Olorunsheyi, Adesanya Inspire Young Leaders at Leverage 6.0
Business and leadership experts, Sunday Olorunsheyi and Niyi Adesanya, were among the speakers who inspired attendees at the sixth edition of Leverage, an annual leadership and mentorship programme recently organised by the Olorunsheyi Foundation.
The event with the theme ‘Leadership Unwrapped’, attracted aspiring leaders eager to learn from seasoned professionals, who explored the true meaning of leadership and how it can be effectively practiced.
Olorunsheyi described Leverage as a platform for shaping future leaders and fostering mentorship. He expressed confidence that this year’s edition would leave participants motivated to lead with purpose and work towards positively impacting their communities.
Olorunsheyi, a board member of several businesses, commenced the session by addressing misconceptions about leadership, adding that many people mistakenly equate leadership with position, fame, education, eloquence, power, management, skill, or titles.
The first keynote speaker, Dr. Akin Akinpelu, while highlighting the importance of self-leadership, shared a personal story of his father, who rose from a cleaner at Nigerian Breweries to become a director, but later worked as a taxi driver after retirement.
“For every problem you face, the solution begins with self-leadership. If you cannot lead yourself, then you are not prepared for the challenges of life. The foundation of self-leadership is self-discovery. You must take full responsibility for your life – no excuses, no blame,” he said. Akinpelu also stressed that personal growth and success depend on self-accountability, a clear vision, and the determination to take charge of one’s journey.
Godwin Uwubanmwen, the second keynote speaker, focused on the critical role of followership in achieving dreams. While dreaming big may begin as an individual effort, he explained that collaboration is essential for turning those dreams into reality.
“You can dream big on your own, but you can’t build big things alone,” Uwubanmwen said. He added that believe in one’s vision grows as actions are taken towards its realisation. “The day you take bold action on your vision is the day it begins to take shape.”
The third keynote speaker, Bosede Olusola-Obasa, a character coach, expressed concern about the state of leadership in Nigeria, and urged families to embrace the responsibility of raising ethical leaders by teaching children core values early in life.
“It is easier to nurture children than to repair adults. Never underestimate the power of home training,” Olusola-Obasa said. She advocated for intentional parenting, where values such as contentment, sacrifice, humility, and delayed gratification are instilled early.
“Every home must take on the mandate to raise leaders who are ethical and impactful,” she added. “Teach values like contentment, sacrifice, and selflessness. Be intentional about instilling care, responsiveness, humility, decorum, delayed gratification, effective communication, teachability, and mindful reactions – both verbal and non-verbal. Leadership starts at home, and the lessons learned there shape the leaders of tomorrow.”
Dr. Samson Olatunde followed with an inspiring talk on self-discovery and empowerment. He urged individuals to recognise their unique strengths and use them to create opportunities for themselves and others.
Dr. Niyi Adesanya closed the keynote session with reflections on the importance of influence, collaboration, and authenticity in leadership.
“Leadership is about building strong relationships and staying true to your values. To lead effectively, you must focus on meaningful connections and consistent growth,” said Adesanya.
A panel session, moderated by Olorunsheyi, which featured all the speakers, discussed a variety of topics, including networking, work experience, personal branding, and the influence of relationships on leadership. The speakers collectively urged the youths to look beyond titles and embrace leadership as a means of driving positive change.
