Foundation Tasks Young Nigerians on Leadership, Impact

The Custodian Social Responsibility Foundation (CSRF) has challenged young Nigerians to embrace leadership, mentorship, discipline and continuous learning as critical ingredients for achieving sustainable personal and professional success.

The Foundation gave the charge at the 8th edition of the Custodian Mentors Conference held in Lagos, which brought together mentors, mentees, professionals, entrepreneurs and representatives of its 2018 to 2026 mentorship cohorts.

The conference, which focused on leadership development, personal growth, mentorship and social impact, provided a platform for participants to share experiences and explore ways of translating knowledge and opportunities into measurable results.

Speaking at the event, the chief executive officer of CSRF, Olubunmi Aderemi, reaffirmed the Foundation’s commitment to driving sustainable social impact and transforming lives across the country.

According to her, youth development remains a major component of the Foundation’s intervention through the Custodian Mentoring Program (CMP), a nine month initiative designed to provide structured mentorship, virtual open days and regular engagements with experienced professionals.

She also highlighted the programme’s Impact Award, which recognises mentees who record outstanding and measurable achievements during the mentorship cycle. Aderemi urged the new mentees to maximise the opportunities presented by the programme, challenging them to deliver measurable impact by July 2027.

Also speaking, founder and group managing director of Custodian Investment Plc, Wole Oshin, urged young Nigerians to adopt a long term approach to building their careers and businesses. Oshin, reflecting on Custodian’s 35 year journey from a modest idea in 1991 to a diversified financial services group, identified bold vision, patience, integrity, discipline, resilience, continuous learning and strong relationships as key drivers of long term success.

He advised participants to uphold strong values while seeking mentors capable of providing guidance for both their professional and personal development. According to him, the mentoring programme represents an investment in the future, as it gives young people access to experience, practical knowledge and opportunities for lifelong learning.

Similarly, cofounder and chief creative officer of Livespot 360, Dare Art Alade, urged participants not to become complacent with their initial achievements but to continue exploring new opportunities.

Alade advised young Nigerians to develop side ventures and understand the business dimensions of their passions, drawing from his experience in the creative industry. He identified reliability, resilience and the ability to learn from failure as important qualities for navigating the path to success.

The creative industry executive also encouraged participants to build platforms capable of creating opportunities for others while confidently showcasing their talents.

On her part, group managing director and chief executive officer of TVC Communications, Victoria Abiola Ajayi, congratulated Custodian on its 35th anniversary, describing such longevity as rare among Nigerian businesses.

Ajayi, who shared her journey from working as a janitor in the United Kingdom to becoming the head of a major Nigerian media organisation, stressed the importance of mentorship, self development and differentiation in achieving career success.

Ajayi also emphasised self awareness, competence and reputation as essential components of sustainable career development.

In his presentation, Executive and Behavioural Change Coach, Dr Lanre Olusola, popularly known as The Catalyst, focused on behavioural transformation and sustainable success. Olusola identified discipline, focus, intentionality, patience and humility as essential ingredients for personal and professional excellence.

Using an estimate that an average lifespan of 80 years amounts to approximately 4,260 weeks, he challenged the participants to appreciate the value of time and deploy it deliberately.

He further identified punctuality, innovation, problem solving and resilience as critical success factors, urging young Nigerians to develop solutions to local challenges while ensuring that such solutions meet global standards.