Recently updated on October 24th, 2022 at 03:23 pm
Six Nigerians have been selected out of eleven finalists for the second cohort of the British Council Future Leaders Connect programme.
The Nigerians include: Mary Dinah, Edwin Oyoma Akpotor, Dolapo Oladayo Olaniyan, David Oluwadiya Ashaolu, Oluwaseun Ayodeji Osowobi, and Yemisi Christiana Fawibe.
The eleven finalists pitched their policy ideas at the Nigerian Heat event, which took place in Lagos.
The Future Leaders Connect programme identifies exceptional individuals, aged 18-35, from around the world and builds a long-term network of emerging policy leaders. At the programme the young leaders are trained on how to develop their policy making expertise and gain the skills to make genuine impact. To participate in the programme, interested future leaders were asked to apply stating their area of policy interest and proposed intervention.
In this edition, over nine thousand people applied for the programme in Nigeria and eleven finalists were selected by a panel in the UK and Nigeria. The eleven finalists were invited to a pitch event in Lagos to present their policy ideas to a panel of judges and a live audience.
Each finalist gave a five-minute presentation explaining why his or her policy idea will improve the world, and demonstrate that he had the competence to lead on the desired change.
The winners will join others around the world from Canada, Egypt, Indonesia, India, Pakistan, Kenya, Mexico, Morocco, Tunisia, the USA and UK in the British Council’s Future Leaders Connect programme.
The programme is scheduled to take place in the United Kingdom in October this year, where members of Future Leaders Connect will meet with members of the UK Houses of Parliament, learning from today’s decision makers, seeing effective policy making first hand, and discussing the most significant global issues facing the next generation globally.
They will also meet with inspiring leaders and policymakers and take part in a number of days of advanced leadership training and policy discussions at The Møller Centre, Churchill College Cambridge.
Discussed at the heat event were policies around female genital mutilation, increasing access to contraceptives, violence against women and gender inequality, cyber-bullying laws, access to healthcare, and more.
Adetomi Soyinka, Director Higher Education, Skills and Enterprise British Council said:
“Through Future Leaders Connect programme we are helping a new generation to understand practical policy development by putting them in contact with the leaders of today and helping them to develop the skills and international contacts they need to make positive change.”
