•Ex-Minister Fashola, Olu of Warri, others speak at Lagos Leadership Summit
Your capacity to deliver on a set of simple tasks entrusted to you when serving in smaller roles can be the building block for greater leadership exploits, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu told an assembly of youths at Lagos Leadership Summit held on Wednesday.
Sanwo-Olu shared his personal experience in leadership elevation with the participants at the summit, recalling how his leader, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, groomed and raised his leadership capacity by thrusting multiple tasks on his shoulders.
Former Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola also attended the event organised by Lateef Jakande Leadership Academy (LJLA) and held at Konga Place in Lekki with the theme: “Transformative Leadership: Developing Responsive, Adaptive and Inclusive Models.”
Sanwo-Olu, appointed as Special Adviser on Economic Matters by the then Governor Tinubu, was an investment banker before joining public service in 2002.
The Governor held that the chance he was offered to serve in multiple roles during Tinubu’s government in Lagos became his biggest opportunity to explore his leadership potential.
“I was appointed to serve as Special Adviser when former Governor, now President Tinubu started to lay the groundwork for the transformation of Lagos to modern city. For me, this was the period I started gaining from Tinubu’s transformative and pragmatic approach to leadership.” Sanwo-Olu said.
He continued: “This opportunity exposed me to international trips where we had official engagements with various multinational organisations. I was crisscrossing from one portfolio to another, serving in areas that included Transportation, Environment, Public Safety and Education.
“While I served in Transportation, I put in my very best and challenged personnel in the sector. I was deployed to revenue generation; I went in there to improve on the numbers and boosted staff capacity. In Environment, I changed the status quo. I was doing all of these without thinking of future expectations.”
After Tinubu’s governorship tenure ended in 2007, Sanwo-Olu said he was nominated to serve in specific capacity in the succeeding government of ex-Gov. Fashola.
The Governor explained that he was posted to a Ministry considered as a “dry land”, because it was believed the position was not rewarding.
“But the task was one that would bring out your very best in terms of capacity and how you can transform human capital to achieve real progress just like what the Lateef Jakande Leadership Academy is doing today.
“I took up various other roles and did excelled. The period I was appointed for different leadership roles gave me the option to reappraise myself and retool my skills. Then, I had the best opportunity to launch myself into another level and subsequently got me into the current position.”
Sanwo-Olu urged the participants not to give up when faced with unfulfilled expectations, stressing that failure was not the end of the road.
The Governor noted that his journey in government had not been completely smooth, observing that there were times his expectations were dashed. He charged the youth to use period of their disappointments to reappraise their skills and improve on their talents to meet the future opportunities.
Sanwo-Olu said: “For the little period I was out of the Government, I was able to put my skills together, learned from my past experiences, gained new insights and explored new areas.
You should also learn new things and challenge yourself that you will not give up. Don’t lose what you have learned; you should unlearn and relearn to push yourself forward.
“It is not how many times you fall that counts, but how many time you get on your feet when you fall. When you are given a little task in whatever role, give in your best because the world is watching. Use the period of disappointments to improve and this may open up new opportunities for you.”
Fashola, former Minister for Works and Housing, who spoke on “The Inclusion Imperative: Why No One Wins When Leadership leaves People Behind”, said promoting inclusion and diversity should be a key focus of pragmatic leadership.
The former Lagos Governor said the framer of the Nigeria Constitution made equality, inclusion and participation as foundation stone for continued existence of the country, noting that Section 14 to 19 of the constitution provided for Federal Character as the basis for national unity.
Fashola said: “Leaders have the responsibility to build coalition of unity and belonging. What should matter is not whether or not every leader has included everybody; that has to be impossible. What should matter is whether majority of the people can perceive that their leader is making efforts not to exclude or leave anyone behind.
“People naturally feel included or excluded, but the tangible thing for a leader is to be able to say understand the situation. I will recommend Town Hall meetings such as this forum as very strong platform to promote inclusion. People would have the feeling that they are being heard and consulted in affairs of their society.”
Discussion panels were held at the event, focusing on how young people could channel their knowledge, energy and expertise to build a united country.
Some of the discussants included the Olu of Warri, His Majesty Ogiame Atuwatse III, Emir of Zazzau, Amb. Ahmed Nuhu Bamali, and Oniru of Iru Kingdom, Oba Omogbolahan Lawal.
LJLA Executive Secretary, Ayisat Agbaje-Okunade, said the large attendance of the summit signified the imperative of the forum to ignite ideas and conversation that would help bring about change young people desired to see in the country.
She said the Leadership Academy had offered the platform for young leaders to partner and share ideas on nation-building.
“Lagos Leadership Summit brings together thinkers, dreamers and builders to bridge generational gaps. The future young people seek cannot exist in isolation from the efforts made in the past. This forum recognises that, progress is not made by individuals, but by communities that dare to collaborate. Collaboration is at the heart of this summit and participants are here to build together,” Agbaje-Okunade said.
SIGNED
GBOYEGA AKOSILE
SPECIAL ADVISER – MEDIA AND PUBLICITY
16 APRIL, 2025