“To Become a Leader, You Have to Think Beyond the Confines of Your Environment” – Adebayo Falade, Convener of ‘The TakeOver’ Summit

Lawal Maruf

The Takeover Summit was held on Saturday, November 11, 2023, at the Otunba Subomi Balogun Conference Centre, University of Ibadan, to commemorate the 23rd birthday of Adebayo Falade, a capacity building enthusiast and leadership development advocate.

The summit which was themed “The Mind: The Creative Power of a Leader” focused on raising youths in building the capability to take over leadership positions in different sectors of the society. Falade charged the youths to embrace the spirit of breaking barriers that may hinder their success. He mentioned that the mind plays a pivotal role in attaining the aspirations of an individual in life.

“To become a leader, you have to rise above your environment. You have to think beyond the confines of your environment. Our eyes and ears are not the only sense organs that capture what’s going on in our environment. The mind also has the capacity to perceive. What we see and listen to goes a long way in conditioning our reasoning,” he said.

He also advised that the best way to cultivate a sane mind is to subscribe to deep meditations and seeking mentorship.

Giving a speech on “A Receptive Mind: A Propeller for the Success of a Leader”, seasoned broadcast journalist and General Manager of Vintage FM, Mrs Ronke Giwa Onafunwa, stressed on the need to train children to be brave as it enhances a receptive mind.

“To be receptive is to be open-minded and evolving. You can believe in old ideas, but you should also be flexible by being open to new ideas. Being a receptive leader helps you to build people who are independent, brave and are able to tackle challenges when you are not around,” she said.

Dr. Yinka Kareem, an academic researcher and a lecturer from Obafemi Awolowo University, presented on the topic “How to Unlock the Creativity of the Mind”. He advised that youths leverage on two major things that he called the Sponge concept and the Laminin concept as it enhances the creativity of the mind.

He noted that acquiring new knowledge and skills provides fresh material for creative thinking.

“The mind has the ability to absorb, expand, adapt, retain and use every experience. Absorb a lot of information, and cultivate a mindset of continuous learning by reading books, articles, and journals from various disciplines.”

He further added that “exposure to diverse ideas sparks creativity and provides a rich source of inspiration.”

While speaking on the topic “The Leader’s Mind: A Tool for National and Global Transformation”, the speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Adebo Ogundoyin highlighted creativity and passion as the keys to transformation.

“Creativity is key in everything you do, irrespective of the field you are in. Everything starts from a creative mind. Passion is also important in what you do, it fuels your activities. Leaders are not meant to do what others do, they are meant to do things differently.”

He, therefore, encouraged the youths to establish a strong connection with God, build passion and harness creativity.

In the same vein, the Honourable Representative for the Obokun constituency in Osun State House of Assembly, Hon. Adewumi Adeyemi Irekandu, while delivering a speech on “The Art of Conditioning the Mind”, emphasized that the success or failure of an individual depends on the information available to the mind.

“We became what we are today because of what have been inputed in our minds, they determine our success or failure in life. What you see and what you hear are like seeds in your mind which will eventually germinate. You have to condition your mind. Don’t just receive what life brings to you,” he said.