TheCable

Building Nations Initiative (BNI) conducted an ‘excellence in leadership workshop’ for select student leaders representing various student associations at the University of Ibadan.

The Workshop themed ‘Leading Change’ was organised with the objective of promoting excellence in the administration of student associations on campus.

At the workshop, student leaders were strongly encouraged to focus on leadership through innovation, diplomacy, and partnership.

Participants gained a broad perspective on strategic planning, resources mobilization, stakeholders engagement, social entrepreneurship, effective communication, fund raising, and team building.

Rahska Pooja, chairperson of National Youth Council of Mauritius, enlightened the students on how to develop their strategic plan through assessment of needs and effective communication.

Daniel Ajiroba, director of Caribbean African Canadian Social Services, Ontario, shared insights on how the new executives can work effectively with their team, resolve conflicts, and manage uncommitted team members.

Tokunbo Salako and Adelabu Adeola

At the ‘Leading Change’ plenary session moderated by Precious Adebola, a senior research fellow at BNI, the duo of Tokunbo Salako and Adelabu Adeola, former student union leaders themselves, provided hands-on experience sharing on student leadership and student organisation management.

Participants were enlightened on the evidence-based approach to handling critical leadership issues and challenges, and how they can develop required skills and competences that will make them outstanding as current student leaders and future leaders in the society.

John Oluwadero, BNI president/CEO, provided strategic foresight into how the student associations represented can work together towards implementing initiatives that will ultimately empower the young people they serve in their respective constituency.

The workshop is to be followed by intensive four weeks mentorship exercise where our network of facilitators and consultants, will be providing free consultancy and support to the student organizations represented on strategic planning, resource mobilization, partnerships, and team management.