The Executive Director of the African Centre for Leadership, Strategy and Development (LSD), Mr. Monday Osasah, has stressed that strategic leadership is indispensable to Nigeria’s national development, declaring that no nation can achieve sustainable progress without leaders who understand and apply sound strategy.
Osasah stated this on Tuesday in Abuja when the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) FCT Council paid a courtesy visit to the Centre to explore areas of collaboration, particularly in leadership development and capacity building for journalists.
Addressing the delegation, he said the Centre was established in 2003 with a clear mandate to empower citizens to transform society through strategic leadership.
“Our work is anchored on addressing three critical gaps in society: the absence of strategic leadership, the lack of strategy, and inappropriate leadership. Until we deliberately close these gaps, national development will remain a struggle.”
He explained that the Centre runs a leadership school that offers free training programmes aimed at equipping citizens with the knowledge and skills required for effective governance and institutional management. “So far, 3,211 persons have benefited from our free training programmes,” Osasah disclosed.
“We currently have operational training centres in Benin, Warri, Port Harcourt, and Abakaliki, and the impact has been encouraging.”
He further revealed that the Centre also provides tailor-made international training programmes for institutions and organisations seeking structured leadership and strategy development.
“Effective strategy development begins with a clearly defined mission,” he said. “Without clarity of purpose and proper accreditation, institutions will struggle to deliver results.”
Osasah added that government policies would only meet the needs of citizens when leaders understand and apply strategic thinking in policy formulation and implementation.
“Policies are not just documents; they must be driven by leaders who understand the ‘why’, the ‘how’, and the ‘what’ of implementation,” he noted. “When strategy is absent, even good policies fail at the grassroots.”
Expressing readiness for collaboration, he said the Centre was open to partnering with the NUJ FCT Council in training and retraining journalists.
“We are ready to work with the NUJ FCT Council in building leadership capacity within the media space,” he said. “Journalists are critical stakeholders in governance, and strengthening their strategic capacity will ultimately strengthen democracy.”
In her response, the Chairman of the NUJ FCT Council, Comrade Grace Ike, said the Council remains committed to partnerships that enhance professionalism and contribute to societal development.
“As a professional body, we are always open to partnerships that promote ethical and responsible journalism while contributing to national development,” she said.
Ike emphasised the central role of the media in promoting accountability and good governance.
“We believe the media has a key role to play in amplifying initiatives that support good governance, leadership development, and sustainable progress across the continent,” she stated.
She added that the Council was particularly interested in structured training opportunities that would prepare journalists for leadership responsibilities.
“We are aware that the LSD Centre is a non-profit, non-governmental organisation committed to building strategic leadership for sustainable development in Africa. Your focus on governance, leadership, strategy, and development aligns closely with the media’s role in promoting accountability, public enlightenment, and national growth,” Ike said.
The NUJ FCT Chairman further called for clarity on the framework for collaboration.
“We would like to learn more about your programmes, ongoing activities, and the expectations you have from this proposed partnership. This will help us determine how best our members can support your visibility and communication goals in a structured and professional manner.”
She added, “We are open to discussing a practical framework that defines the scope of media coverage, responsibilities, and possible areas for long-term collaboration between the LSD Centre and the NUJ FCT Council.”
Management staff of the Centre, who were present at the meeting, also contributed to discussions on areas of mutual benefit, as both organisations expressed optimism about forging a strategic partnership aimed at advancing leadership development and national growth.
Read more on Independent Newspapers Nigeria
