FAFORE REITERATES CITIZENS ACTIVE PARTICIPATION AS IMPERATIVE FOR EXCELLENT LEADERSHIP TOWARDS A SUSTAINABLE DEMOCRACY, LAUDS JCI NIGERIA FOUNDER OTUNBA BOLA ADEWUNMI VISIONARY LEADERSHIP

The Executive Assistant on New Media and Public Relations to the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Olusegun Fafore has charged Nigerians to actively rise up and take charge of their constitutional responsibilities in their quest for excellent leadership towards our nation’s sustainable democracy. He made the charge while delivering his keynote address on Sunday 26^th March, 2023 titled Excellent Leadership: A Bedrock for Sustainable Democracy during the 2023 edition of the Annual Otunba Bola Adewunmi [OBA] Leadership Summit commemorating the 66^th Founder’s Day Anniversary of the JCI Lagos Metropolitan which held at the Eko Hotels and Towers in Lagos.

JCI Lagos Metropolitan popularly known as ‘’The Doyen’’ celebrated its Annual OBA Leadership Summit in honour of its founder, Otunba Robert Bolaji Adewunmi, a former Chairman of Onigbongbo Local Government in furtherance of the chapter’s commitment to the vision and ideals of the visionary leader.

During the event, Fafore who was the keynote speaker at the Annual Leadership Summit charged Nigerians to wake up to their constitutional responsibilities as catalysts for excellent leadership in a sustainable democracy while citing the requisite constitutional provision which clearly justifies same as entrenched in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended [1999] in Section 14, [2a] which proclaimed that ‘’Sovereignty belongs to the people of Nigeria from whom government through the Constitution derives all its powers and authority’’ , to validate his charge.

Commenting further, the keynote speaker quoted sub-sections 2b and 2c respectively which states that: ‘’the security and welfare of the people shall be primary purpose of government and the participation of the people in their government shall be ensured.’’

‘’To achieve sustainable democracy, we must understand that there is more to democracy than elections and voting. The fact that a nation chooses her leaders through the ballot box does not necessarily translate to democracy, he asserted.

He further listed imperatives required towards attaining sustainable democracy smoothened by leadership discipline, and compliance with certain tenets which include; sovereignty of the people, majority rule and minority rights, the rule of law and good governance, respect for civil an political rights, mass literacy, economic prosperity, social development, free press and an independent judiciary amongst others.

In his admonition, he asserted that when these conditions are prevalent in the society, sustainable democracy is attainable. However, he reiterated that the people on whose part the political leaders, elected leaders, state actors and non-state actors who derives their powers from the majority are a very crucial component in the delivery of good governance and sustainable democracy.

Similarly, JCIN Ambassador Busayo Adegoke, the 2023 President of JCI Lagos Metropolitan as well as JCIN Ambassador Abdullahi Attairu, Special Guest and the 2023 National President of JCI Nigeria in their separate remarks eulogized the founder of the JCI in Nigeria, Otunba Adewunmi for his visionary foresightedness.

According to Adegoke, ‘’Otunba Bola Adewunmi’s visionary efforts paved the way for the growth of the JCI movement in Nigeria and beyond while admonishing Nigerians to continue to work together to find sustainable solutions to our nation’s developmental challenges in spite of our tribe, religion and diverse opinions by continuing to strive to thrive in our diversity by leveraging on our strengths and weaknesses.’’

In his own remark, Attairu admonished young active Nigerians within the JCI to continue to champion the ideals of the founder while he also charged them to continue to propagate the 2023 theme of ‘’Be the Story’’ in line with the legacies of the founder and successive leaders of JCI Lagos Metropolitan as well as of the organization in its entirety.

The highpoint of the event was the Panelists Session which had erudite discussants who shared their thoughts on the theme of the summit. These included: Dr. Abayomi Ojekunle, a Leadership Coach, Mrs. Adetutu Afolabi, Co-Founder, Hazon Holdings, Mr. Olubunmi Oluwadare, Founder, Unipreneur Entrepreneurship, DSC.Oluwaseun Abolurin, Public Relations Officer, Nigerian Civil Defence and Security Corps while the session was moderated by Chioma Ukpabi, Executive Director, SkillUp with Kahdsole.

Other special guests at the event included Mr. Ayo Wuraola, Chief Executive Officer, Leadway Pensions, Mr. Olalekan Otun, Chairman, Minds & Brains Limited, Mr. Adebayo Adeoshun, Principal, RZKG, Mr. Anthony Ude, Senior Manager, AxaMansard, Mr. Adeyemo Adeonipekun, Executive Secretary, JCI Nigeria, Mr. Oluwasiji Oyebolu, Mr. Deji Akinwande, Mrs. Wunmi Akinwande, and Mrs. Lolade Dairo, all Past President of JCI Lagos Metropolitan. Others include Dr. Adewale Oshinaike, the Director of International Affairs for JCI Nigeria, Mr. Ajibola Bakare, Executive Assistant to the 2023 National President, Mr. Leke Odubote, Executive Vice President, South-West, JCI Nigeria, as well as Local Organisation presidents of sister chapters which included JCIN Ambassador Idara Michael, President, JCI Lagos Coral, JCIN Ambassador Olajide Oladipo, President, JCIIbadan, amongst other presidents of other local organizations,   the Executive Board and members of the host chapter, JCI Lagos Metropolitan and other members of sister chapters across Nigeria.

It was such a moment of history which validated the excellence tradition and pioneering status of the JCI Lagos Metropolitan even as encomiums poured in relentlessly for the JC Kikelomo Owoyale committee for their delivery of a qualitative 2023 edition of the Annual Summit, an event that was broadcasted live with a recorded viewership of audiences that cuts across both the JCI circle of external participants and beyond.

JCI Senator [Otunba] Bola Adewunmi, the founder of the Nigerian Jaycees imported the Jaycee into Nigeria and the Sub-Saharan African soil in 1957 while he was on a six month exchange programme under the International Educational Exchange programme of the United States government as an attaché of the Courier Post in Camden, New Jersey while attending a Press Conference at the White House in Washington given by President Dwight Eisenhower; and also observing a proceeding of the United Nations Assembly in New York in 1956.

While in the United States, he became a member of the United States Junior Chamber of Commerce International [JCI], and upon his return to Nigeria in 1957, he founded the Nigerian Chapter of the Junior Chamber International.