The Ilobu National Students Union (INSU) has held a leadership summit in honour of the late Barrister Mikhail Adejare Adebisi, bringing together students, community leaders, former student union leaders and other stakeholders to reflect on his legacy and discuss leadership development among young people.
The summit, which corroborated with the 35th anniversary of the union, focused on leadership, education, integrity, competence, service and responsibility.
In her welcome address, the President of the Ilobu National Students Union, Aisha Balogun said the gathering was more than a remembrance programme, describing it as an opportunity to reflect on selfless leadership, integrity and community development.
Balogun said the summit was organised to honour the memory of Barrister Mikhail Adejare Adebisi and examine the qualities that made his contributions to the community significant.
She said, “Today we used the leadership summit to know his life and legacy, all what he left behind.”
Balogun also described the late Adebisi as a person who demonstrated kindness and philanthropy during his lifetime, saying, “When he was alive, he was a kind of someone with kind attitude. He was a philanthropist.”
Delivering the keynote lecture, Professor Sulaimon Aderemi Ajala spoke on building leadership for legacy through competence, integrity, service and responsibility. He said young people must prepare themselves for leadership by developing the skills and character required to address challenges in a changing world.
Professor Ajala explained that education should not be viewed only as a means of obtaining certificates, but as a tool for developing individuals and society.
Speaking in an interview with Insight Links TV, he said, “We use education to build career. We use education to structure our character. Like when you go to school, you are going to refurbish your character.”
He added, “We also use education to build friends. When you go to school, you’re able to meet a lot of people who will likely become your friends later in life.”
Professor Ajala also advised young people to develop competence and integrity, saying, “The first and foremost is just that they have to show competency in what they are doing. The training they are passing through, they have to show competency.”
He further said, “They have to show integrity, integrity of service.”
The professor also shared his personal experience of combining education with work, including car washing, to support his education when his parents could not provide all the financial resources required.
He said, “I would give the school towards the weekend and then come back to do car wash. The money I recruited from that car wash, I use it to support my education.”
He further called for stronger government support for education, stressing that financial difficulties should not prevent young people from pursuing education.
Speaking at the event, Alhaji Dr Lekan Yusuf commended the presence of the President of the National Association of Osun State Students (NAOSS), Lateef Folajinmi Ajibola, as well as representatives of the Osogbo and Ifon Students Unions.
Yusuf praised the collaboration between the three student unions, saying it had helped promote peace and cooperation among Ilobu, Osogbo and Ifon.
He said, “We are talking about leadership. Leadership has been exemplified in many other areas, and we are using Honorable Mikhail Adejare Adebisi as a good example of a very good leader, who is selfless, he has integrity, he is responsible.”
He added, “My advice to them is that they should take something home from all what we have been discussing. They should strive to be leaders, and when they strive to be leaders, they should imbibe certain culture.”
The keynote lecture also examined the life and contributions of Barrister Mikhail Adejare Adebisi, who was described during the programme as a lawyer, politician, administrator, entrepreneur and community-oriented leader.
Speakers highlighted his involvement in public service, support for students and members of the community, as well as his relationship with young people.
In another interview with Insight Links TV, Alhaji Lekan Yusuf said the summit was an important part of development in Ilobu and that the late Barrister Mikhail Adejare Adebisi was being remembered for his contributions to the community.
He said, “We are using him as a very good example to other people, other young champs to copy him.”
Yusuf urged the youths to develop positive leadership qualities, saying, “We have to be honest. We have to have integrity, and our attitude must be positive.”
Also speaking in an interview, Adebayo Quadri pka Ashatola, identified as a Legislative Assistant on Education and Youth Engagement to Adekunle Oladimeji representing Irepodun and Orolu state Constituency, described the summit as a significant programme because it honoured a former leader and stakeholder from the community.
Ashatola said, “Today’s summit is one of the very best, well planned by the leadership of the Ilobu National Students Union , because it has to do with honoring one of the past leaders and stakeholders of the community.”
He added, “Today’s program is one of the kind of great program, a summit talking about leadership, where we have discussions, panel sessions that is telling the youths to take charge and lead with competence, with integrity for the best of our communities, our state, and our country at large.”
A student of Ilobu Secondary Commercial Grammer School, Jamiu Ahmad, said he gained important lessons on commitment, integrity and leadership from the summit.
He said, “I have gained a lot also: the art of commitment to any activity or to any post.”
Another student who spoke about the impact of the summit said the programme taught her important lessons about selflessness and dedication in leadership.
She said, “If you want to become a leader, a good one at that, you should be able to think of other people before you think of yourself.”
The event also featured tributes from people who knew or benefited from Barrister Mikhail Adejare Adebisi. Some speakers recalled his support for students, his contribution to community development and his willingness to assist people around him.
The summit also marked the launch of the 35th anniversary of the Ilobu Students Union, with individuals and supporters making donations to the union in support of its activities and development.
The event ended with calls for young people to take education seriously, develop competence and integrity, and embrace leadership as a responsibility to their communities, while preserving the legacy of Barrister Mikhail Adejare Adebisi.