Foundation tasks graduate mentees to imbibe leadership skills
FBA Mentoring Programme, a Funmi Babington- Ashaye Foundation empowerment series has challenged new graduate mentees to imbibe good character as a critical tool for thriving in leadership and career progression.
Speaking at the cohort two graduation ceremony of the foundation in Lagos, the President of FBA Foundation, Lola Adeleye, described the good character as the invisible thread woven into the fabric of "your being, influencing how you navigate challenges, embrace opportunities and ultimately shape the legacy you leave behind.”
According to her, the strength of character will always be a defining factor for one's leadership or professional endeavours in society. While expressing immense pride and excitement for the bright futures that await the graduate, she said, “As you step into the next chapter of life, remember that character will be the bedrock upon which you build success. I have full confidence that each mentee will go on to achieve remarkable things, not only for yourselves but for the betterment of society.”
Adeleye urged the new mentees to nurture and prioritise character in the face of challenges and let integrity be unwavering when confronted with choices.
She noted that it was not just an educational experience but also a platform for the development of exceptional individuals poised to impact the world positively.
The founder, Dr Funmi Babington- Ashaye, who gave the reason behind the programme, said the mentoring programme has grown since it started four years ago and now has around 80 strong alumni members.
She said the main idea behind starting the mentoring programme was to give back to society, stating that it is geared towards each person to learn from those who came before them, gaining wisdom and experience.
The Managing Director/ Chief
Executive Officer, FSDH Africa, Bukola Smith, spoke on the theme, ' Journey to CSuit and Personal Legacy'.
She challenged the cohort two graduates to imbibe the culture of determination, resilience and strategic planning in their career. Smith also urged them to build relationships with key stakeholders in their chosen fields, pointing out that they needed them to overcome challenges in their journey and "this is critical to growth."
While encouraging them to learn and invest in knowledge acquisition, she said: “Be a subject matter expert in your field, do not stop learning and invest in yourself.”