- Sanwo-Olu Tasks LJLA Fellows, LAWMA on Solutions to Lagos Waste Challenges
- Urges Young Leaders to Partner LAWMA on Waste Management
- Commended the fellows for their capstone projects, including proposals for a library and ICT centre
Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has directed the management of the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) to engage fellows of the Lateef Jakande Leadership Academy (LJLA) on their recommendations for improving waste management in the state.
Eko Hot Blog reports that Sanwo-Olu gave the directive during a mentorship session with the Class of Catalysts, the academy’s third cohort, after the fellows presented policy recommendations on waste and risk management.
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The governor said the fellows should meet with LAWMA officials to present their findings, defend their recommendations and explore practical solutions to challenges confronting waste management across Lagos.
According to him, the engagement would provide the young leaders with an opportunity to interact directly with officials responsible for managing the sector and gain a deeper understanding of the challenges involved.
Sanwo-Olu said the initiative was consistent with his vision for the leadership academy, which he described as a platform for young people to use research, innovation and fresh ideas to engage government while also creating opportunities for government to listen and learn.
The governor also commended the fellows for their capstone projects, including proposals for a library and ICT centre, describing them as initiatives capable of delivering measurable and sustainable impact.
He urged the fellows to sustain their relationships after completing the fellowship, saying a strong alumni network could provide ideas, expertise and support for future projects.
Reflecting on the fellows’ recent policy visit to Rwanda, Sanwo-Olu encouraged them to study successful governance models in other countries and identify aspects that could be adapted to address Lagos’ challenges.
The governor also stressed the importance of consistency in government policies, particularly in creating an environment where investors can make long-term decisions.
“People want clarity. People want definitive pronouncements. No matter how tough that pronouncement, they want you to be consistent with it so that they can plan,” he said.
Sanwo-Olu further advised the fellows to remain open to learning, listen before responding and regard mistakes as opportunities for growth.
He challenged the young leaders to consider how their actions would be judged in the future, asking, “How will history judge you? What will people say to you?”
The Executive Secretary of the Lateef Jakande Leadership Academy, Ayisat Agbaje-Okunade, said the Class of Catalysts was the third cohort since the academy was established, bringing the total number of young people who have participated in the programme to about 90.
She said completion of the fellowship should not be viewed as the end of the fellows’ leadership journey but as the beginning of greater responsibilities.
According to her, participants receive both theoretical and practical leadership training through readings, mentorship sessions, fireside chats and opportunities to shadow commissioners and heads of ministries, departments and agencies.
Agbaje-Okunade said the academy was established to develop young people capable of making meaningful contributions to society.
“When they enter the fellowship, they don’t know the sort of leader they want to be. But they know the sort of leader they do not want to be,” she said.
She urged former fellows to continue demonstrating patriotism, responsibility and respect for the law after leaving the programme.
“Our vision has always been to build a society transformed by the leadership of young people. So our transformation is very much dependent on them, even after they leave the fellowship,” she added.
She also disclosed that the academy had expanded its international exposure programmes, including a recent policy trip to Kigali, Rwanda, where fellows engaged government officials, mayors, district heads and communities.
Discussions are also ongoing on a possible memorandum of understanding between the academy and a Rwandan institution following the policy visit, she said.
One of the fellows, Adepeju Salami, a Lagos State civil servant, described the fellowship as an important platform for young people to identify and develop their leadership potential.
Salami said the programme was particularly valuable to her as a public servant and should be sustained as an investment in preparing young Nigerians for leadership.
She added that interactions with fellow participants and experienced leaders helped fellows discover strengths and leadership qualities they previously did not realise they possessed.
According to her, investment in young leaders would extend beyond the fellows themselves, with their communities also benefiting from the knowledge and experience gained through the programme.
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