JCI: Honouring Our Heroes, Our Nation Builders

On Saturday, October 7, 2023, members of Junior Chamber International (JCI) Nigeria, gathered in Abuja. It was a gathering organized to solidify its leadership structure with the unveiling of its 2024 President, JC Sandra Ekene Efemuaye. As it is with JCI Nigeria events, it was a night that woke everyone up to the reality of the power wielded by young people given their strength, determination and capacity particularly when united and focused, as was amply demonstrated.

But beyond the seemingly exuberant glitz and glam, the equally important assignment of the day before the group was implementing the decision to bestow honour on JCI Nigeria’s members who have served, led, and sacrificed for the organization from inception (whether living or late), those who gave their all in order to create the ever relevant, impact-filled and time-tested programmes, committed to by even the new crop of its leadership. Without any doubt, it came from the well-considered decision that the named heroes deserved to be honoured in recognition of their efforts at laying the groundwork that has made the organization the household name it is presently.

The decision to honour this set of JCI Nigeria members is not one its members and leadership take for granted. As a matter of fact, it is one they take with all the seriousness it deserves given their importance and relevance to the growth and advancement of the organization's primary interest-helping to empower young people in the country particularly in the area of leadership growth. The decision, according to JC Adetola Akinola, the organization's 2019 President, is akin to identifying where one is coming from in order to understand the direction one is taking to the future. It is more of an appreciative back-in-time reconnection with one’s forebears, one’s foundation, in order to get a working understanding of how one succeeded in getting to where one is. 

“We are going back to where we are coming from, to find out how we got to where we are, before planning for where we are going. We believe it is the most appropriate place to start,” Detola, as she is fondly called, posited.

There is no doubt whatsoever that the founding fathers of JCI Nigeria made remarkable impacts both in their inspiring contribution to the development and functionality of the organization and indeed, the overall development of the country. As a matter of fact, it is practically impossible to point in the direction of any sectoral development in the country without finding a JCI Nigeria member being involved, one way or the other. Neither is it possible to put a figure on any number who has held positions of influence in the country without making tremendous impacts that are reflected on with nostalgia. The country’s development landscape is replete with such inspiring leadership role courtesy JCI Nigeria leadership development initiative. 

More than that, the belief in the group is that there is certainly no way it can move forward while ignoring these great heroes without undermining the group’s relevance as far as the country’s development is concerned. In the main, the major concern in JCI Nigeria is to keep up with its determined pursuit of its sustainable development project of building young leaders hinged on the knowledge of what informed the development concept in the first instance. That in mind, the reason for embracing the heroes award concept is not far to seek.  

Obviously, the roll call of leaders that have come through JCI Nigeria is too long to be be captured in the maiden edition of its past heroes’ award scheme. That explains why it is an event that has to be held often. In any case, a cursory look at the roll call tells a story of persons with determined commitment to the course, a reason why the group itself is a citadel of success story. It could not have been less if outstanding Nigerians who passed through JCI Nigeria’s leadership learning curves include several unforgettables.

Among others are one of the country’s legal icons, Babatunde Kwame Ogala, SAN, Mutalubi Ojo Adebayo SAN, Mustapha Adekola SAN, others are Simbi Wabote (ES of the NCDMB), Senators Jide Ipinsagba, Femi Gbajabiamila, and of course several other Nigerian ambassadors, who have emerged as one of the 10 Outstanding Young Persons’ at the organizations's global stage and stand out in their different spheres of influence across the world. If nothing else, such outstanding heroes are worth celebrating now or later. 

Clearly, JCI Nigeria hit a bull’s eye by adopting the heroes award as a policy decision, going forward. 

The awardees include JCI Senator Bola Adewunmi (Late), JCI Senator Ronke Ogunremi, JCI Senator Gabriel Idahosa, JCI Senator Paschal Dike, JCI Senator Adekunbi Wuraola, JCI Senator Banjo Okunuga (Late), JCI Senator Moses Kadeer (Late), JCI Senator Idowu Davies, JCI Senator Peter Buba, JCI Senator Tony Abolo, JCI Senator Isaac Bajomo (Late), JCI Senator Ola Otunla (Late), JCI Senator Victor Ndalugi (Late), JCI Senator Tunde Oshobi and Mr. Anthony Iyoghiojie (Late).