Top government officials and the organizers at the summit.
By Anietie Akpan
Nigerian students have been charged on developing positive, wide mindset and unyielding leadership spirit towards leadership roles in the society.
The State Commissioner for Trade and Investment, Dr. Ubong Inyang, the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Research and Documentation, Dr. Essien Ndueso, gave the charge recently at a leadership summit aimed at repositioning the mindset of students, held at the Metropolitan Polytechnic, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.
The representative of the Commissioner for Youth Development, Dr Ekerette Ekanem, other personal aides to the Governor were present at the summit.
Dr Ndueso who was the lead speaker at the leadership summit, organized by the Students Union Government (SUG), urged students to develop an unyielding leadership spirit, emphasizing the need for a radical redefinition of leadership that would empower them to make a meaningful impact in their society.
He reiterated the need to activate leadership potential in oneself and others, particularly among the undervalued and underestimated, by prioritizing leadership core values.
Speaking on the topic, “Activating the Indomitable Prowess of Leadership Beyond Aristocracy and Politics”, Dr Ndueso encouraged the students to look beyond aristocratic titles and political positions but to recognize the everyday leaders shaping communities from the ground upwards.
Dr. Ndueso (R) receiving his award.
Dr. Ndueso also charged the students to strive for unwavering excellence, emphasizing that true leadership is rooted in values and not disability, stressing that power does not validate leadership, but rather impact does, calling for a leadership approach that prioritizes service, integrity, and justice.
”We live in a world where the image of leadership has been distorted. Leaders should live not to lead but to serve”, he said adding that, “true leadership is grounded in values and not disability. Power does not validate leadership, impact does.
”So activating the leadership potential in ourselves and others, we must elevate service over status, integrity over influence, and justice over confidence by creating spaces where leadership is inclusive, accessible, and accountable”.
He emphasized that ”a teacher is as important a leader as a president. A community organizer is as powerful as a chief executive officer. A young student with a dream is easily seen as a leader in motion. As a student, you must know that leadership is practiced not just in boardrooms or panels, but in every act of conviction and care.
”So let’s redefine leadership now. A time has come to stop mistaking leadership for authority. For the essence of leadership lies not in power, but in influence and integrity”.
Dr Ndueso further called on the students to reclaim leadership as a collective, accessible endeavor, one not reserved for the elite, but embedded in daily acts of vision and integrity.
Dr. Ndueso (L) and Dr. Inyang in tête-à-tête during the summit.
According to him, “We must stop waiting for messiahs in agbada or khaki. The revolution we seek is already in motion carried by hands that build without cameras, and voices that inspire without microphones.”
He urged students to focus on igniting an awareness, where leadership is defined by service and substance, not status amongst the youths, noting that “the power to transform our societies lies not just in the ballot box or in high offices. It lives in the streets, in our homes, in our hands.”
Earlier, the Keynote Speaker at the summit and Commissioner for Trade and Investment, Elder Inyang, emphasized the importance of mindset in achieving greatness, stating that “a wide mindset matters.”
According to him, mindset refers to a fixed mental attitude or disposition that pre-determines a person’s responses and interpretations of situations, serving as an internal compass that guides decisions, relationships, ambitions, and legacy.
The Commissioner explained that mindset matters because “your thoughts become your beliefs, your beliefs become your habits, and your habits become your destiny.”
Top government officials and other dignitaries at the summit.
He stressed that one’s mindset determines his or her greatness, saying, “It is not your age, background, or environment that determines your greatness. It is your mindset.”
Dr Inyang further urged the students to harness the power of their mindset by eliminating any form of fear, that can hinder them from achieving their goals and improve their lives.
”Your background does not define you. The world may doubt you and your mindset but be strong and courageous, do not be afraid, do not be discouraged. For the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.
”The greatest revolution is not technology or politics, but the renewal of the human mind. It is the foundation of all progress” he said.
Highpoint of the event was the presentation of Excellent Leadership Awards to Dr. Inyang, Dr. Ndueso, representative of the Commissioner for Youth, Mr. Aloysius Amama and the Personal Assistant to the Governor on Students Matters, Comrade Wisdom Offong, among others.
