JCI Ibadan Elite Begins 2026 With Capacity Building Of Board Members
• Urges Govt. To Adopt JCI Leadership Models
By Omowumi Akinwale
The Junior Chamber International, Nigeria, JCI Ibadan Elite has commenced it’s 2026 year with Officers Training School, OTS, a capacity building which serve as part of the efforts to ensure good and quality leadership among board members in the organization.
Newsarena.ng reports that the training which was held in Ibadan on Thursday had three sessions with the topics “JCI Nigeria: The Burden Of Leadership, Then, Now, And Tomorrow.”; “Trisector Leadership For The Future”; and “The Ibadan Elite Leader: Pros And Cons.”
One of the facilitators, the 2015 JCI Nigeria national president, JCI Senator Seun Osikalu while speaking with journalists emphasized the importance of training for anyone who aspire to lead in any position, noting that both leaders and followers have roles to play for any society to develop.
JCI Senator Osikalu however said leaders take the largest percentage of the roles and responsibilities for the failure or success in nation building, hence the need to properly guide and apply sanctions where necessary.
He said “Nigeria has developed system that do not really support leadership as it suppose to be, some leaders now come with incentives for followers to do the right thing. For instance, do I need a leader to tell me to follow traffic rules,? but I need a leader to enforce it. The only difference we have with developed countries is that, you as a citizen in a developed country, if you commit any infraction or crime, you’re guaranteed a prosecution, because the law enforcement will come.’
Osikalu said every JCI member is expected to deliver quality leadership in their respective professions considering the trainings and leadership experiences they have been exposed to while discharging their responsibilities in Junior Chamber International.
‘They also have the responsibility to lead in a larger society, to ensure that if things didn’t happen the way they were supposed to be, you have the responsibility to assume leadership role and fix it, if you can’t fix it, put together a committee or friends or neighbors that can help you to fix it. That’s why we had the topic Trisector Leadership ”
JCI Sen. Osikalu added that there’s always a training for all new set of executives every year and the knowledge is to be able to run the organisation professionally and also impact their communities.
Another resource person, JCI Sen Kola Osinowo, noted that the programme was designed to prepare leaders for the responsibilities and challenges of today and tomorrow, with a focus on adaptive leadership for the future.
He explained that leadership goes beyond titles, stressing that members were taught how to understand the organisation as a whole and work effectively with fellow leaders and members.
“Leadership is usually tested and not explained. At the end of the day, adaptive leadership is practical. Throughout the year, leaders will face different challenges that require teamwork,” he said.
Two of the participants, JCI Ibadan Elite Vice President External Affairs, JCI Ambassordor Babatunde Odunaiya and Vice President Internal Affairs, JCI Ambassordor Funmilola Adeagbo-Olayonwa stated that JCI is a continuous learning organisation and participants are expected to pass down the knowledge gathered at the training to the members of their teams.
While Odunaiya advocated for peace and stability as the 2027 election campaign activities draw nearer, JCI Ambassordor Adeagbo-Olayonwa advised women who are interested to lead, to skill up and take up responsibilities.
Speaking with newsarena.ng, the 2026 JCI Ibadan Elite President JCI Amb. Ibukunoluwa Otesile remarked that the training was necessary for every newly elected or appointed board members of the organization, admonishing governments at all levels in Nigeria to adopt the JCI Leadership Models for a better society
