadership and knowledge-based service.
The meeting, held at Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s Place – the Academy’s office in Alausa – was the first that the Governor had with the interns after their induction in February to undertake one-year practical training on leadership.
The 32 Nigerians under age 35 from diverse backgrounds, who were selected as pioneer set, are currently on posting to Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDA) in Lagos, learning and contributing to governance.
LJLA Executive Secretary, Ayisat Agbaje-Okunade, led the fellows to receive the Governor to the Academy’s office.
Sanwo-Olu, during the no-holds-barred session, had a robust conversation with the fellows, learning about their experiences on the fellowship journey and their challenges in their respective roles at the MDAs.
The governor said the LJLA was an initiative set up to experiment the progressive nature of the public sector to raise future leaders, noting that the platform offered the fellows opportunity to collaborate and build problem-solving expertise.
He said: “This Academy is not set up only to preserve the governance legacy of the first Civilian Governor of Lagos, the late Alhaji Lateef Jakande, it was also conceived with the objectives to leverage the public sector, which is the only organ of governance, in raising future generations of leaders in both private and public sectors who will transform and lead positive changes in our society.
“This is part of our deliberate effort to equip you with expertise and hands-on skills to have input in policy, measure performance and impacts of government programme on the society, while ensuring that the greatest good benefits the greatest number. The project will enable us attract and retain the best qualified people in our community to be at the helm of affairs. We seek to create a strong engagement platform for the qualified individuals to be the drivers of change in our community”.
Sanwo-Olu said the LJLA fellowship was not designed for a short term impact, stressing that the initiative was a vision that would outlive his Government for as long as the country remains on the path of democratic governance.
The internship, the Governor maintained, had given the participants the privilege to see the State’s challenges firsthand and the reality of constraints affecting responses to challenges from public sector’s perspective.
He said: “Having been part of public service in the course of your internship, you have been prepared to plan responses and actions to challenges from the position of authority and point of knowledge. Never believe that this is the highest level you can get in terms of skills, knowledge and exposure. After this experience, you must have the ability to set realistic targets, which will stretch your abilities.”
Agbaje-Okunade thanked the Governor for his thoughts and support for the fellows, noting that the meeting would further enhance the enthusiasm of the interns to achieve their dreams.
