How time flies. The famous Omolayole Annual Lecture Series that started in 1985 is already 30years, and what a way to celebrate it other than to bring up a high profile Guest Lecturer (Mr Seni Adetu), the outgoing Managing Director of Guinness Nigeria PLC to deliver a high profile and most urgently relevant topic in our present day Nigeria “Social Entrepreneurship As A Tool For National Economic Development” held at the prestigious NECA Auditorium, Ikeja.

As one of the well-known Omolayole products at Lever Brothers, and a Part Time Senior Consultant and Development Economist at Omolayole Associates. I was invited by the organizers, as always. Before we delve into the brilliant handling of the somewhat confusing lecture topic by Seni Adetu (Adetu? Is this a Nigerian name or Ghanaian? I have made some enquiries but haven’t yet got an answer!) Before we go into summarizing the Seni Adetu’s lecture let me let you into a secret.


Although we all enjoyed and benefited from that lecture, I didn’t intend to write an article to summarize my impressions. The inspiration to write came upon me on Tuesday 30th September 2014, whilst listening to that intelligent broadcaster on Inspiration FM, the glorious Gloria Maduka. On her beat for that day, which coincided with the eve of Nigeria’s Independence Day Anniversary, Gloria sent out a big question to all her listeners “Mention one or two people you know, either present or past, who have added value to Nigeria through their Leadership Traits”. The response was overwhelming as it was enthusiastic. As would be expected, most of the callers came up with those names in the realm of Politics.

Not one of them came up with a University Professor, a Scientist, or a name from that special breed of human beings, Agent of Change in their Communities, Towns, States, and none, within the ranks of Captains of Industry. As I began to ponder on that urgently relevant poser by Gloria Maduka, my mind veered towards the last Omolayole annual lectures, and there from, into the organizers, AIESEC Alumni Association Nigeria, a body comprising of young professionals in various fields, a group of young men and women professionals in various fields. Inaugurated in 1981, they made up their minds to make a major impact on their Environment, especially in the area of Management Education, Management Practice and Management Development. While still deliberating on what to do, that would best announce their arrival on the Corporate stage, Dr Mike Omolayole retired as the Executive Chairman of Lever Brothers PLC.

What a pleasant coincidence! An Annual Lecture series had already been decided upon by AIESEC Alumni Nigeria and, Dr Mike Omolayole had already been penciled down to deliver the inaugural lecture. It was not exactly, songs of Halleluyas that erupted from within the ranks of AIESEC alumni Nigeria, for Christians and Muslims abound almost in equal numbers.

Rather, it was a spontaneous and inward shout of excitement akin to those “Eureka” Moments of Discovery by Archimedes. What to do? The AIESEC Alumni Nigeria Executives (Olawale Adewoyin, now a big man in the USA, was President, the Late Herbert Awak Essien was Vice President, Sola Oyetayo a Chartered Accountant was Secretary and main coordinator for many years, Muyiwa Iwayemi, now a key player in the banking sector, also played his own part, Idris Yakubu, a top management staff of Fidelity Bank, as well as many others), all of those men and women sat down and opted to take a big gamble.


Instead of asking Dr Mike Omolayole to deliver the inaugural lecture, why not gamble on a risky No for an answer, by proposing an Annual Omolayole Lecture series in his honour, such that would focus on pressing national issues with emphasis on Management, Management Development, Business, Banking and Finance, and Institution of Government that touch on the lives of all Nigerian?
Trust Dr Omolayole, never to jump at offers that would resemble a “Greek Gift”. He wasn’t convinced that those young men and women would have the staying power to sustain an uninterrupted Annual Lecture Series and advised them not to start what they could not finish.

Undaunted by Omolayole’s justifiable pessimisism, those AIESEC Alumni Nigeria executives and members went ahead to organize the first ever Omolayole Annual Management Lecture in 1985 and was titled “Industrialization and Economic Recovery”, delivered by Chief Earnest Shonekan. Up to date 30 lectures have been painstakingly organized by the AIESEC Alumni Nigeria, and delivered by very prominent and well respected men from all over Nigeria.


By the time they organized the second lecture in 1986 and the third lecture in 1987, Dr Omolayole began to feel at ease and more confident of their ability and was now ready to give them all the cooperation and connections that would best advance their mission – a productive symbiosis that has produced the first ever 30years of unbroken lecture series in honour of Dr Omolayole.


Let’s go back to the 30th lecture in the series, delivered by the outgoing Managing Director of Guinness Nigeria PLC, Seni Adetu – Social Entrepreneurship as the Tool for National Economic Development”. Seni Adetu’s brilliant handling of the topic gave all of us present, a sample of the top quality decisions that precede the proroduction of a top quality international brand like Guinness Stout and Malta Guinness in Nigeria. He showcased himself as a brilliant and homemade Chief Executive of a Multinational Corporate Outfit. Let’s summarize his expose as follows…


Social Entrepreneurship is a dynamic and compelling need of a Developing country like Nigeria, which if focused upon, will help enhance and sustain the process of Economic Development through employment generation, reduction of unrest and social tension among the estimated 65million unemployed youths in Nigeria.


As desirable as Social Entrepreneurship is, it is often made Unattainable by an inadvertent or perhaps deliberate lack of focus by governments at all levels and by many Corporate Organizations.
Lack of easy access to funding, Environmental and Cultural factors, lack of access to appropriate and modern technology as well as a near absence of Research and Development and, above all, the fear of failure are major impediments also highlighted by Seni Adetu.


In spite of all these impediments however Seni Adetu counsels, “when there a will, there is always a way-out” That way out is for all of us, governments and parastatals at all levels, politicians, philanthropist and community leaders, to stand up and be counted in promoting social entrepreneurship. With Nigeria massive unemployment among the youths now hovering around the 64million mark (so says a recent report from New York) the time to stand up and be counted is Now!


Let’s return to our heroes and heroines at AIESEC Alumni Nigeria. Many of these young men and women who opted to pull their talents, knowledge and experience together for the common good of the larger society through honouring an Icon of Industry and Management Best Practices, Dr Mike Omolayole, have been handsomely rewarded in their various careers. Mrs Mosun Bello Olusoga is an Ex-Executive Director of GTB and now Director at Access Bank. Mrs Ifueko Omoigui-Okairu, is an Ex-Chairman of Federal Inland Revenue Service and now a Director of Diamond Bank PLC, Mrs Sola David-Borha is the current and well respected CEO at Stanbic-IBTC Bank.


The impressive list continues. Mfon Usoro, an FCMB Drirector, Olusola Oyetayo a Chartered Accountant, Idris Yakubu, a top management staff at Fidelity Bank and Brenda Nwagwu, a fast rising Advertising Practitioner. All of these names have contributed immensely to the 30years story of what Nigerian youths can achieve, and have indeed achieved through theses 30 painstaking years of Omolayole Lecture Series.


30years ago, these well motivated and determined young men and women gathered themselves together and asked “What can we do for Nigeria?” Organizing Omolayole Annual Lectures consistently and uninterruptedly for these 30years, is what they have achieved. Their “Young Has Grown! They all sowed a seed into nature and nature has rewarded all of them with bountiful harvest in terms of achievements and fulfillments in their private and professional lives.


What is the “Koko Inu Iwe Irohin” (summary) in all of these?
By organising the Omolayole lecture series for 30years continuously, Nigerian Youths, through the platform of AIESEC Alumni Nigeria, have indicated clearly and loudly, that there is a lot more Nigeria can tap from their bountiful energy and Thought Processes. It is my considered opinion that Nigeria has shot herself in the legs by deliberately ignoring the huge potentials of the youths, by overconcentrating attention on Politics and Politicians.


By this laudable feat of the youths of AIESEC Alumni Nigeria, a great challenge is hereby thrown on the laps of Youths everywhere to organize Programs and Events that would celebrate Leadership and Honour in all other areas of human endeavors.


There are so many Omolayole’s in Nigeria, who have dedicated their lives and talents to adding great value to Nigeria. Let us begin to celebrate them too. AIESEC Alumni Nigeria has, for 30years been rubbing minds and sending their proposals to Government.


The last of such organized meeting and rubbing of minds was through those Annual Nigerian Institute of Management Lectures, through which the Opinion and Contributions of Major Players in Government and Organized Private Sector were highlighted, debated upon, summarized and then sent to Government. Nigerian Institute of Management, Centre for Management Development, COREN, Nigerian Economic Society and all such Professional Bodies, please wake up and let your members voices begin to sound the “Alarum Bell” as to the grave challenges confronting Nigeria at the moment and offer us the way forward.

http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/a-peep-into-youth-leadership/193245/