The member representing Obokun State Constituency in the Osun State House of Assembly, Hon. Adewumi Adeyemi popularly known as Irekandu, has urged teenagers to develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills, describing them as essential qualities for effective leadership.
Adeyemi, who is also a public speaker, leadership coach, mentor and founder of The New Gen Leader Initiative, gave the advice while speaking at the 2026 BS-E4 Teenagers’ Leadership Bootcamp in Ede, Osun State.
Speaking on the theme, “Critical Thinking and Problem Solving: A Pathway to True Leadership for Teenagers,” Adeyemi challenged the participants to understand that leadership is not determined by age but by the ability to identify problems and provide solutions.
“Being a leader doesn’t have anything to do with your age but the problem you solve. Anybody that is not solving a problem doesn’t qualify to be a leader. When you see a problem, what do you do?” he asked.
He urged the teenagers to avoid reacting impulsively when faced with challenges, advising them to first understand the problem, consider available options and take responsibility for finding solutions.
“You don’t react immediately when you see a problem. You have to think and understand how you can solve it, take responsibility for the problem and take action. You don’t complain about the problem; you have to find a solution,” Adeyemi said.
The lawmaker stressed the connection between leadership and problem-solving, noting that critical thinkers are able to look beyond the symptoms of a challenge and identify its root cause.
“Leadership and problem-solving go hand in hand. Critical thinkers are leaders. They don’t solve the symptoms; they find the source of the problem and solve it,” he said.
Adeyemi also reminded the teenagers of their role in the future development of Osun State and Nigeria, urging them to put the knowledge gained from the bootcamp into practice.
“You’re the future of our state and Nigeria. Put everything you have learnt in this bootcamp to work. Have a vision for your life, identify a problem you can solve right from now and start thinking about how to solve it,” he told the participants.
He further encouraged them to adopt a deliberate approach to decision-making by pausing to assess situations before taking action.
“As a teenager, let me leave you with this: stop, don’t react immediately; ask questions, look for options around you, decide which choice is the best, act at the appropriate time and give yourself time to review your activities,” Adeyemi said.
The BS-E4 Teenagers’ Leadership Bootcamp, organised in conjunction with the Children of Africa Leadership and Values Development Initiative (CALDEV) and powered by the office of Hon. Bamidele Salam, is designed to equip young people with leadership, technology, entrepreneurship and problem-solving skills.
The 2026 edition, themed “Empowering the Next Generation of Responsible, Tech-Savvy and Impact-Driven Leaders,” is holding from September 28 to October 2 at Camp Young, Ede, with more than 200 secondary school students participating.