RAISING THE BAR OF LEADERSHIP: NIGERIA LEADERSHIP INITIATIVE (NLI) COMMENCES FELLOWS PROGRAM AT YALE UNIVERSITY

The Nigeria Leadership Initiative (NLI) has concluded plans to commence a fellowship program in partnership with Yale University. The inaugural class of NLI Fellows seminar will take place from October 25 – November 1, 2014 at the New Haven campus of Yale University in Connecticut, US.

At the end of the seminar, 25 Nigerians will emerge as the first set of NLI Fellows. This also means that NLI’s membership network will now consist of Associate Fellows (Future Leaders), Fellows (Aspiring Leaders) and Senior Fellows (Accomplished Leaders). NLI Fellows are influential leaders who have reached an inflection point in their lives and are ready to deepen their leadership learning.

In 2013, NLI signed a partnership agreement with Yale University for the purpose of programmatic exchanges and collaboration to build leadership capacity in Africa; develop programs to enhance human capacity in Africa and foster interaction among talents. Leveraging on Yale’s century-old tradition of grooming leaders, NLI is strategically committed to building a community of purposeful leadership to prepare today for the future in which we all desire to live.

According to Yinka Oyinlola, CEO of NLI, “NLI is pleased with the partnership with Yale which allows for Yale’s university-wide collaboration. Nigeria, in particular, and Africa, in general, needs to do away with the thinking that political development or economic resources will bring progress without purposeful leadership. No matter how well endowed a nation is or the sophistication of its democratic regime, growth and development can only happen with committed leadership with the right values. The two parties will collaborate on leadership development activities while exchanging intellectual resources. Additionally, we plan to develop programs to enhance human capacity in Africa.”

Speaking more specifically on the Fellows program, Oyinlola stated that “the NLI Fellows seminar curriculum has been carefully developed to focus on high impact leadership for a better society. The seminar modules will focus on leadership, negotiation and impact assessment. The seminar will run for six days and will be facilitated by Yale faculty. Additionally, the delivery content of the seminar will include presentations, project-oriented workshops, discussion sessions and possibly field trips.”

Concluding, Oyinlola averred that “NLI and Yale have gone to great lengths to put together a world-class Fellows Leadership Seminar that is intensive, interactive and gives value for money and time.”

Michael Capello of Yale added that “we look forward to harnessing the energy, expertise and example of NLI to better equip leaders in Nigeria.”

Anthony Ubani, FCIA
Director of Program
Nigeria Leadership Initiative (NLI)