“I had this feeling that I wasn’t good or smart enough. But one day, my teacher came in and introduced the iLead Programme to us. We discussed the power of self-worth and how important it is for us to know how unique and special we are. Then I remembered this statement that ‘No one can make you feel inferior without your consent’. So, I started thinking; I know what I am good at; I know what I can do. Why should I care about what others think of me? So, I changed my way of thinking completely and became more positive. Soon after that, my teacher told me that she needed me to participate in a debate competition. I agreed and practiced like never before. On that day, I felt very nervous; but as I stepped on to the stage, it was like that was where I belonged. I shone! I have gone ahead to represent my school in more debate competitions, emerging as the best competitor in District 6 in one of them. I want to thank Mr. John Maxwell for giving us this amazing opportunity. It means a lot to be a part of this.”
 
Confidently mounting the stage in Pistis Conference Centre, Lekki, Lagos, during the recent iLead Students Leadership Convention, Miss Adanna Alexandra, a student of Omole Senior Grammar School, used these words to narrate how her participation in iLead Nigeria’s leadership programme has impacted her life positively.
 
She held the audience, mainly fellow students, spellbound for the few minutes she spoke, drawing their attention to the possibilities ahead of them if they take the programme seriously.
 
An initiative of the Maxwell Leadership Foundation, the iLead programme encourages students to step up to lead, starting from themselves.   
 
Addressing the participants at the conference, the Vice President Global Programmes at Maxwell Leadership Foundation, John Griffin, reminded them that they are the next generation of Nigerian leaders.
 
He said: You are the next generation of Nigerian leaders. Leadership is a decision; it’s a decision to begin your journey. Leadership is influence, not age.
 
“You have to be ready to make a decision and stay on it. Leadership starts with you. The world needs you to make that decision to lead today. Young leaders create change; make that decision now.”
 
He further urged the participants to inculcate the right values, stressing that they must demonstrate integrity, responsibility and courage to be able to lead.
 
Speaking with The Guardian, the Programme Director for iLead in Nigeria, Mr. Gbenga Samuel, explained that the conference was organised to inspire the students, encourage them and challenge them to step up to lead.
 
“We want to challenge and encourage the young leaders in schools across Lagos State and Nigeria that they have the capacity to lead even though they may be young. And leadership starts from themselves. They can self lead and they can courageously start to lead their peers,” he said.  
 
On how the participants were drawn, he explained that the organisation is currently working with Lagos Education District Six.
 
“All the 52 senior secondary schools in Lagos Education District Six are participating. We also have private schools. So, in all we have over 70 schools participating in the event, with about 2000 students present,” he said.
 
He, however, disclosed that in the last one year, the organisation has extended the programme to other states.
 
“Last week, over 400 students completed the programme in Abia State; I was there for the certification. The programme is happening now in the Federal Capital Territory; we have over 14,000 students in junior and senior secondary schools there. It is happening in Oyo State; it is happening in Osun State and we have just launched in Akwa Ibom State. So, it has been a great year of expanding the programme to other states,” he said.  
 
Providing some insights on the programme, iLead Director for the African Continent, Hassan Kibirango, said the curriculum comes in three modules.
  
“These three modules are executed over a period of two years. It has 48 lessons broken down into 16 lessons per module.
 
“The first module is called ‘I Choose’ and we deal with 16 values that help shape the inner capacity of people. The second module is called ‘I Do’. Looking at the choices in the first module, we look at actions in the second module. The third module is called ‘I Lead’, which is the name of the whole programme. Here we look at the fundamentals of leadership.
 
“The process is they sit in groups in their schools once a week and discuss this curriculum and hold themselves accountable to good values. And we are hoping that it can give them the right soft skills they need to thrive,” he explained.
 
He urged students to embrace the programme “because it is going to help them to become wholesome values-based human beings that will have the right characteristics that even employers need.”
 
He added: “Now employers don’t employ you because you have good grades or because you are best in class but because they see that you will be able to work well with others, you have resilience, you have time management skills etc. As they learn this, it will become the foundation for them to be able to be of great value to Nigeria and the world. So, I am encouraging all students to participate and own these programmes because they are for them.”