Dr. Otive Igbuzor, Founder and Executive Director, Centre for Leadership, Strategy and Development, has urged Niger Delta youths to imbibe the culture of leadership through mentorship.
Igbuzor made the call during the 2nd Annual Leadership Lecture and Graduation Ceremony of the Centre-LSD at Effurun-Warri, Delta State study centre.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that 53 students graduated in the second set of the centre that was established in 2017.
Igbuzor, a civil society activist, said leaders in the oil-rich region had failed the youths, noting that it is time for the youth to develop themselves positively and become relevant in the society.
He said: “The elders have failed the youth, so the youth should try and develop themselves.
“When you have a society that is dominated by cabals, the youth need to learn and improve their knowledge to change the values in the society positively.
“After learning, they also need to act economically, socially and politically to change the scope.”
Igbuzor attributed the challenges in the country to leadership problem, noting that most leaders do not have leadership training.
He said: “There is nowhere leaders are trained.
“That is why we developed the curriculum for leadership in our Centre LSD established in 2009 in Abuja.”
Also speaking, Pastor Edewor Egedegbe, the Executive Director, Value Rebirth and Empowerment Initiative, said doing the right thing was a big problem in the country.
Egedegbe said: “We have come up with the concept of equipping interested individuals to see how they can transform obstacles to success.
“We believe that trouble is the breakfast of a hero.
“When a hero see trouble, there is opportunity for him to bring the hidden potential in him.
“So we are aligning with such forces who want to subscribe to how we can change the narrative in our leadership trait as a nation, particularly the Niger Delta.
“It is based on this that we are partnering the Centre LSD to develop future leaders and we are achieving result.”
Prof. Benjamin Okaba in his lecture, titled: “Leadership and the Youth Question in the Niger Delta,” said good leaders turn resources to wealth.
“Good leader must be courageous, creative and focus, because he or she is doing it in the interest of the society,” Okaba said.