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You missed this book of Robinson.....
Translations available in: English (original) | French | Spanish | Italian | German | Portuguese | Swedish | Russian | Dutch | Arabic

Those who fear to try new avenues, fail to test and discover remedies that can benefit a whole generation. You must be ready to test the so perceived as right way and prove it so. Adopting a defeat conservative mentality and attitude denies you an opportunity to accomplish much when you discover your self you tend to improve on your weak points and perfect your strong ones. You also tend to go for what you think you can get and end up getting it.


Nothing in life is hard to those who believe they can make it. If you incapacitate yourself you are compelled to lag behind when you could be at the front. Realize that you have not even accomplished a third of what you can be able to do. Maximize on the available opportunities with a belief that you can do better than before. What ever you find yourself doing as long as it is right, do it to your level best as the remuneration package will always follow an action oriented positively motivated person.

If you have not discovered your self, do so and you will like yourself. Look into your great future as if you are seeing your self; see your abilities multiplying and new opportunities coming your way. Realize that you cannot accomplish everything at once but these great accomplishments only come in stages and after waiting for some time.


Forget about your sorrows, weaknesses and disabilities. Only relax and do what you can do well and let it be also for the benefit of others. Start recounting some things you have done well. See how much you can do others. Flush out of your mind all your failures and negative thoughts.

Let you today’s altitude be “ I am a changed man for the better. I am going to make it” the secret to success in self-discovering is to know your self and knowing yourself by going out to do that which you think you can do. Discovering yourself is an encounter any person can experience and shape his life for great rewards.


If you discover your self you will move out of hopeless, defeating and hurting situations. Instead you will turn them into optimistic, promising and beneficial life.


Being pessimistic endangers your progress and infact pushes you to fail in areas where you could have succeeded even with just a little effort of trying. Picture progress in everything you do and it will come. Never allow any challenges on the way to wear you down. Instead recollect efforts and keep on moving forward. When the going gets tough, toughen yourself and face it.

When you look tough situations in their eyes, they will one day look down and pave way. When you trigger your great yourself to help in all circumstances, you become like a driver of you’re a flying eagle in the air. It evades all barriers, clouds, objects, other birds, and strong winds until it arrives where it is going.

Whatever happens to you take position and stand strong until you have emerged a winner let your mind help you to do exactly that. Do not act in an emotional state but take an emergency leisurely realize that you were born to become a big man and allow your self to excel to your rightful position. Never at any time should your past failures hinder you from ascending to greater heights.

If you fully acclimatize your self with positive faith actions and discover your great self, your life will be changed 100 percent make it your daily prayer “my God help me realize my great potential. Forgive me for yesterdays mistakes and help me to accomplish my today’s responsibilities and reach my great self”.

What is surprising is once you discover yourself and then get on the way moving, you reach amazingly great heights.


David Howard Adeney turned out to be unbelievable when he discovered himself. He set out to prove it as a fact and allowed God to guide him. Though he never seemed strong physically and was often unsure if himself, he influenced individual lives, movements, and churches in Asia and beyond. In his life time of over 70 years he came to believe that “the ordinary life will challenge you to be motivated not by selfish ambitions but by a desire to find the place where your life may count the most for God”.

You may not be the best but you can set out and come to many great accomplishments. Whatever you become, be confident that you can make it even in that position.


Whatever happens to you take heart and sail through your miracle is a head. Experience a revolution in your altitude, focus and belief. Acquire confidence in pursuit of your dreams, goals and aspirations and let all those who can help you come to your aid until you arrive. Embark on a serious self-discovery mission and ensure that you accelerate your self into your rightful position. Desire to derive the best possible benefits that abound in life and never rush but wait for your chance, it will always come.


When you discover yourself you tend to become uniquely inspired and also help others do so and start appreciating their progress. Indeed when you discover your self you realize that all situations lead you to the success destiny. You only set out not to miss the final greatest golden reward.

There are many things that have happened to me as prove that discovering your great self is a sure key of doing wonderfully well on earth. In fact it avails much than expected. Move forward and shock the world by discovering your great self. Indeed you realize that when God allowed you to go through and shoes resembling gumboots, which help you to succeed in everything.

Trust yourself and trust God that you were made to succeed. When you discover your great self, nothing is impossible; the negativity that happen to you are in fact a blessing into your life.


Learn to major on manipulating your failures and turning them into success. Soon you will discover that no amount failure can overshadow your success line................

Discover your great self and surprise those who think you can’t do anything worthy. Discovering your great self is a process that doesn’t happen in a seconds one hour or one month but requires one to continuously search and explore on his abilities with a positive attitude until he accomplishes worthy goals and keeps on living a fulfilled life. Whatever happens to you will turn into a blessing. No longer will you blame your past. In fact you will thank God for keeping you alive to prove a point that you can make it even in that position.


Your dreams and visions will come true. You will be termed lucky by others for your achievements.
You will help many people you never expected to help. Life will become very much fulfilling even with your mastering to deal with its many facets.


You will reach out to others and they will listen to you.
You will transform and bring change into your society. Wait for that opportunity, prepare for it and utilize it to the maximum when it comes. You will be surprised that nobody wants to believe that you also suffered like him or her.


You will astonish your self of how you have mastered the art of living. Soon you will plunge into the area of prosperity and awards. Your parents, family, friends and village will identify with you as their greatest son, daughter, parent or elder. Go out search your self, accept your self, set out to prove that you are worth and you will amazingly succeed. Motivate yourself to do exceedingly better than you have ever done.

Motivation is the activation and persistence of behavior. When you activate good behaviors and have consistency in realization of worthy goals you will definitely succeed. You will discover your great self and draw many blessings towards your side.


At many time shave realized that to discover your great self you need to break camp with old and past habits. Drop your old friends and connect with the right people. Avoid mediocre people who want to utilize you and finally wreck you or lead you to disaster. People in a hole cannot advice you how to get out of it. Walk with friends who can push and kick you to success not those who are negative thinkers. Get connected with the right attitude, right activities, right people, right faith and more as god directs you.

If God tells you release or move do it. You create more space for the next blessing. Go forward and discover your great self. You can only discover great self when you activate your talents and acquired skills, guide and maintain them for a period of time until you reach a break through. Even when you do reach continue and continue to realize many worthy accomplishments for the rest of your life.

You must aim at self – actualization developing quality personality and reaching as many achievements as your great self can allow you. That is when you reap the best blessings for realizing your great self. Every body has a great self no matter his past, he will come to great rewards and victorious ends if he goes on to actualize his great self.

-------------------------

Out of ....Discover your great self... a powerful motivational book first written and published by Robinson in 2005.

July 8, 2009 | 12:59 PM Comments  0 comments

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Role model essay example
Translations available in: English (original) | French | Spanish | Italian | German | Portuguese | Swedish | Russian | Dutch | Arabic

ANTONIA



MY ROLE MODEL

A role model is a person that one adores or imitates and admires. Choosing a role model in one’s admiration is based on rank that starts from the zero point on any prediction of choosing. Dignity, legacy, publicity and one’s integrity are the most hot point for the one to land on a best choice to pick a role model.



My own role model is a man. I despise not the ladies but due to the history behind the man of my choice. He grew under a very hash condition being the seventh among a family of ten children. Despite all that and also the many problems he encountered he still had hope because he knew that Destiny is the only determinant of one’s succession. Though he was enjoying the moments as his neighboring friends did, he had responsibility as a responsible man since childhood to adulthood.



Having been in a worrying environment, he was a boy to watch due to his unstoppable view on the adjustment where he outlines that one may be low but not yet down, such irresistible ideas that elucidates clearly how elites think.

Donald Trump is the name of my role model, a well known American tycoon who once was low but not down. He is the owner to the EGW and Trump Organization that deals with multi-billions of dollars transaction in daily basis. He quotes in his book that “He does business not for money but because his destiny is fixed to business”.



It is legacy and lifestyle is based on dignity and passion of love of his dedicated family that gives me more impression with vision thinking. He goes further and explicate on one of his real life situation that life becomes tough when one ignores and rough when one gives up. “Legitimacy and dominant is the greatest man’s weakness in all time supremacy with superiority and frank life.End.

...........................................

The Role model clubs initiative begun in 2008 in various high schools in Kenya and globally encourages students who are members to write essays about their role models who we occasionally honor.

http://www.trump.com

July 7, 2009 | 4:42 AM Comments  0 comments

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A global initiative to bring together 1500 young leaders from 192 countries
Related to country: United Kingdom

Translations available in: English (original) | French | Spanish | Italian | German | Portuguese | Swedish | Russian | Dutch | Arabic

Imagine being one of only 1500 young people from 192 countries worldwide chosen to be the voice of your generation at a summit with Kofi Annan, Bob Geldof, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, and others.
If you were born between 1984 and 1987, you could be.

http://www.wayn.com/profiles/OneYoungWorld

July 6, 2009 | 7:21 AM Comments  0 comments

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Africa Youth Leaders Peace Summit June 2009 report
Related to country: Nigeria

Translations available in: English (original) | French | Spanish | Italian | German | Portuguese | Swedish | Russian | Dutch | Arabic

We have received this report from Nigeria. This is a good initiative by youth leaders in west Africa and we look forward to participate in their future events.
---------------------------------------------

The Opening Plenary Session which began with the African Union and Nigerian National Anthems featured the welcome address by the Chief Host, the ECOWAS President, His Excellency, Dr. Mohammed Ibn Chambers represented by Dr. Adrienne Diop - the Commissioner for Human Development and Gender, ECOWAS Commission.

In his address, the ECOWAS President said, “The Achievement of Peace is an important pillar in the quest for development, progress and the achievement of the MDGs in Africa. Without Peace, development will be elusive. For this to be achieved, youths have a critical role to play.

“As you put your heads together to share experiences and learn from each other, you should project into the future and come out with recommendations that ginger youths, development partners and civil society organizations to provide the needed support to the development and empowerment of youths.

“The world is looking up to you to contribute to change the present status quo and provide the world with a new order.” He concluded.


The Session was Chaired by Chief Senator Kanu Agabi, who has held several key positions in the Nigerian Government (Former Attorney-General of the Federation, Former Special Adviser to the President on Ethics and Good Governance, Former Minister).


In his opening remarks, while commending the organizers of the Summit for the initiative he said,


“As we celebrate our freedom, this is the time to examine our present condition and ask ourselves a few pertinent questions:Are we really free? Can we say that we are truly free when all over the continent a vast majority of our people have no say in the election of their leaders?


"Have we been able to rid ourselves of every vestige of dictatorship arising from military rule? Can we say that we are free when a vast majority of our people live in abject poverty and have no hope? The development of our continent is our responsibility.

I have a pledge for you. I call upon every African youth here to say after me:

"I am an African for whom the time has come, to stand up and be somebody. To embrace truth and peace. And to avail myself of all my talents, in the service of my continent and humanity through self-reliance and sacrifice. So help me God!"

With these words he declared the Summit opened.



The Keynote Lecture entitled “Character Development as the Foundation for the Achievement and Sustenance of Peacebuilding, Millennium Development Goals and Regional Integration” was delivered by John Ipuole Oko, the President of Youth Federation for World Peace (Nigeria Chapter) and Coordinator, Youth Service Africa (Chairman of the Organizing Committee).


In his lecture, he identified that every individual requires two dimensions of education (education for character and education for career) in order to pursue the two dimensions of value but stated that priority must be given to education for character while quoting the Greek Philosopher, Heraclitus who said that “Character is Destiny.”



He further identified the 3 moral goals of education to include Maturity of Character, Loving Relationships (especially in the family), and Contribution to Society which were explained in detail. He also said that 3 partners, namely, Home, School and Community are supposed to work together to raise a balanced educated person.

He said: “If we are to achieve and sustain Peace, MDGs and the Integration of our continent, the surest way is for us to become people of mature character who practice the principle of living for the sake of others. I hereby challenge us all (African Youths) to become people of mature character who can establish loving families and contribute to society.


“Especially as young people, I challenge us to be people who can control our sexual desires as a demonstration of maturity of character and a commitment to live for the sake of others.”



He concluded his presentation with 2 quotes. First, from the letter of a headmaster to his teachers:

Dear Teacher,

I am a survivor of a concentration camp. My eyes saw what no man should witness: gas chambers built by learned engineers, children poisoned by learned physicians, infants killed by trained nurses, women and babies shot and burned by high school and college graduates. So I am suspicious of education. My request is: Help your students become human. Your efforts must never produce learned monsters, skilled psychopaths, educated Eichmanns. Reading, writing, arithmetic are important only if they serve to make our children more human.


Second, from The Great Learning:

When there is Righteousness in the heart, there will be beauty in the character. When there is beauty in the character, there will be harmony in the home. When there is harmony in the home, there will be order in the nation. When there is order in the nation, there will be peace in the world.



He called on all African Youths to join hands with the founders of the Universal Peace Federation and Youth Federation for World Peace, Dr. & Mrs. Sun Myung Moon who are pioneering several initiatives geared towards achieving peace all over the world.


Goodwill Messages were presented by Dr. A. A. Roberts - Coordinator and Project Team Leader, Global Partnerships Development Initiative, African Business Roundtable and NEPAD Business Group, Africa, and Dr. Mathias J. Eka (JP), National President, Niger Delta Peace Movement.


This was followed by Video Presentation on Introduction to Ambassadors for Peace and Special Award ceremony for International Youth Ambassadors for Peace given to some personalities drawn from diverse backgrounds and sectors in recognition of their contribution to peacebuilding and societal development.


Among the award recipients were: King Prof. T. J. T. Princewill, Amanyanabo of Kalabari Kingdom; Her Excellency Hajia Zainab Ibrahim Shekarau, First Lady of Kano State; Her Excellency Hajia Amina Namadi Sambo, First Lady Kaduna State; Hon. Samuel Whesu Sejero, Member Federal House of Representatives; Dr. Arthur Ifeanyi Okowa, Secretary to Delta State Government; Hon. Nanpon T. Bongden, Member Plateau State House of Assembly; Hon. Ikuinyi-Owaji Ibani, Member Rivers State House of Assembly; Hon. (Barr.) Bello Muhammad, Member Sokoto State House of Assembly; Prof. Ade Adefuye, Adviser to ECOWAS President on Good Governance; Gen. Chris A. Garuba (rtd), Former Commandant, National Defence College; Rogers Augustine I. Nwoke, MD/CEO Hasal Microfinance Bank Ltd; Engr. Christopher Uche Nwadi, Property Consultant, N.C.R. & Associates; Dr. Matthias James Eka, President, Niger Delta Peace Movement; Christian M. Ekwomadu, Director (Planning), High Court of Justice, Abuja; Tunji Junaid Tolani, MD/CEO, Abuja Leasing Company; David Sabo Kente, Asst. Director Finance, National Assembly;HRH Igwe Ignatius C. Idoko, Atlas Int’l Hotels Ltd; Pleased Prophet Friday A. Ibanga, President/Founder, Everlasting Christ Gospel Mission Int’l;




Dr. Abdulmumin Jibrin, Chairman/CEO, Green Forest Group Ltd; Azubuike Okorie, Chief Procurement Officer, Ministry of Police Affairs; Engr. Essien Bassey Essien, Director, Ministry of Works, Cross River State; Hon. Joseph M. Kaura, Chairman, Karu LGA, Nasarawa State; Hon. Felix Etechi Owete, Chairman, Ndoigala West LGA, Delta State; Hon. Paul Opirite Awoyesuku, Chairman, Akuku-Toru LGA, Rivers State; Hon. Stanley John Mamud Buba, Akwanga LGA, Nasarawa State; Rt. Hon. Nse Ntuen, Chairman, Essien Udim LGA, Akwa-Ibom State; Prince Simon D. Mwadkwon, Chairman, Riyom LGA, Plateau State; Hon. Abdullahi Shuaibu, Legislator, Suleja LGA, Niger State; Tunde Akinsanmi, Zeal Nathan Onyecheme and Emoefe Shifi of Styl-Plus Music; Mailafia Agabi Yakubu, Nigeria Police Force, Jos; Comrade Prince W. D. Addah, Secretary Nigeria Labour Congress, Rivers State;





Mike O. Olu-Wole, Pesther Brands Ltd; Rabo Saleh Kareem, MD/CEO, All States Travel & Tours Ltd; Dr. Ronald Nze Eyime, Hon. Commissioner, Directorate of Science and Technology, Asaba; Ibrahim Sade Abdulrahaman, Sec. Gen., Stop Cancer Foundation; Hon. Hassan Inusa Abubakar II, Publicity Secretary, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Nassarawa State; Fabian O. Onyenegecha, CEO, Solid-Harvest Nig. Ltd; Hon. Mrs. Maureen Barmani Kures, Member, Gong Development Area; Nnaemeka Chidi Enejere, Executive Director, Ons Triumph Ltd; Alhaji Abdul-Gafaru Yusuf, Businessman; Joyce Lohya Ramnap, Legislator, Plateau State House of Assembly; Prince Eneobong Eneobong Akpan; Philomena Talatu Zamani; Hon. Yusuf Shehu Makafi; Osoks Okpara Willies, Oilfield Specialist, Schlumberger Nig. Ltd; Alhaji Abdullahi Babansaleh; Hon. Isa Usman Ambuka; Ezeanochie MacDonald O. C., CEO/Principal Consultant, Ekwulu Konsult; Lawrence Nnamdi Okechukwu, MD/CEO, Star Point Guest House Ltd; Adabahi Adams Adabahi, CEO, Adabahi Automobile Ltd;





Stephen Yinka Oguntoyinbo, CEO, Talk Village International; Alh. Kabiru Usman, MD, Al-Sabur Int’l Service Nig. Ltd; Hon. Bello Bagudu,Commissioner, Ministry of Local Government Affairs; Alhaji Abdullahi Babansaleh, Youth Leader, People Democratic Party, Nassarawa; Capt. Danjuma M. Musa, Retired Navy Officer; Mrs. Nduka Sabina N. Proprietor, Bright Foundation School; Sam Gyane Yakubu; Suleiman Elias Bogoro, Coordinator/CEO Face Palm - Bauchi; David S. Akande, Business Man, NNPC Suleja; Mr. Samuel George. President, IYC, Rivers State; Comrade Haliru Wakaso, Civil Servant; Yahaya Usman Bunu, Deputy Chairman, Awe Local Government Council; Saleh Adamu Kwaru, Central Bank of Nigeria; Mr. Stephen Adejo, CEO, Idenyi Agbo Int’l. Ltd; Ejimole Fidelia Onwuekwe, Founder/CEO, WYPO; Sir Emem Akpabio;





Bishop Daniel Joseph Ubonabasi, National Project Director, Niger Delta Peace Movement; Demola M. Bakare, Deputy Nat. Coordinator, NAVC; Engr. Noah Nuhu Dallaji, President, African Children Talent Development Foundation; Prince Hope Rexlawson, Executive Director, Cardinal Rexjim Lawson Foundation; Hajiya Maryam Gidado Idris; Adamu Egya Oyanki, Secretary, PDP Nassarawa State; Hon. Ahmed Eyibo Sardauna, State House of Assembly, Nassarawa; Ifeanyi Ndubuokwu Isichei, CEO, Praise Ify Isichei Foundation; Chief Obadiah Abimiku Doka II, Proprietor, Steward Model School; Princess (Mrs.) Dr. Eme F. Ibanga; Engr. Effiom E. ffiong, Analyst, Nig. Elect. Reg. Commission, Abuja; Hon. Omolubi Nuwumumi (JP), Business Man; Bolarinwa Stephen Ajayi, Banker, Sky Bank Plc, Maitama;





Prince Oriri Moses; Afuecheta Jovita Ogochukwu, Business Woman; Mrs. Faiza Aderonke Usman, CEO, Kwik Utow Restaurant/Lifestyle Fosman Nig. Ltd; Maxwell Morris Gabriel, MD/CEO Morgab Properties Ltd; Chief Barr. Soja Smooth, Chairman/MD, Smooth Musical Organisation; Chief David Ohwoekevwo, MD, Daebrus Global Service; Chief Dominic Ezeanyim M., Chief Executive, Domlink International; Ali Nuhu, Actor, Gbadebo Jerry Owolabi, Accountant I, Supreme Court of Nigeria, Abuja; Abubakar Yakubu Wambai, S & M Officer, KRPC/NNPC.





There were responses by the award recipients who were elated by such honour and promised not to relent in their efforts in contributing to peacebuilding and youth development.


The Opening ceremony also featured special drama presentation by the Epoch Theatre Group on the Summit theme, Musical performance by Papa Monak and his Group tagged ‘Clarion Call’ and a cultural dance by the National Art and Culture Troupe.








SUMMIT SESSIONS

Summit Sessions commenced on Wednesday, June 3, 2009 with a tribute to Late Dr. Tajudeen, a Pan-Africanist who died in an auto crash in Kenya in May 2009.

Adams Peter Eloyi, spokesperson for SpeakAfrica Project spoke on the African Youth Charter and the Decade of the African Youth while Stephen Oguntoyinbo from Generations for Peace highlighted the importance of Sports as a Universal Language and Hope for this Generation. Questions were asked and discussions were held on how state parties can ratify the African Youth Charter and how best to domesticate the Charter. There were also questions on how young Africans can tap into the next Generations for Peace projects.


Rev. John Joseph Hayab, Secretary, Christian Association of Nigeria, Kaduna State Chapter discussed the important Role of Religion in Promoting Peace in the Society. Dr. A. A. Roberts revealed opportunities available in the International System for Africans and Africans in the Diaspora for achieving Sustainable Peacebuilding, MDGs and Regional Integration. The paper on Ethics and Morality as Foundations for Leadership presented by Chief Sen. Kanu Agabi attracted a lot of interest by the participants. Questions were asked on what Africa as a continent can do to produce Moral and effective leaders and how to check the excesses of corrupt leaders. Participants and speakers agreed that Leadership in Africa should be founded on the principles of Ethics and Morality.


The sessions that took place on Thursday June 4, 2009 were first the Special Session on Tourism and Environment, this started with a pre-presentation on the Niger Delta: Features and Prospects by Dr. Mathias J. Eka JP, National President, Niger Delta Peace Movement.


Then the proper session on Tourism and Environment as a tool for development commenced and was facilitated by Prince Sammi Okpalaeze, President, Int’l Youth Peace Tourism & Development Initiative (IYPTDI). Alh. Saleh K. Rabo - MD, All States Travel, Abuja, presented a paper on Travel and Tours: A Strategic Tool towards engaging Youth in Tourism for sustenance of regional integration of Africa. He was joined by Ibrahim B. Mustapha, GM, Niger State Tourism Cooperation, who represented Hon. Umar Mohammed Nasko, Hon. Comm. Tourism & Culture, Niger State, who spoke on the topic“Tourism and Environment: Partnership for Promoting Investment in Tourism: the Niger State Success Story”.

Mr. Amana A. M. was the Chairman of the “Tourism and Environment” Session representing the Federal Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Orientation, Nigeria. Goodwill Remarks were made by Mr. John Odey - Hon. Minister of Environment, Federal Republic of Nigeria who was the Distinguished Guest of Honour represented by a Deputy Director in the Ministry.


The Minister in his remarks had a lot of praise for the organizers of the summit and encouraged partnership with the Ministry on future programs.


There was a special session by the Chief Host of the Summit - ECOWAS Commission. Prof. Ade Adefuye - Special Adviser to ECOWAS President on Good Governance presented a paper on Youth Involvement in Peacebuilding while Mr. Kennedy Zaro Barsisa - Principal Programme Officer, Youth, Sports & Employment, ECOWAS Commission discussed Youth and the Challenges of African Integration: the West African Experience.



The afternoon session started with a presentation on the Role of Youth Participation in Peacebuilding and Sustainable Development by Amb. Ogenekaro E. Ekewenu - MD/CEO, Karokewenu Limited, Delta State, Nigeria. He was joined by Pleased Prophet (Dr.) Friday Ibanga - Chaplain Service Servant, The Chaplain Mission of Nigeria who challenged the Youths to ‘Say No to Restiveness.’ Amb. Dickson Akor - National Commandant, Peace Corps of Nigeria spoke on the Role of Youth in Peacebuilding in Africa. He was represented by Patriot Edet Ekpenyoung - Asst. National Commandant (General Duties), Peace Corps of Nigeria.


Veronica Ugwu - Regional Focal Person, Global Youth Coalition on HIV/AIDS (GYCA) West Africa spoke on Youth Development and Empowerment as paramount for National Peace and achievement of the MDGs: The GYCA Approach.


The day’s activities were brought to a close with a capacity building workshop on the Universal Principles for Peacebuilding by John Ipuole Oko - the President of Youth Federation for World Peace (Nigeria Chapter).




The sessions that took place on Friday June 5, 2009 focused on experience sharing, service project learning, networking meetings and reflection writing.


Mr. Chester T. Neese from Youth In Stand of Humanity and Developmental Action Inc. (YOSHUDEA)-Liberia, made a statement on the experiences of young people in Liberia.


In commemoration of the World Environment Day, there was a special session on Environment-related Service Projects. The presentations were aimed at educating the participants on how to contribute to community development through Service projects.


Prince Sammi Okpalaeze, President of Int’l Youth Peace Toursim & Development Initiative introduced participants to the Concept of Service Project while Barrister Nkiruka Nnaemego, CEO/Founder of Fresh & Young Brains Development Initiative, made a Special presentation on the Service Project done in commemoration of the 2009 Global Youth Service Day Celebration at the Abuja Children’s Home. She also gave an update of upcoming Youth events in Nigeria and encouraged participants to avail themselves of such opportunities to empower themselves.

Participants were shared into teams to discuss on the service projects they will carry out in their local communities as a way of practicalizing lessons learnt as well as contributing to societal development. Each team had a leader and a secretary who represented them in the plenary session.


Participants were encouraged to share experiences with one another during the Networking meetings session. They engaged themselves in discussions on their individual goals and projects as well as exchanged contacts.

Summit Communique Drafting Committee met and came up with the Communique. There was Reflection writing by participants which serves as an objective feedback to the organizers and partners for more successful summits in the future.




CLOSING CEREMONY


During the Closing Ceremony which took place in the evening of Friday 5th June 2009, the Honourable Minister of State for Education (Nigeria), Hajiya Aishatu Jibril Dukku was present to declare the summit closed. Together with other distinguished personalities including Adamu Abdu Loko (Zannan Loko) she was presented with the Youth Ambassador for Peace Award.


In his closing keynote lecture, John Ipuole Oko reiterated the importance of Character Development as a foundation for the achievement and sustenance of Peacebuilding, MDGs and Regional Integration of Africa. He advocated for a total overhaul of the educational sector saying:

“As we know, during graduation ceremonies, graduants are said to have been ‘found worthy’ in ‘character’ and in ‘learning.’ Meanwhile, some of the graduants were involved in examination malpractices, secret cultism, prostitution, and other social vices. Can we say that these are people found ‘worthy in character?’ Infact, throughout their entire schooling years, how many courses did they take on Character Development?


“We must review our educational curriculum and ensure that Character Education becomes an integral part of it. Good enough, our organisation now has wonderful materials well developed that can be used irrespective of our national, religious and other affiliations.”


The Minister who keenly listened to the lecture was so impressed that she promised to collaborate with the organizers in the nearest future to organize programs that will positively impact the educational sector of the country.


Participants were given their certificates of participation. There was a musical performance by Papa Monak and Group titled ‘African Union’ and a special video documentary on the Summit proceedings was played. The Summit came to a close with a Vote of Thanks by Mr. John Ipuole Oko, the Chairman of the Organizing Committee.







JOHN IPUOLE OKO
National President, YFWP-Nigeria

June 30, 2009 | 12:06 PM Comments  0 comments

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A leadership role for vision
Translations available in: English (original) | French | Spanish | Italian | German | Portuguese | Swedish | Russian | Dutch | Arabic


A leadership role for vision

* Vision can motivate without providing direction.
* The emotionally expressed intention to be the best XYZ is inspiring.
* It gives us something to believe in, work towards, and identify with.
* But a vision doesn't always provide direction, what to do differently.





* There is managerial vision and leadership vision.
* The former motivates performance improvement; this isn't leadership.
* Visionary leadership paints an inspiring picture of what an organization can become.
* It points towards a new future, a change in direction, and hence provides leadership.
* A vision dramatizes new directions that others might not buy into otherwise.
* Vision is hence a useful influence tactic for prospective followers who are resistant to change and who find vivid pictures or images inspiring.
* Vision, however, is not essential to leadership simply because there are other influence tactics available and because people differ in terms of their receptivity to change.
o setting an example is a form of leadership without vision.
o simply pointing to a new direction is enough to influence opportunists.
* To inspire change, a vision needs to be concrete, not just motherhood statements.
* It should point to what needs to be done by when and should differentiate you from competitors - otherwise you have provided a statement of values, not a vision.
* Wanting to provide the best customer service in the business is a value statement.
* Attaining a measurable lead on this value in your market in 3 years is a vision.
* However, if you are just trying to be a bit better on several dimensions at what you are already doing, then this borders on being a managerial vision.
* A true leadership vision advocates a more substantive change in direction.
* It depends on your starting point - minor changes suggests a managerial challenge. If you are currently in the dark ages on customer service, then it's a leadership task..

* Leadership style in traditional leadership theory = how you relate to subordinates.
* Do you emphasize task structure or relationships, be unilateral or participative?
* Do you show consideration to people or do you get the job done through formal structure?
* Questions about leadership style assume that the fundamental purpose of leadership is to motivate employees to work harder.
* But, thanks to hyper-competition, organizations now have two separate tasks - to get today's business done and to create the future. The former calls for good management; the latter for leadership.
* Now, leaders need to focus externally and promote new products or services, something all employees can do. This means that leadership is no longer a formal role; only management is.
* We now need to reframe leadership style as management style.
* Style questions should refer to how managers motivate subordinates to perform, not leadership.
* Leadership generates new directions - it's not about managing people.
* See links on this site for more on how our concept of leadership must change.
* Test your insight into guerrilla leadership with this quiz.

The Definition of Leadership

In our knowledge driven world, the power to lead is shifting to the power to promote new ideas, a better way, based on innovation. The meaning of leadership now should be simply the successful promotion of new directions. Leaders show the way. The beauty of this definition of leadership is that it is consistent with market leadership or leadership in sports where one individual, team or organization "shows the way" for others. By focusing our attempts to define leadership on what it means to be the head of a group, we have created a very distorted picture of leadership.

From this point of view, there is only management style. There is no such thing as leadership style.
Participative Leadership = Participative Management

In a meeting, if everyone takes turns promoting a better way, a new solution, then everyone has taken turns showing leadership. All such instances of leadership are one-way influence attempts. Particpative management means that the person in charge asks questions to draw solutions out of team members. But this is not leadership if the meaning of leadership is to actively promote a better way. Think of Martin Luther King promoting desegregation or Al Gore promoting environmental action. These acts of leadership are one-way influence attempts. In a meeting, if everyone has an equal say in the decision, then we must say that no leadership was shown or needed no matter how skilled a facilitator was the person in charge. Hence, there is no such thing as participative leadership. This is an unconventional view, however.






Empowering leaders

* You can empower employees to make decisions - this gives them responsibility and defines their role - this is managerial responsibility.
* Leadership is not about decision making responsibility.
* You cannot, strictly speaking, empower leaders.
* Leaders are people who take their own initiative, regardless of authority.
* Empowerment means giving people the authority to decide. Leadership is promoting new ideas, it is not about making decisions. That is a managerial action.
* This does not mean doing whatever they want, but rather striving to influence the organization to change direction.
* You can encourage leaders so they have more confidence to challenge the status quo, but that is not empowerment as such.
* Developing leaders is more about creating a culture where senior executives are receptive to challenge from all quarters.
* Yes, this does entail giving them a sort of permission, but permission to challenge the status quo is not the same as being given specific authority, hence it is not empowerment.
* True leaders already have power - the power of ideas and personal confidence to stand up and be counted.
* You cannot give such people this sort of power.
* Giving them power or formal authority provides them with managerial authority. Formal authority does not make someone a leader.
What is servant leadership?

* Servant leadership is one of the most popular leadership models around today.
* The concept was developed by Robert K. Greenleaf in 1970.
* The servant leader serves the people he/she leads which implies that they are an end in themselves rather than a means to an organizational purpose or bottom line.

What do servant leaders do?

* devote themselves to serving the needs of organization members.
* focus on meeting the needs of those they lead.
* develop employees to bring out the best in them.
* coach others and encourage their self expression.
* facilitate personal growth in all who work with them.
* listen and build a sense of community.

Servant leaders are felt to be effective because the needs of followers are so looked after that they reach their full potential, hence perform at their best. A strength of this way of looking at leadership is that it forces us away from self-serving, domineering leadership and makes those in charge think harder about how to respect, value and motivate people reporting to them.

Looked at critically, however, we have to ask whether the idea of leader and employee as partners might not be better than the idea of leaders as servants. It's just as paternalistic to switch from controlling boss to nurturing boss. Treating employees as partners is even more respectful and valuing. Serving people's needs creates the image of being slavish or subservient, not a very positive image. In addition, leaders need to serve the needs of shareholders ahead of those of employees. Surely, it makes more sense to say simply that leaders should CONSIDER the needs of employees not be a servant to them. Shifting metaphors from leaders-as-autocrats to leaders-as-servants is going from one extreme to the other. Neither end of the spectrum is very revealing about how organizations function. The principles of servant leadership are admirable. It is the image of SERVANT with its slave-like connotation that is problematic and misleading. See my Critique of this idea for more on my objections to servant leadership.


The leader as servant

Critique of this idea - what's wrong with the idea of servant leadership?

Reply to objections - reply to an objection to my criticism of the idea of servant leadership


Selflessness

Advocates of servant leadership emphasize two factors, serving employees and being selfless. The latter is a valuable trait, but we don't need to call it servant leadership to advocate selflessness. A good example of being selfless is a political leader who champions an unpopular policy, like eliminating carbon waste by a tight deadline because he or she feels it is in the best interest of the country.

The leader who campains mainly on the basis of popular policies like cutting taxes is really just buying votes. This person is more interested in getting elected than doing what is best for the country. We naturally take a cynical attitude toward such people and question whether they ought to be regarded as leaders at all. The selfless leader is willing to risk his or her own fate in order to do what is right. This is real leadership, like that of Martin Luther King who risked going to jail and being killed in order to stand up for what he believed in. Of course, many professionals are also selfless without being leaders - many doctors and nurses, for example. So, it is not only leaders who are selfless. In any case, selflessness is possible without being a servant.

Here are some free articles on other leadership topics:

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What's wrong with leadership theory? - a new way of viewing leadership
* Abraham Zaleznik and John Kotter on leadership - challenging the HBR view of the world
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Kouzes & Posner on leadership - thought leadership vs tradition
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Career management through leadership - a more empowering approach to career management that encourages employees to think more like business people and leaders.