Adetola Salau to Empower Lagos Residents for Sustainable Development  

Mary Nnah

Driven by a strong foundation of love, trust,  and faith instilled by her parents, Prof A.T. Salau and Dr. (Mrs) O. A. Salau, Dr Adetola Salau, is on a mission to engineer a profound shift in education, values and the development of Lagos state.

Salau is the Founder of Carisma4U Educational Foundation, a platform that advocates for STEM education by organising programmes to help young people embrace STEM subjects as critical tools for improving lives and driving development.

As a natural planner and goal-setter, Salau,  a leader with a profound vision and an unwavering determination to create a better future, has always possessed a deep understanding of her path, values, and the true essence of success.

Her unwavering commitment to envisioning the end goal and seeking clarity in her journey has guided her steps thus far.

However, Salau’s outlook extends far beyond her aspirations, recognising the significance of collective efforts and the power of community.

Belonging to the vibrant tapestry of Lagosians,  Salau believes that it is futile to focus solely on oneself in the face of the current challenges.

The realities of self-reliance, from raising fences to arranging security measures and managing essential services, underscore the importance of shared prosperity.

Driven by the wisdom of her father, who emphasised that shared prosperity guarantees individual prosperity, she has devoted her life to scaling the reach of this lesson as it has served her well.

Amidst her service, Salau has come to understand that a viable trajectory for Lagos to follow as a people, a united collective and a beacon of growth and progress is none other than the way of Sustainable Development. This transformative mindset promises success for today while preserving opportunities for future generations.

For her, understanding that sustainable development of Lagos state begins and ends with the sustainable development of her people, as she recognises that Lagosians themselves must be nurtured sustainably to drive the city’s long-term growth.

It is this realisation that has become the centrepiece of her life’s mission – a mission to empower every Lagosian for the benefit of self, community, state, and nation.

Over the past two decades, Salau’s journey has been marked by valuable lessons, shaping her approach to transformative development.

For the community, her quest to achieve significant milestones, unity and collaboration is indispensable.

On entrepreneurship, she acknowledges the imperfections of the world and therefore emphasises the need to take initiative and become agents of change, while having the confidence that we can drive the change we need and seek.

Recognising that strong foundations are built from the grassroots upward, Salau

advocates for the empowerment of individuals at the community level.

She firmly believes that everyone has a unique role to play, and often, the most

unexpected collaborations yield the most significant impact.

Motivated by her growth and transformation, she is committed to facilitating sustainable development among her fellow Lagosians. She recognises the need for defining and leveraging the principles of sustainability tailored specifically to Lagosians.

To this end, Salau and her dedicated team are conducting comprehensive studies and embarking on a collective effort to guide the development of Lagosians sustainably through education and school.

Believing that the future holds countless possibilities, unexpected outcomes, innovative pilot programs, and statewide scalability,  Salau’s human development initiative will seek to leave no one behind, catering to all age groups and ensuring comprehensive growth and progress.

Guided by an unwavering passion to help Lagosians find shared values and alignment, she envisions a future where every individual consciously and intentionally drives sustainable development in Lagos state as she firmly believes that the fate of Lagos is intrinsically tied to the collective journey of its people.

She invites stakeholders from all sectors – businesses, government entities, and

Citizens – to collaborate in shaping a prosperous future, adding, “Together, let us embark on this momentous journey, empowering every Lagosian to unlock

their potential and drive sustainable development as she emphatically proclaimed, “Where the people go, Lagos goes.”