Leaders advocate inclusive workplaces to nurture young talent
By Rukayat Moisemhe
Mr Ayodele Olawande, Minister of State for Youth Development, and the Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Dr Obafemi Hamzat, have called for diversity, equity and inclusivity in workplaces to cultivate an environment for young professionals to thrive.
They made the appeal at the Nigerian Institute of Management (NIM) Chartered 2024 Young Managers’ Summit and Young Managers’ Competition on Wednesday in Lagos.
The Minister of Youth Development, represented by Mr Funke Lawani, a lawyer, said that these values were not only morally right but crucial for attracting, retaining, and inspiring the next generation of leaders.
He explained that today’s young professionals enter the workforce seeking careers that reflect their values, adding that for them, diversity serves as a foundation for innovation.
Olawande added that diversity was not just a metric or goal; but the lifeblood of innovation and adaptability which equips to solve complex challenges.
He noted that inclusivity empowers diversity, and equity addresses systemic barriers that might prevent groups from realising their potential.
“To young professionals, inclusivity means creating environments where they feel valued, respected, and genuinely welcomed-not simply present.
“Young professionals want to work in organisations that prioritise open communication, where everyone feels they have a voice and are an integral part of the team.
“As we look to the future, let us build workplaces that reflect the richness of our societies, where every young professional, regardless of who they are can thrive, contribute, and feel proud of where they work,” he said.
Also, the Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Obafemi Hamzat, noted that the event was a noble venture and in line with the state’s THEMES Plus Agenda on human capacity building and development.
Hamzat, represented by Commissioner for Wealth Creation and Employment, Mr Akinyemi Ajigbotafe, stressed the importance of providing a conducive environment for young professionals to thrive.
He noted that while human assets were very critical in the corporate world, the youth must be built up through mentorship to take up leadership roles.
Hamzat added that the youth must begin to think of self development, particularly in a rapidly evolving world driven by robotics and technology to drive productivity.
“Managers now have to contend with working with Artificial Intelligence (AI) related concept and this means that as time goes on, we may not need human capacity.
“This is why it is important to think of self development and grasping all you can from senior colleagues and mentors as old time management techniques are important.
“We must begin to condition mind to appreciate shifting dynamics of the workplace and acquire meaningful mentorship to drive managerial excellence.
“Lagos State is very open to ideas and is committed to seeing how the state can continually support youth development,” the deputy governor said.
Meanwhile, Dr Christiana Atako, President, NIM, said that the young managers’ summit was a corporate social responsibility initiative of the institute towards youth development and empowerment.
She said that the programme allowed young managers to showcase their managerial skills, strategic thinking, and develop innovative approaches to problem-solving.
She said in the competition this year, about one hundred and fifty young managers (men and women) obtained application forms and participated in the zonal heats in the six zones of the Institute across the Federation.
According to her, the top nine candidates were then selected via a video presentation assessment and brought to Lagos for the final stage of the competition today.
“The star prize for the winner of this year’s competition is two million naira, while the first and second runners up will be rewarded with one million, five hundred thousand naira and one million naira respectively,” she said.
Also, Maj.- Gen. Jeremiah Osifo, Commandant, Nigerian Army school of Finance and Administration, said that relationship between the army and management reflected in the first duty of a military officer- leadership.
He noted that Army officials must be able to lead in a systemic manner that would commission corporate goals.
Osifo reiterated the Nigerian army’s partnership with the institute in building young professionals across the country. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Olawunmi Ashafa
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