No fewer than 200 teenagers between the ages of 13 and 19 from Ede North, Ede South, Egbedore and Ejigbo Federal Constituency of Osun State are set to participate in a five-day leadership and capacity-building bootcamp organised by the member representing the constituency in the House of Representatives, Rep. Bamidele Salam.
The Teenagers’ Leadership Bootcamp, scheduled to hold from September 28 to October 2, 2026, is being organised under the Children of Africa Leadership and Values Development Initiative (CALDEV) and BSE4, in partnership with FirstBank, as part of efforts to equip young people with the knowledge, skills and values required for responsible citizenship, leadership and positive community impact.
The programme is themed “Empowering the Next Generation of Responsible, Tech-Savvy, and Impact-Driven Leaders.”
The initiative is designed to expose participants to practical leadership development, financial literacy, technology, critical thinking, problem-solving, public speaking, teamwork, integrity and community engagement.
Speaking on the initiative, Rep. Salam, who is also the Founder of CALDEV, said investing in young people remained essential to building a responsible and productive society, stressing that leadership development should begin long before young people assume formal positions of authority.
He said the bootcamp was conceived to create an environment where teenagers could develop confidence, discover their potential, learn from one another and begin to understand their responsibilities to their families, schools and communities.
According to him, the programme would deliberately combine classroom learning with practical exercises to ensure that participants do not only acquire knowledge but are also able to apply it to real-life challenges.
“A major component of the programme is the focus on artificial intelligence, alongside critical-thinking and problem-solving exercises, teamwork, public-speaking sessions, leadership activities and an inter-local government quiz competition,” he said.
The organisers said the approach would help participants understand that leadership goes beyond occupying political or formal positions, and that responsible leadership involves integrity, service, accountability, empathy and the capacity to solve problems.
Participants will be drawn from schools, Islamic and Christian organisations, persons with disabilities, and other groups across the four local government areas that make up the federal constituency, ensuring diversity and inclusiveness in the composition of the bootcamp.
The five-day programme will culminate in a variety night on October 1 featuring the inter-local government quiz competition, talent presentations and presentations of solutions developed during the community problem-solving challenge.
Participants will receive certificates of participation at the conclusion of the programme and are expected to depart on October 2.
Rep. Salam expressed appreciation to FirstBank for partnering in the initiative, describing the collaboration as an important contribution towards youth development and investment in the next generation.
He said the bootcamp reflected his commitment to supporting initiatives that expand opportunities for young people in the constituency, particularly programmes that combine education, technology, leadership and responsible citizenship.
The organisers said the ultimate objective of the initiative is to nurture young people who are confident, responsible, technology-conscious and equipped to make positive contributions to their families, schools and communities.
