By Foster Akpore
The Founding Executive Director of the African Centre for Leadership, Strategy and Development (Centre LSD), Dr Otive Igbuzor, has called for dynamic, strategic, visionary and transformative leadership to address Nigeria’s political, economic and social challenges.
Igbuzor made the call on Saturday, September 12, 2026, while delivering a lecture titled “What is Leadership?” to the 10th set of the Value Rebirth-Centre LSD Leadership School at its Delta Study Centre.
He said leadership was fundamentally about influence, character, service and the ability to mobilise people towards a common purpose, stressing that occupying a leadership position did not automatically make someone a leader.
According to him, effective leadership requires three broad capabilities: Head, Heart and Guts.
He explained that the “Head” involves strategic thinking and the ability to develop and articulate ideas, the “Heart” requires empathy and the ability to work with people, while the “Guts” demands the courage to take risks and make difficult decisions.
Igbuzor also identified conceptual, technical and social skills as essential competencies for leadership. He said leaders must be able to analyse problems, manage resources, communicate effectively, build relationships and develop people.
He urged Nigerians to distinguish between genuine leaders and those merely occupying leadership positions.
“The best leaders help others succeed,” he said, stressing that effective leaders should empower others, develop new leaders and give them room to lead.
Speaking on leadership in Nigeria, Igbuzor said the country needs leaders who can think beyond the next election, budget cycle or political appointment.
He said strategic leadership should connect security with development, education with productivity, infrastructure with industrialisation and economic reform with human wellbeing.
He further argued that transformative leaders must confront corruption and dysfunctional systems rather than merely manage them.
On Africa, Igbuzor identified bad governance, corruption, inadequate infrastructure, youth unemployment, gender inequality and environmental degradation among the challenges requiring stronger leadership.
He introduced an Africa-Tailored 7P Leadership Framework, built around Purpose, Principles, People, Power, Process, Partnerships and Performance, with emphasis on shared vision, ethical conduct, inclusion, earned influence, adaptive problem-solving, collaboration and measurable results.
Igbuzor said the world is living in extraordinary times characterised by volatility, uncertainty, complexity, ambiguity, diversity and disruption.
He identified three responsibilities for leaders during crises: providing stability, defining purpose and identifying priorities.
He also stressed the importance of learning and relearning, saying leaders must remain adaptable as circumstances change.
The Delta Study Centre, which commenced operations in Effurun-Warri in April 2017, was described in the presentation as the first satellite campus of the Leadership School. It has graduated 897 students from its first to ninth sets, with the ninth set graduating in August 2026.
In his opening charge to the 10th set, the Founding Executive Director of the Value Rebirth and Empowerment Initiative (VREI) and Director of Studies of the Delta Study Centre, Amb. Pst. Edewor Egedegbe, outlined the rules and regulations of the programme and urged the new students to avoid making assumptions.
The Leadership School was established in Abuja in 2009 under the auspices of the Ejiro & Otive Igbuzor Foundation and handed over to Centre LSD in 2010. The presentation states that the school has graduated 3,506 students from 25 sets and five satellite campuses.