The Lateef Jakande Leadership Academy in Lagos State has established the EmpowerAbility Young Leaders Club dedicated to nurturing inclusive leadership among physically challenged students.

The Executive Secretary of the academy, Mrs Ayisat Agbaje-Okunade, disclosed this at the inauguration of an EmpowerAbility Hub built by the academy at Ikeja Senior High School, on Wednesday.

Agbaje-Okunade said that, in the hub, physically challenged students could have access to modern digital devices to help them to learn better and remain part of a fast-growing digital economy in Lagos.

She said the initiate was in line with Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s THEMES Plus Agenda, with particular regard to education, technology and inclusivity.

Agbaje-Okunade said the club would offer young minds the guidance, mentorship and voice they would need to grow into leaders, who would understand the importance of equity and compassion.

“These initiatives, both the hub and the leadership club, are deeply aligned with the Lagos State Government’s THEMES Plus Agenda, particularly the pillars of education and technology.

“They also reflect our collective commitment to the global mandate of the Sustainable Development Goals, especially the call to ensure inclusive and equitable education for all.

“To our students, this space is yours. Embrace it. Let it awaken your creativity, build your confidence and remind yourself that your potential is limitless,” she said.

Mrs Teniola Hassan, the Lead Project Manager for the EmpowerAbility Hub project, said the initiative was aimed to bridge the gap between able-bodied persons and physically challenged persons, who she described as ‘specially able’.

She said that the project would help the physically challenged to believe in themselves and apply technology in learning and showcasing vocational skills.

Hassan said that introducing interactive boards would help to bridge any gap between having a computer science lab and bringing learning to classrooms.

The Director of Administration and Human Resources, Lagos State Office for Disability Affairs, Mrs Omolade Shonubi, thanked the academy for including the disability community in its projects. (NAN)