Author: SalimoWits

Roland Eyetu Inpires SLI Club Members

Salimo-Wits hosted the first Leadership club meeting and training for the year on Saturday 22nd February, 2014 in Yaba, Lagos. The focus of the meeting was on goal setting and mentoring. The speakers were ambassador Roland Eyetu  – a quantity surveyor par excellence  and  ambassador Kingsley Ewere – Pastor, author and motivational speaker.

Arrival and registration of participants at the venue started about 12.45pm. The forum moderated by Dare Oladipupo commenced shortly after 1:00 pm with an interactive video session which examined the life of Nelson Mandela ~ his unique leadership qualities, his imprisonment, fight for freedom and eventual enthronement as the present of South Africa. The programme continued with members introducing themselves and telling others what lessons they have learned from the life and achievements of Nelson Mandela. A thrilling chat session on the topic ‘Is Everyone A Leader?’ drew insightful contributions, and comments from the audience and the facilitators.

The first training session titled ‘7 Little known Goal-Setting Tricks’ commenced at 2:45pm, with the facilitator Roland Eyetu outlining the importance of specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and time-bound goals in the life of any youth that desires academic and career success. He guided the participants through seven vital tips and rules that would help them set and realize their short-term and long-term objectives. Also, he advised the youths to dream real big but devise small steps and that would lead to the fulfillment of the dream. He rounded off his session with this statement, “Successful people are very dynamic. They don’t sit on the fence or stand on the sidelines folding their hands and waiting for their circumstances to change. They are not daydreamers. They are risk-takers and action-takers.”

The next presentation on ‘Understanding The Mentor/Mentee Relationship’ was delivered by Ambassador Kingsley Ewere. He spoke extensively on the importance and benefits of mentoring. He defined a mentor as a wise and trusted counselor, a friend, an experienced adviser and role model. He described a mentee as a person who is guided and protected by a more prominent and influential person. Also, he enumerated the different types of mentees or protégées as passive protégée, parasite protégée, prodigal protégée and productive protégée. To wrap up the training session, Ambassador Ewere inspired the audience with these words, “Ordinary teachers teach, but a mentor inspires you to become all that you have the in-built capacity to be.”

The second stanza of Nigerian National anthem was unveiled as the official anthem of the Salimo-Wits Leadership club. In a closing charge, the founder and president of the Salimo~Wits Foundation Dan Ekoko encouraged the youths of Club SLI with these words “The journey of a thousand miles begins with one single step. Don’t be in a hurry to realize the goals you set for yourself. There will always be difficult challenges on the road but don’t give up. You will get there. The life story of Joseph in the Bible is instructive to every youth. The Nigerian youth of today must know that small dreamers can only occupy a small place in the world. Therefore, dream big. See beyond yourself. Envision a big, better and brighter future for yourself. Be patient like Joseph and in the end, you will achieve it.”

Salimo-Wits Leadership Initiative which is committed to raising visionary, sacrificial and servant leaders organizes inspirational leadership meetings and trainings to re-orientate and re-engineer the mindset of Nigerian youths. The next forum with the theme: ‘Personal Growth’ is scheduled for June 2014 alongside other activities.

A New Year Message from Dan Ekoko

Dear Young friends,
Life may not always present us the second chance to see another new year, so we are happy and thankful to God for leading us to 2014. Words cannot describe my delight and excitement for witnessing another year as a Nigerian. As we celebrate the end of one year and the beginning of another, it is very obvious that there is a crisis of leadership consequently a great demand for a new breed of leaders that will rebuild and re-position all the different institutions and spheres of influence in our nation.

Today, the greatest need in our nation is not for “more leaders” but for “more servant leaders.” Today, there are many things in our country that can be rightly criticized: things of which none of us is proud – things which we must collectively take responsibility to change. Today, our motherland is buffeted by mass hunger, poverty, crime, corruption, environmental degradation, massive unemployment, disease, primitive state of basic infrastructure, occultism, militancy, terrorism, youth restiveness and violence, kidnapping etc. Of a truth, there is urgent demand for nurturing and mentoring dynamic and effective leaders in order to re-position our motherland for greatness.

2014 must be one in which our young people should be able to look forward to an enhanced empowerment and education. It should be one in which fewer of them become victims of cultism, rape, drug addiction, drug and human trafficking, hooliganism, crime or are forced to grow up in hunger, poverty, on the street or in jail.

2014 is the time to unfold new horizons and realize new dreams and visions, to rediscover the hope, strength, energies, potentials, talents, gifts and faith within and to gear up for new challenges. I am happy to announce to you that Salimo~Wits Foundation will work with you as a partner and as a friend because we believe in you, in your dreams and vision as well as in your ability to change Nigeria.

As I said earlier, our nation is in great demand for a new breed of servant leaders who will rebuild and re-position all the different institutions and spheres of influence. And you are that servant leader that our nation awaits. Let the words of the famous American Republican Carl Schurz be your slogan for 2014: “My country; and my country is My country, right or wrong; if right, to be kept right; and if wrong, to be set right.” Nigeria’s future is up to all of us. All of us at the Salimo-Wits Foundation welcome you into 2014 with prayers of good health, happiness and success.

Dan Ekoko
President and Founder

Femi Bandele Trains SLI Youths On Goal-Setting

Salimo-Wits Leadership Initiative hosted her third and concluding club forum and training for the year on Saturday, December 14th, 2013 with the theme: “Create the Future”.  A total number of 15 youths attended the training program which was designed to enable participants appreciate the power of goal setting and its impact on success as well as learn how to set appropriate short-term and long-term goals. At the end of the training, participants were expected to create personal mission and vision statements in order to increase the likelihood of their achieving success in their life pursuits. Arrival and registration of participants at the training venue started at about 12.40pm. The forum officially commenced at 1:00pm with rendition of the Nigerian national anthem. The program officer for Salimo-Wits Leadership Initiative Mr. Akin Adelakun, in his opening remark welcomed attendees and briefly extolled the qualities and leadership lessons in the life of the late former South African president and leadership icon Nelson Mandela.

The training session on ‘Goal-Setting’ was facilitated by Ambassador Femi Bandele. He commenced the training with a quotation from Jim Collins, “We cannot predict the future, but we can create it.” He underlined preparation and self-development as the key to success in life. The speaker clarified the difference between vision, mission, goals and objectives. He described a goal as a broad target. He said objectives are time bound, measurable, specific; realistic and should lead to the realization of goals. He defined a vision as a design, description and expectation of the future in the mind’s eye. In the words of the facilitator/trainer, “Your mission is your philosophy of operation. It is what separates and differentiates you from the crowd. Your objectives and your goals should be the ladder towards achieving your vision.” He guided the participants through a session on SWOT analysis. He stressed the need to identify one’s strength, weakness, opportunities and treats. The interactive and practical training session was concluded with the separation of the participants into four different work groups in order to utilize the new knowledge gained to create their goals, objectives as well as vision and mission statements. Each work group delivered presentations following the end of the group session.

The facilitators emphasized values, integrity and skill acquisition as being keys to being a transformational leader and change agent in the society. They further admonished participants to transfer whatever knowledge acquired during the training to others. The December edition of Salimo-Wits Leadership Club forum was concluded with closing prayers and group photographs.

The Salimo-Wits Leadership club forum aims at providing a social network and inspirational platform for members to learn, discover, develop and deploy their leadership skills and talents for personal and societal benefits. This is in line with the organization’s mission to raise visionary, sacrificial and servant leaders for national transformation, national advancement and global impact. The Leadership club’s next meeting in February 2014 will be a follow up training on Goal Setting and Mentoring.

GROW UP IN LEADERSHIP

True leadership is not what you attain overnight. You will to go through the process of growth. Growth is one of the characteristics of living things. Only dead things do not grow. To be a leader, others will follow; personal growth is not negotiable. To really occupy the place of leadership, you must be ready to pay the cost which is GROWTH. Leadership is very delicate and it entails a great deal of maturity which is the outcome of GROWTH.

WHAT IS GROWTH?
According to the Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, ‘GROWTH’ is the process of growing physically, mentally or emotionally. It is a systematic increase in the size, amount or degree of something. It is the process of planting a seed whereby it grows to it fruit. Growth entails consistent up-grading of your life, moving towards a more advanced state. Growth is a never ending journey. It is a process and not a programmme – a project that can never be really completed.

•Don’t just grow older, you must grow up.
•Don’t remain the ‘YOU’ that you were yesterday.
•True growth starts internally before reflecting externally.
•Growth is a positive change, a friend and not an enemy.
•God is interested in your growth
•Your level of growth which is your capacity determines the level of success in life.

Leadership skills and qualities can be learnt and mastered by anybody irrespective of his or her background. Leaders are to grow daily in order to remain forcefully relevant. You need to grow up in the following leadership qualities:

•Competence
•Integrity
•Vision
•Compassion
•Wisdom
•Sacrificial living
•Humility
•Relational skills
•Courage
•Commitment
•Creativity
•Communication skills

Excerpt of kingsley Ewere’s (Convener) SUCCESS FOR YOUTHS presentation on the Independence Day Special Edition of the ‘SUCCESS FOR YOUTHS’ held on October 1st, 2013 @the National Sickle Cell Center, Lagos.

Acres of Diamond

One of the most inspiring stories ever told, is the Acres of Diamonds. In the early 20th century, a Baptist preacher named Russell Conwell told this story over 6,000 times in speeches all over the world. Acres of diamond is an inspirational and amazing story about a farmer in Africa who was happy and content. One day a wise man came to him and told him about the glory of diamonds and the power that goes along with them. The wise man said, “If you had a diamond the size of your thumb, you could have your own city. If you had a diamond the size of your fist, you could probably own your own country.” And then he went away.

That night the farmer couldn’t sleep. He was unhappy and he was discontent. He was unhappy because he was discontent and discontent because he was unhappy. The next morning he made arrangements to sell off his farm, took care of his family and went in search of diamonds. He looked all over Africa and couldn’t find any. He looked all through Europe and couldn’t find any. When he got to Spain, he was emotionally, physically and financially broke. He got so disheartened that he threw himself into the Barcelona River and committed suicide.

Back home, the person who had bought his farm was watering the camels at a stream that ran through the farm. Across the stream, the rays of the morning sun hit a stone and made it sparkle like a rainbow. He thought it would look good on the mantle piece. He picked up the stone and put it in the living room. That afternoon the wise man came and saw the stone sparkling. He asked, “Is Hafiz back?” The new owner said, “No, why do you ask?” The wise man said, “Because that is a diamond. I recognize one when I see one.” The man said, no, that’s just a stone I picked up from the stream. Come, I’ll show you. There are many more.” They went and picked some samples and sent them for analysis. Sure enough, the stones were diamonds. They found that the farm was indeed covered with acres and acres of diamonds.

Lesson of Acres of Diamonds
The lesson of this story is simple: You don’t need not look elsewhere for opportunity, achievement or fortune. All of the opportunities you could possibly want can be found where you are now – in your present community, job, family and other circumstances. For best results, we need to dig in our own backyard, to find opportunities where we are now.

Salimo-Wits Launches Leadership Club in Lagos

Salimo-Wits Leadership Initiative launched the Salimo-Wits Leadership club on Saturday 13th of July, 2013. The maiden club meeting which was held at the organization’s office in Yaba, Lagos started at about 1:40pm with a short inspirational video clip on the life story and accomplishments of the globally respected African-American neuro-surgeon ; Dr. Ben Carson.

Delivering the welcome address and opening remarks for the event; Roland Eyetu and Kingsley Ewere both Executive Coordinators of Salimo-Wits Leadership Initiative reiterated the need to grow a new generation of innovative and dynamic leaders in Nigeria. They also enlightened the participants on the importance of self-development and maximizing the potentials of youth. One of the highlights of the inaugural meeting was the interactive session titled: ‘My Leadership Model.’ During this session participants talked about their favourite leaders and discussed various personal definitions of leadership.

The focal point of the training was the launching of the Salimo-Wits leadership club coordinated by the founder and president of the foundation, Dan Ekoko. While introducing the club to the participants; the founder said that aside being an empowerment and network platform for bonding young Nigerians that are passionate for personal improvement and national transformation; Salimo-Wits leadership club would also serve as a forum for accessing leadership information, mentoring, training and counseling.

The president also stated that the club’s programs and activities would be extended to secondary schools and higher institutions across the country. Closing his speech; Dan Ekoko re-echoed the commitment and determination of Salimo-Wits Leadership Initiative to raise a new generation of nation-builders and nation-changers. The inauguration of the Salimo-Wits Leadership Club was finally concluded with the presentation of certificates to participants.

Salimo Wits Leadership Initiative Inspire Youths For Leadership

In order to inspire  and grow a new generation of young leaders that would reposition Nigeria for national transformation and global influence; Salimo Wits Leadership Initiative  recently held  a  free  one  week  leadership training  programme  for fifty (50)  youths within the Yaba LCDA and environs at its office located at  Yaba, Lagos State. Speaking at the opening ceremony of the programme, which started on Monday April 8th and ended on April 12th, 2013; one of the Executive Coordinators of the   organization, Ambassador Owoyemi Emmanuel said the leadership programme hoped to educate and expose young people to concepts and principles of leadership. He also explained that during the programme, participants will learn new attitudes and skills that will enable them chart a positive course for their lives and position them to lead their peers.

The one week training consisted of three interactive sessions per day that covered various topics on Leadership, mental health, relationship, emotional intelligence, success, national transformation, self-awareness and self-development. The facilitation team comprised Ambassadors Emmanuel Owoyemi, Kingsley Ewere, Dan Ekoko, Roland Eyetu, Prosper Vincent and Pastor Tunji Dada. A total number of 41 participants (10 females and 31 males) attended the one week programme.