‘Young leaders need tools, not applause’

Ajimobi described Adisa’s journey as proof that a different path is possible, calling the book “a timely intervention for a country richly blessed with youthful energy but struggling with consistency in leadership values.”

In his remarks, the author of the book, Leadership at 27, who once served as Principal Private Secretary to the late AbiolaAjimobi, Hon. Seyi Adisa, traced the origin of the book to a conversation with a young public servant on the brink of quitting due to burnout and frustration.

“As I listened to her, I heard my own story,” he said. “And it hit me that we are losing a generation of young leaders not because they are weak, but because they are unprepared.”

He argued that while young Nigerians possess vision and capability, they are often thrust into complex systems without guidance. “No one gave them a roadmap,” he added.

The book, he explained, is designed as a practical manual rather than a theoretical text, with frameworks and reflection tools to help readers navigate real-world leadership challenges.

Adisa also used the platform to introduce GLANCE—Governors, Leadership and National Civic Engagement—a network of campus-based clubs intended to scale leadership development across Nigerian universities. The initiative, according to him, aims to equip 10,000 young leaders, each of whom is expected to mentor others in a structured model of peer learning and replication.

Speaking during the book launch, Minister of Industry, Trade, and Investment, Jumoke Oduwole, described Adisa as “a kindred spirit in public service,” noting his consistency and growth over the years.

“To step into public service at 27 and navigate it with humility and effectiveness speaks volumes,” she said. “Seyi, I am proud of you. Your best is still ahead,” Oduwole said.

Offering a broader governance perspective, Dr. Ini Abimbola, who delivered a strategic endorsement, questioned whether Nigeria’s leadership gap stems less from a lack of talent and more from a failure of preparation.

“We have the numbers, but we do not have the capacity,” she said. “What is missing are the structures, mentorship, frameworks, and honest conversations about what it truly costs to lead in a country like Nigeria,” Abimbola said.

On his part, a leadership expert, Fela Durotoye challenged long-held assumptions about leadership itself, arguing that the crisis may lie in how it is understood.

“For decades, we told a generation they were the leaders of tomorrow,” he said. “What that did was postpone their sense of responsibility. Leadership became something distant, something external,” Durotoye stated.

He added that “the quality of our lives is shaped not just by intelligence, but by our leadership quotient,” stressing the need to redefine leadership as a personal responsibility rather than a positional privilege.

Also speaking, the Co-Founder of T & A Legal, AyobamiTunde, commended the author for his passion, commitment, and transformational leadership, which are evident in the lives he has touched, both in private and public service.

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Across the discussions, a common thread emerged: Nigeria’s leadership question is no longer about potential, but about preparation. Adisa’s book enters that conversation not as commentary but as a call to action—one that places responsibility not only on young people but also on those positioned to equip them.

Other guests in attendance at the book launch include Senior Special Assistant to the President on Livestock, Hon. Idris Abiola-Ajimobi, Member, Delta House of Assembly, Hon. Marilyn Okowa-Daramola, Former member, Oyo State House of Assembly, Hon. Ayo Fatokun, Honorable Tolu Akande-Sadipe, convener, Best of Nollywood (BON) Awards. Seun Oloketuyi, political associates, among others