Lagos: In a world often dominated by transactional giving and optics-driven interventions, an extraordinary event unfolded at Greensprings School, Lagos, where over a hundred senior secondary students gathered for a youth leadership workshop, not for entertainment or tokenistic exposure, but for a genuine invitation to lead.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, TEXEM, a UK-based leadership development organisation, convened this workshop to mark its fifteenth anniversary. Unlike many commemorative events that serve as vanity milestones, this was a profoundly human declaration: that leadership development should not be reserved for boardrooms and ministries but must start where the future lives-in schools, in youth, and in the raw courage of untapped potential.
Dr Alim Abubakre, the founder of TEXEM, emphasized that leadership does not begin with a job title. It begins with awareness, action, and the courage to serve. This sentiment was a call to conscience that resonated through every panel, breakout session, and question posed by the students, who began to see themselves as stakeholders in national transformation.
Contributions from notable figures, such as John Momoh's reflections on media integrity and Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat's advocacy for values-driven public service, reinforced a shared belief: society has a sacred responsibility to equip its youngest members not only with skills but with vision, empathy, and agency.
This initiative was not about developing human capital for future corporate gain but about honouring the intrinsic worth of every young person and reinforcing that their dreams are not naive but necessary. The workshop's design reflected this ethos, as students were active participants, posing challenging questions to leaders, sharing perspectives, and committing to actions that they would take in their communities.
Students pledged to advocate for mental health awareness and initiate recycling projects in their neighbourhoods. These were acts of conviction, sparked by a sincere encounter with responsibility, not exercises in branding or PR.
The workshop demonstrated that normative CSR is not about measuring success by ROI or market positioning but by asking what is right, just, and owed to those without a platform or privilege. TEXEM's investment in young Nigerians made a statement of values, reclaiming the moral centre of leadership development.
The event concluded with a quiz competition, recognising students like Marcus Ofure from Gbagada Senior Grammar School, Daudu Abdul from Anthony Village High School, and Bakare Titilope from Immaculate Heart Senior High School for their achievements.
This initiative serves as a reminder that CSR need not be tied to metrics of brand equity. Sometimes, the purest impact is that which expects nothing in return but hopes for a more just world. For the students, the experience was transformative, as they left emboldened and trusted with responsibility.
As nations face uncertainty and institutions seek legitimacy, interventions like this are not optional but essential. TEXEM's workshop exemplifies how organisations can lead from a place of conscience, honouring shared humanity and reminding us that true leadership starts with the next generation.