Project One Leadership Club, founded by Abisayo Busari-Akinnadeju, has inaugurated an alumni community for more than 1,200 young Nigerians who have passed through its leadership and educational support programme.
The initiative is designed to keep former beneficiaries connected while providing opportunities for them to support one another, serve their communities and sustain the leadership values acquired during their time in the programme.
The inaugural alumni gathering, held in Abuja on Thursday, brought together former students, mentors and other members of the Project One community in what organisers described as an inspiring and emotional reunion.
Among the alumni at the event was a former beneficiary now in Part 3 at a university and expected to graduate in 2027, highlighting the long-term impact of the programme on participants.
Project One Leadership Club has so far graduated more than 1,200 students, while about 400 others are currently participating in the programme in various schools.
The initiative supports students through scholarships, school uniforms, books and other forms of educational sponsorship, while also exposing them to leadership development and community service through projects carried out in their schools.
Speaking on the importance of the alumni community, the founder of Project One Leadership Club, Busari-Akinnadeju, said the initiative was created to ensure that beneficiaries remained connected to one another beyond secondary school.
She said, “We do not want our students to simply pass through Project One and disappear after secondary school. We want to build a community of young people who remain connected, continue to learn, serve their communities and eventually become leaders who contribute meaningfully to Nigeria.”
Busari-Akinnadeju added that the organisation would begin expanding its leadership clubs to more schools across Nigeria in 2027, with activities planned for Ondo, Rivers, Borno and other states.
She explained that the expansion was aimed at building a nationwide network of young people exposed to leadership, civic responsibility, education and community service from an early age.
According to her, Nigeria’s leadership challenges cannot be addressed by waiting until young people become adults before introducing them to responsibility and civic participation.
She said leadership development should start in classrooms, schools and communities, giving young people opportunities to practise responsibility before assuming positions of authority.
The organisation said its next phase would focus on strengthening the alumni network and expanding its reach, with the aim of enabling former and current students to learn from one another, serve their communities and contribute to Nigeria’s development.
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