From Fellows to Change-Makers: LJLA Graduates Step Into Leadership
From Fellows to Change-Makers: LJLA Graduates Step Into Leadership
For the 30 young Nigerians who graduated from the Lateef Jakande Leadership Academy (LJLA), Friday evening was more than a graduation ceremony—it was the moment their leadership journey moved from the classroom into the wider society.
The graduates, members of the 2025/2026 cohort known as the “Class of Catalysts,” were presented with certificates after completing a fellowship designed to expose them to leadership, governance and public service.
For many of the young leaders, the ceremony in Ikeja marked the beginning of a new responsibility: putting the knowledge, experiences and networks acquired during the fellowship to work in their communities and professional lives.
The Lagos State Governor, , challenged the graduates not to see the end of the fellowship as the end of their leadership training, but as the beginning of their responsibility to society.
He urged them to apply what they had learnt whenever they encounter difficult situations in their careers and to use their leadership skills to contribute to positive change across Nigeria.
The Governor said the Academy was established to bridge the gap between the aspirations of young Nigerians and the realities of leadership in the public sector.
Named after the late former Lagos State Governor, Lateef Jakande, the Academy seeks to prepare young Nigerians to understand leadership beyond positions and titles, with emphasis on impact and institutional development.
For the graduating fellows, that philosophy now comes with the expectation that they will become catalysts for change wherever their careers take them.
Sanwo-Olu also disclosed that more than 16,000 applications were received for the new cohorts, underscoring the competitiveness of the selection process and the significance of being among those chosen to participate.
He challenged the young leaders to embrace discomfort, work with people from different backgrounds and contribute even when they find themselves in rooms where they are the least experienced.
The graduates were also encouraged to remain adaptable in a rapidly changing world.
Lagos State Deputy Governor, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, urged the fellows to embrace the principle of learning, unlearning and relearning, particularly in the face of rapid technological changes.
He advised them not to be intimidated by the future but to adapt to emerging technologies and deploy them in tackling societal challenges.
Keynote speaker, Hakeem Bello-Osagie, delivered another message aimed at shaping the graduates’ outlook beyond the Academy. He urged them to find their own paths rather than follow the crowd, overcome their fears and remain willing to take risks, including the risk of failure.
Meanwhile, the Executive Secretary of the Academy, Ayisat Agbaje-Okunade, said the ultimate goal was not merely to train young Nigerians but to ensure that the knowledge and skills acquired translate into meaningful career opportunities and leadership roles.
That message perhaps best captures the next chapter for the Class of Catalysts.
Their certificates may mark the completion of a fellowship, but for the 30 graduates, the real test begins outside the Academy—where their decisions, careers and contributions will determine whether the leadership lessons they received can translate into tangible impact.
As a new cohort of 30 fellows was inducted into the Academy, the graduating class left with a charge that extends far beyond the ceremony: to lead, to serve and to make a difference.
