DAI’s Joe Abah Gives the Keynote Address at the 2022 Nexford Nigeria Graduation

October 05, 2022

DAI’s Country Director in Nigeria Dr. Joe Abah recently provided the keynote speech at the Nexford Nigeria 2022 graduation ceremony. Nexford is a fully online university based in Washington, D.C., that offers accredited degree programs at a flexible pace. The university celebrated Nigerian students at the Lagos Oriental Hotel, followed by a graduation procession led by the Chief Academic Officer.

Abah’s keynote address, “Emerging Leaders: Skills Building for Next Generation Leadership and How to Compete in a Globalized World,” defined leadership as the ability to inspire ordinary people to do extraordinary things.

Photo: Dr. Joe Abah at the Nexford Nigeria 2022 graduation ceremony.

Abah spoke about 10 key qualities needed to gain a competitive advantage in a globalized world. He advised the students to lead by example, establishing themselves as credible people who deserve to be respected and trusted by peers and superiors. Further, he said that as upcoming leaders, vision is crucial, as it is the ability to conceptualize the end goal and how to achieve it by focusing on the most important aspects of self, goals, and aspirations.

Speaking on the importance of adequate preparation, he advised graduating students to learn how to leverage their strengths to solve problems actively and efficiently. A key aspect of preparation is the ability to adapt in response to a changing situation, he said, encouraging graduates to be accountable and abstain from deflecting responsibility or placing blame in the face of challenges—rather, they should own and address the issue on the table.

“A responsible leader radiates faith, confidence, and self-belief,” he said, “even when embroiled in doubt.”