Leadership institute inducts 178 graduates

The Institute of Management, Leadership and Productivity Development on Saturday held its second edition of induction ceremony in Ibadan, with 178 candidates receiving certificates.

Those who were inducted were drawn from the three centres of the institute across Nigeria. Deputy registrar of the institute, David Imhonopi, said the institute helped in the development of young graduates and professionals to take an active role in nation building and correct several ills that have brought failure to leadership in Nigeria.

He said, “This is an institute established to address key leadership issues in our society. The future of any nation has to do with the youths. What we do is to teach the youth the act of leadership with a view to making them enviable leaders in this country. We are breeding leaders that are capable of knowing what to do when they assume the position of leadership rather than learning through the ranks. My advice to them is to hinge their life on integrity because that is one major feature of leadership that is lacking in Nigeria today.”

The institute’s Director of Membership, Friday Ibadume, said there were three categories of leadership training at the institute.

“The Graduate Leadership and Management Professional is the first stage which involves young Nigerians who are graduates or still studying. We believe that it is necessary to catch them young because they are loaded with lots of potential.

“The Associate Leadership and Management Professional is the next stage before attaining full Executive Leadership and Management Professional category. We also have the fellows’ category but our duty does not stop after the award of certificates, we invite them for refresher courses regularly,” he said.

The first induction was held in Port Harcourt in 2012 with 60 candidates awarded certificates. One of those who were inducted on Saturday, Emmanuel Aigbodega, said he decided to enrol at the institute in order to prepare for the challenges of the future.

“We have witnessed a lot of leadership challenges in Nigeria but if we have to address it, then today’s youth need guidance,” he said.