By The Metro 
The founder of Project One Leadership Club, Abisayo Busari-Akinnadeju, has inaugurated an alumni community for more than 1,200 young Nigerians who have passed through the organisation’s leadership and educational support programme.
The alumni community was launched in Abuja on Thursday to provide former beneficiaries with a platform to remain connected, support one another and continue contributing to their communities after completing secondary education.
The gathering brought together former students, mentors and members of the Project One community, with participants describing the event as an opportunity to reconnect with old classmates and reflect on their experiences in the programme.
One of the alumni currently attending a university is in Part 3 and is expected to graduate in 2027, a development organisers said demonstrated the long-term educational journey of beneficiaries who started with Project One.
The organisation said it had graduated more than 1,200 students, while about 400 students are currently participating in the programme in schools.
Project One provides beneficiaries with scholarships, school uniforms, books and other educational support, while also exposing them to leadership development and community service through projects undertaken in their schools.
Speaking on the initiative, Busari-Akinnadeju said the alumni community was established to ensure that beneficiaries remained connected to the values and relationships developed through Project One after leaving secondary school.
She said, “We do not want our students to simply pass through Project One and disappear after secondary school. We want to build a community of young people who remain connected, continue to learn, serve their communities and eventually become leaders who contribute meaningfully to Nigeria.”
Busari-Akinnadeju said the inauguration marked the beginning of a new phase for the organisation as it seeks to strengthen its presence across the country.
She disclosed that Project One Leadership Clubs would be expanded to more schools across Nigeria in 2027, with planned activities in Ondo State, Rivers State, including Port Harcourt, Borno State and other parts of the country.
According to her, the expansion is aimed at developing a nationwide network of young Nigerians who would be exposed to leadership, civic responsibility, education and community service while still in school.
She said Nigeria’s leadership challenges could not be effectively addressed by waiting until young people became adults before exposing them to leadership and civic responsibilities.
“Leadership development must begin early — in classrooms, schools and communities. Young people need opportunities to practise responsibility before they are called upon to occupy positions of authority,” she said.
Project One Leadership Club said its immediate priority was to strengthen the alumni network while expanding its programmes, with the goal of enabling current and former beneficiaries to learn from one another, serve their communities and contribute to Nigeria’s development.