Yemi Olakitan Thirty Nigerians under 35 from diverse backgrounds have been selected as pioneer set of fellows that will undergo a one-year practical training at the Lateef Jakande Leadership Academy (LJLA), following the formal launch of the leadership programme in Lagos on Saturday by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu. The difficult process of choosing participants from the 3,313 applications that were received nationwide was completed with the admission of the first cohorts. The governor unveiled the inaugural set during a ceremony on Victoria Island.
Family members and friends of the late Alhaji Lateef Kayode Jakande, the first civilian governor of Lagos, after whom the academy was named, attended the event. The fellows will work full-time in Lagos’ public sector for the ensuing year, developing their leadership abilities as the governor’s designated Special Assistants in the Ministries, Departments, and Agencies to which they are seconded. The State Executive Council members and other top senior government officials will serve as the cohorts’ mentors as they undergo training, delegating various tasks and responsibilities, from policy conception and execution to monitoring and evaluation.
