Students of Maris Secondary School, Amachai, Okpanam, in Oshimili North Local Government Area of Delta State on Thursday, participated in a one-day Leadership Clinic organized by the Abuja Leadership Center in conjunction with the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) Center of Excellence and Leadership, University of Abuja.
The training programme which was attended by students from twenty secondary schools drawn from public and private schools within the Delta State Capital Territory, saw ten students of Maris Secondary School, Amachai, Okpanam, participating.
At the programme, Governor Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta State, represented by Mr Daniel Akiri, Director, Finance and Accounts, State Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education, thanked the organisers for the training.
He pledged to partner the Centre to further the training to other students across the state.
Oborevwori charged the students to put the lessons learnt into practice, adding that the state would support the organisers in their endeavour to build and ensure healthy nation.
Also, former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Elder Godsday Orubebe, at the occasion, charged youths in the country to build the culture of integrity for their personal development.
The former minister, who admonished the students on the lecture titled, “Integrity and Personal Development” said inculcating the values in the students could produce better leaders for the country going forward.
He said that catching them young by building the right values in them was vital to correcting the past mistakes of the leadership in the country.
He called for more of such training to reach out to many other students who could not be covered by programme, adding that the gains would greatly impact the youths positively.
He said that the clinic was focused on building confidence in the youths such that in spite of the state of things in the country, the youths remained the hope of the country.
According to Orubebe, the clinic has become necessary to build the virtue of integrity in the students because in the next 10 years, they will become the leaders of this country.
“Honesty is the foundation that will bring the youths up tomorrow, so, the students must learn to say the truth at all times.
“Integrity builds trust and a man or woman of integrity will build good relationship with people. Integrity and personal development are intertwined.”
He encouraged the students to learn the culture of being upright which is the hope for leaders of tomorrow, adding, “if you remain honest, you will turn the country to greatness”.
“So, be yourself all the time in spite of challenges, stay focused on your values and principles and if you make mistakes, face it and stand up on the truth, ” Orubebe said.
In his opening remarks, the Deputy Vice Chancellor and Director, Abuja Leadership Centre, Prof. Phillip Afaha, represented by Dr Eugene Okolocha of the Centre, said the training would stimulate the youths to secure the country.
He said that the training marked the
14th edition across the country all aimed at catching the students young and to inculcate leadership qualities in them to enable them secure the country.
Afaha charged the students to remain focused and concentrate as the resource persons take them through different topics on leadership.
“This leadership training is for the youths, it is anchored on the philosophy of catching them young. Now that they are in their formative age, we want to ingrain in them the virtues, qualities and attributes of leadership.
The resource persons; Mr Bright Igbako delivered lecture on Patriotism and citizenship; Mr David Akpimegin spoke on Youth and Selfless Leadership while Dr Kevwe Ejemeyovwi, discussed Youth Leadership and New Media; Mr Richard Odibo talked about Peace and Conflict Resolution.
The topics, however, ignited mind bugling questions from the students who queried the poor exemplary characters of the current leadership in the country.
They frowned at the age grade of the leaders and the denial faced by youths in the political arena among others.
The highpoint of the event was the presentation of participation certificate to the secondary schools in the state which preceded a group photographs with the organisers and resource persons.
Additional report by Onyiyechi Ikeh
