By Nyerhovwo Oghenetajiri
Leadership failure has been identified as one major factor responsible for the under development in the Niger Delta, Nigeria and Africa just as the African Centre for Leadership, Strategy and Development (Centre LSD) leadership school is designed to equip participants with leadership skills for the transformation of the organisation and society.
This was disclosed by Pastor Edewor Egedegbe, Executive Director, Value Rebirth and Empowerment Initiative (VREI) at the First Annual Leadership Lecture/Graduation ceremony of VREI/Centre LSD Leadership School, Effurun near Warri, he listed some of the vision of the organization among others to include having a Nigerian society with value driven institutions/service for sustainable peace and development in Africa with a mission to build citizen’s capacity, value re-orientation as well as work with other networks to ensure probity and accountability in governance and societal affairs.
According to Pastor Egedegbe, “we are here today to mark the 1st annual leadership lecture/graduation of the first set of students and the first Centre to open and graduate her students as well as the matriculation ceremony of the 2nd set of students outside Abuja. The idea of starting the Effurun-Warri Study Centre was borne out of God’s word which made it clear that”Knowledge is Power.” The quest for this knowledge is a direct response to fill the inept leadership gap identified across the world especially in Africa, Nigeria and the Niger Delta in particular.
He further disclosed that his organization’s quest to add value to humanity made them to apply to Centre LSD for patent to run the Delta State Centre of the Institute based in Effurun-Warri. And Dr. Otive Igbuzor, Executive Director of Centre LSD graciously gave us the approval to commence operation in June, 2017 to the glory of God.
Pastor Egedegbe spoke further, “the Centre LSD Leadership school is therefore designed for people who wants to become leaders and be equipped with leadership skills for transformation of organisations and society they belong. It provides the students with the basic tools and ways to have a vision for leadership and become better leaders. The school runs for a period of one year.”
In his key note address, Dr. Charles Apoki, speaking on a topic,”Values, Leadership Failure & Development in the Niger Delta and the Nigeria Nation”, admonished youths to imbibe core values as value are the foundation upon which a civilized society is built and the sign post that directs all its activities including the success and failure of Leaders.
According to Dr. Apoki, ” one of the problem of the Niger Delta is not only leadership failure but we fight foreigners who want to invest in our communities. I agree that we had leadership failure in the Niger Delta and Nigeria but we have had follower-ship irresponsibility. A society where our youth prefer to collect development levies and sell stickers to trailer drivers cannot develop. A people who do not value justice, truth, diligence, due process, frugality, simplicity, prudence, hard work and punctuality will not develop.”
Mr. Monday Osasah and other personalities present congratulated out going and incoming students of the Institute, they urged them to take their studies serious and embrace what is right.
Prof. Daniel Omoweh, chairman of the occasion called on staff and student to always put in their best to make sure that the Institute move from one level of development to another.
Those present at the ceremony include Dr. Otive Igbuzor, Executive Director, African Centre for Leadership, Strategy & Development (Centre LSD), Mr Monday Osasah, Chairman, Board of Director, Value Rebirth & Empowerment Initiative(VREI), Mrs Oyem Blessing, National Orientation Agency(NOA), Uvwie, Mr. Charles Eyele, Special Adviser to the Chairman, Uvwie Local Government, Mr. John Okenabirhie, Director, Heartland Hotel, Effurun.
Fifty-one (51) students graduated out of 81 that applied while sixty (60 ) students were admitted into the school this year (2018) out of one hundred(100) that applied for admission.
