Secondary school students have been urged to build character, competence and discipline early, with stakeholders warning that leadership begins long before individuals assume positions of authority.
 
The call was made at the 2026 Future Leaders Conference organised by the Government College Ughelli Old Boys Association (GCUOBA), Class of ’88, which brought together students, educators, professionals and entrepreneurs to discuss leadership, artificial intelligence, financial literacy, substance abuse prevention and the future of work.
 
Held at the school hall, the conference featured 210 students and 42 teachers from 21 invited secondary schools, alongside students of Government College Ughelli and other participants.
 
Chairman of the occasion and President-General Worldwide of GCUOBA, HRM King Albert Akpomudje, the Ohworode of Olomu Kingdom, commended the Class of ’88 for extending its interventions beyond school infrastructure to human capital development.
 
“What the Class of ’88 is doing is something new. It’s an innovation whereby, I would say, you are trying to develop human capital, and you have not limited it to college students alone,” the monarch said.
 
He described the initiative as a model for other graduating classes to emulate and indicated that the group would be recognised at the association’s next reunion.
 
In his opening remarks, Chairman of the Class of ’88 and the conference steering committee, Frank Airoboyi, said the programme was designed to equip young people with the mindset and practical skills needed to make informed decisions and prepare for future responsibilities.
 
“Our purpose is simple: to help young people recognise that leadership starts before titles, that character and competence matter, and that the future can be prepared for today,” Airoboyi said.
 
He explained that the second edition featured shorter presentations, student challenges, practical exercises and personal commitments to help participants translate lessons from the conference into everyday life.