JCI Nigeria to develop mentorship scheme for youth in leadership

The Junior Chamber International (JCI), Nigeria, says it is seeking to empower more youth and prepare them for qualitative leadership in 2023.

Abdullahi Attairu, president JCI Nigeria, said this at a press conference in Lagos on Friday.

Attairu said the organisation aims to equip members in line with its strategic agenda for the year.

Speaking on the theme of the year, SEnD (skills, engagement and development), the president said the organisation will leverage on achievements of past leaders to create new goals and priorities for the future so as to have a competitive advantage in their fields.

He added that members, being young leaders, can as well take responsibility for the development of the society and transfer their experience to every other youth who are non-member of the organisation. 

According to Attairu, the goal is to ensure that at the end of the year, members can evaluate and reach a satisfactory conclusion about growth and productivity. 

“We are going to be building engagement with the senior leaders in the organisation which comprises past presidents and of course the alumni,” he said. 

“The intention is to create a synergy between the younger members and more active members with senior members, just to reduce mistakes. 

“You will agree with me that mentorship is so rich that providing mentorship encourages members to reduce mistakes and amplifies the amount of rate at which they grow. 

“However, we help people get these opportunities and also give back to society, changing people’s mindsets about what can be achieved. 

“We will develop an approach that will leverage on mentorship arrangements between our stakeholders and continue to showcase our members to the world by communicating our richness while also attracting prospective members and partners to the organisation.”

Also speaking, Akinwande Ayodeji, chairperson of Ten Outstanding Young Persons (TOYP), a global initiative of JCI, said it would be honouring youths who have made giant strides in their chosen fields.

According to Ayodeji, nominations have been made open on its website for people to participate and make their choices. 

“Nigerians who are above 18 years to 40 years and can be said to have excelled in their chosen fields or are continuously creating positive change, are eligible for the award,” he said. 

The nomination categories include; personal development, scientific and technological development, medical innovation, academic leadership,  humanitarian and volunteering leadership and a host of others.