The immediate past Lagos State Commissioner for Education, Mrs. Folashade Adefisayo, delivered an inspiring keynote address at the Free National Career Development Workshop 1.0. This free mentoring event, organized by Lead and Mentor, a coaching and mentoring social enterprise, was held on Saturday at the Ikorodu Local Government premises. The workshop attracted a diverse audience, including secondary school students, undergraduates, and young professionals.  

Speaking on the theme, “Shaping Futures: Empowering Minds for Academic and Career Success,”Mrs. Adefisayo captivated attendees with her vast experience in education and youth empowerment. She emphasized four key habits for achieving academic excellence: studying appropriately, developing a growth mindset, mastering time management, and seeking help when needed.

Mrs. Adefisayo also highlighted essential traits for career success, including teamwork, critical thinking, open-mindedness, and integrity. In addition, she elaborated on the “7 Habits of Highly Effective People”: being proactive, beginning with the end in mind, putting first things first, thinking win-win, seeking first to understand then to be understood, synergizing, and striving for continuous progress. She encouraged participants to seize available opportunities, take responsibility for their personal growth, and cultivate leadership qualities to stand out in their chosen fields.

Engr. Olalere Rafiu Kayode delivered a compelling speech on the topic, “Empowering Minds for Academic and Career Excellence.” He underscored that abilities and intelligence can be developed through dedication and hard work. According to him, an empowering mindset is built on resilience in the face of failure, openness to learning and adapting, confidence in one’s abilities, critical thinking, goal setting, and mentorship and networking.

Aaare Oladotun Hassan provided insightful guidance on how young students should choose their career paths and maintain the motivation required for success. He also addressed the issue of parents misleading their children in career decisions, stressing the importance of allowing young individuals to pursue their passions.

Workshop sessions led by Taofiq Olanrewaju Musa and Adedolapo covered essential topics such as personal branding and career clarity, emphasizing the need to align passion, skills, and market needs.

The event also featured panel discussions with prominent speakers, including Opeyemi Eniola, Senior Special Assistant to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Basic and Secondary Education; Engr. Adigun Ibrahim Olalekan, Chairman of the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), Lagos State Chapter; Yetunde Junaid; Sedomo Ajisegiri; Dr. Omopeju Afanu; Ademuyiwa Ademola Taofeek; Asiwaju Lekan Saheed Oloko; and Barrister Afeez Ibikunle.

The Fireside Chat segment was another highlight of the event, featuring personal stories and insights from Sheriff Babatunde Lamidi, the convener of the Free National Career Development Workshop, along with Adeyemi Shukroh, Nora Anyasodo, Ayomide Zul Kazeem, and Israel Adekanye. The session was moderated by Owolabi Arafat, who expressed her gratitude and inspiration, noting how the speakers’ experiences had transformed her perspective.

The workshop concluded on a high note with Adedolapo Lawal and Taofiq Olanrewaju Musa leaving participants motivated and equipped with actionable strategies for personal branding, career clarity by aligning passion, skills, and market needs.  Speakers, students, professionals, and teachers who were in attendance commended the convener, Engr. Sheriff Babatunde Lamidi, and his team at Lead and Mentor Educational Social Enterprise for their unwavering commitment to shaping futures and empowering minds for success.  

This landmark event has undoubtedly set a precedent for future initiatives aimed at fostering academic and career development among Nigeria’s youth.