By Our Reporter
Keeping with the mission “to create a growing, global network of credible, accomplished community-spirited Nigerian leaders, committed to taking
responsibility for driving positive change in Nigeria and Nigerian communities,” the NLI network has further increased the number of accomplished leaders with the induction of twenty two new Fellows into its Fellows Program.
The NLI Fellows Program was created to fill the vacuum that exists between the NLI Associate Fellows (Emerging leaders) and Senior Fellows (Accomplished Leaders). NLI Fellows are regarded as ‘Rising leaders.’
The pioneer NLI Fellows Seminar was launched in October, 2014 in partnership with Yale University. It is a program specially designed for outstanding Nigerians who are at an inflection point in their lives and are influencers in key leadership positions. The seminar is essentially a collaborative journey and with the help of the experienced moderators, each participant contributes his or her own reflections, experience, and knowledge to the seminar modules.
The major objectives of the seminar are;
- To deepen the leadership learning of the participants
- To challenge the participants on how to create impact for a good Nigerian society
- To move the participants from Success to Significance
- To encourage the participants to move from thought to action through a high impact class project.
Certain key criterion guide the selection of NLI fellows. The participants must be influencers in key leadership positions aged between 36 to 45 years old, with prior record of occupying supervisory positions; they must be passionate about moving Nigeria forward through volunteer experience and/or
mentoring efforts. Other factors considered include diversity, gender, profession, industry and sector and geography. Through the Fellows Seminar, NLI is able to grow a critical mass of values-based leaders who are guided by values and driven by character for the eventual transformation of Nigeria.
The 2nd Fellows seminar took place from September 27 through October 2, 2015 at the Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut. The seminar comprised of a cohort of twenty two accomplished individuals from diverse sectors such as consulting, banking, public service, business, entertainment, media, legal, civil society, and telecommunications. At the end of the seminar, the newly inducted Fellows are poised to go back to their roles with more tenacity and enablement to thrive under uncertainty, ready to create high impact in the society, to enhance personal and professional growth and to achieve key competencies necessary to boost performance.
BRIEF BIOS OF 2015 NLI FELLOWS
Twenty two (22) Fellows participated in the NLI’s 2015 Fellows seminar. Below are details of the newly inducted Fellows:
They are Olubunmi Dayo-Olagunju, Chief Executive, Stanbic IBTC Asset Management Limited (SIAML), Fela Durotoye,Chief Executive Officer, GEMSTONE Group, Ogedi Onyeama, Vice President, African Capital Alliance (ACA),Onofiok Luke, Member, Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, Hauwa Yabani,MD/CEO of Abuja Technology Village, Danladi Verheijen, CEO/MD of Verod Capital Management, Kemi Ajayi,COO, Banwo & Ighodalo Law Firm, Eyo O. Eyo,Head, POS Business Unit and Prepaid Card Business, First Bank of Nigeria, Fatima Kere Ahmed, State Counsel, Code of Conduct Bureau, Gimba Mohammed, Head, Public Sector and Education Sales Team, MainOne,Joke Aliu, Partner, Aluko & Oyebode, Law Firm, Ifeoma Monye, Associate Partner, Ciuci Consulting,Paul Okeugo, Head of Sales for Microsoft (MMDS) West Africa and Co Founder, Chocolate City Group, Oluseyi Ajibola, Co-founder, Zircon Marine Limited, Nasir Ingawa,Managing Partner, Nasara Real Estate Limited, Onome Ako, Director, Strategic Partnerships, Amref, Canada,Olurotimi Odunaike, Global Delivery Manager, Digitas LBI, Stephanie Busari,Digital Supervising Producer, CNN International, Tajudeen Ahmed,Assistant General Manager (AGM) and Head of Corporate Planning & Strategy at Skye Bank Plc, Tunde Ladipo,Country Head, Tony Blair African Governance Initiative (AGI), Uzo Nwani, CEWA, Global Partner Executive, IBM , Yemi Osindero, Managing Director Standard Chartered Private Equity’s West Africa.
