My first leadership experience

Respondents are students of Best Brain College, Ibadan, Bibilari, Basorun Road, Ibadan.

Haliyat Olatunmobi, 12 yrs old, JSS 3

I was the class captain in JSS I but I faced a lot challenges because of my gentle nature. One of which was that some of my classmates would abuse me and my friends would ask me to do same but I was not brought up that way. One day, a senior who was known for bullying, took advantage of me as a class captain and asked me to buy something for her from my pocket money which unfortunately that day, I did not have. She beat me and that singular experience since that day did not make me wish to be chosen as a class captain again.

Onyekachi Peter, 14 yrs old, SSS 1

My first leadership role was the head-boy in my primary school. I was chosen among other intelligent pupils so the selection was tough. Before I got the position, I had to work hard by participating in educative extra-curriculum activities. As the head-boy, I ensured I instilled moral values in pupils but that earned me dislike from some, desertion but  teachers cheered me to do more.  At a point, I wanted to back out but my dad encouraged and reminded me that my hard work earned me the position and would help in future if I did not relent. I am grateful today for the lessons Iearnt before I handed over.

Christiana Afreh, 17 yrs old, SSS3

Initially, I did not know that becoming a leader could come with challenges. As a leader in my class, I faced actions such as bullying outside the school gate for the punishment meted out to classmates  for misbehaving , being avoided by friends who thought the position would make me proud, and the like. I became angry and asked my teacher to assign another person but he insisted. In spites of the unpleasant dealings from mates, the interesting part of it is that I was always called to do some other things like leading songs on the assembly ground, leading school’s dance group, reading, etc and by the time I was leaving the school, I was given an award for good leadership. I appreciate my teacher because all those things I was assigned to coordinate then are still part of me and also built in me courage to do many things now .

Emmanuel Eguaoje, 13 yrs old, JSS 3

I became a leader for the first time when I was in primary five when my class teacher singled me out because he trusted me for the post. I became afraid and some of my friends also hated me. I told my parents, they advised me that I should carefully obey all rules   and be gentle in handling others. God helped me because our class got better in behaviour by the time I was through with my assignment. I was glad that I improved in my relationship with people, thinking  and also turned out to become bold.

Favour Akharia, 13 yrs old, SSS 3

I took a leadership role for the first time in my present class as one of the prefects, the Time Keeper. I was chosen among the three of us considered for the post and I was very happy because I would be the next Head Girl. Everybody celebrated me. My unpleasant experience began when we got to class that day and a girl moved her  seat to another part of the class while another also alleged that I bribed the Principal in order to earn the post but at the long run, their lies were exposed by a friend of mine and the girl was later expelled. I learnt how to tolerate people and also not to be jealous of another person who is doing well than me.

Praise Akinpelu, 14 yrs old, SSS 2

I was in primary four when I had my first experience as a leader. I encountered some difficulties particularly from my some of my classmates who were not obliging to the rules and regulations of the class and school because most of them were my friends. They would make noise and that got me into a lot of  troubles with teachers. However, being a leader at that tender age added values to my life. I learnt that irrespective of the number of people you are leading, you need to exercise a lot of patience. Also, having opportunity to lead does not call for pride because you would leave the position for another person. By the time I handed over to my successor, I had become a bold girl who could face crowed in school, at competitions and also earned me respect from my classmates on whose behalf I had to talk to teachers.

Eniola Fadiran, 16 yrs old, SSS 3

I nominated myself in JSS 1 when our teacher asked who would be the class captain because I thought I was very easy. Since that day, I did not find things easy especially with my class which is the noisiest in the school. I was always submitting names of noise makers to Principal and the more I did, the more my classmates hated me. My thought pattern changed when a classmate told me that he would rather fail than lending me his pen to write noise makers. At that point, I devised a means to pacify them and it worked until our class became the most silent one in the school. Since then, I learnt that you are not a leader by controlling people but by acting on your followers’ behalf.

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