By Esther Onyegbula

Nigerian investment banker and business leader Toyin Sanni called on leaders to inspire the younger generation. Sanni emphasized the need for clarity and purpose in leadership while speaking at the 9th Annual Smart Stewards Summit over the weekend in Lagos.

According to her, “Leadership in its truest sense is not merely about guiding a team or an organization. It is also about defining a mission so clearly that nobody is mistaken as to why we are here.”

Speaking on the importance of leverage in leadership, Sanni said: “Leverage is the ability to maximize relationships, opportunities, and resources to achieve a greater outcome. In financial leadership, leveraging your strengths, networks, and insight enables you to drive innovation, optimize performance, and create value for your stakeholders.”

Highlighting the crucial role of self-leadership in personal transformation, the founder of the Smart Stewards Summit, Sola Adesakin, stated, “The journey from a pit to a palace isn’t just about rags to riches. It’s a transformation that begins with one key element, leadership. But I’m not talking about titles or offices; I’m talking about self-leadership, the kind that starts deep within.”

Adesakin stressed that self-leadership forms the foundation for any kind of leadership. “It starts with you. How you lead yourself, how you leverage what you have, and how you leave a lasting legacy,” she said, introducing her 12 Prosperity Drivers aimed at shaping individuals into influential leaders.

Also speaking at the event, business consultant Fela Durotoye said real leaders don’t confuse—they inspire and influence minds, creating a paradigm shift. Emphasizing the power of “mind conditioning” as a key tool that rulers use to control people, Durotoye said, “Sometimes the chains that prevent us from being free are more mental than physical. Nigeria does not need a single leader but instead requires ‘180 million leaders.’ True progress would only come from every individual taking responsibility.”

Durotoye illustrated leadership through a powerful metaphor involving trained dogs and rambunctious cats. He explained that the discipline of the dogs demonstrated “the ability to choose what you know over how you feel.” Discipline, according to Durotoye, is essential in leadership; it is about maintaining self-control even when emotions push you otherwise.

He added that leaders should focus on empathy, influence, and the well-being of those they serve. Leadership is not defined by titles but by the ability to bring out the best in others, stating that “real leaders seek to understand before they are understood.”

During a panel session, Audrey Joe-Ezigbo, Co-founder and Deputy Managing Director of Falcon Corporation, shared insights on building wealth and securing it for future generations. She emphasized the significance of planning and preservation, saying, “You have to have a will. Put things in place that preserve what you have. Wealth for me is not about buying the best house or any car I want. It’s about helping many people without a second thought.”

Joe-Ezigbo also addressed the reality of imposter syndrome, a sentiment she finds resonates widely among both men and women. “Imposter syndrome is very real. Despite having accomplished many things, you still find yourself doubting,” she admitted. “But no matter how insecure I feel, I want to show up. That’s how you move forward—by doing.”