Diamond In The Dust Foundation Trains Over 600 Queen’S School Students On Leadership, Mentorship

…..As founder charges parents on proper upbringing of girl child

Bode Akinbode

No fever than 600 students of Queen’s School , Apata, Ibadan were trained on leadership and mentorship by Diamond In The Dust Foundation based in Ibadan just as it’s founder, Mrs. Yemi Sholotan advised parents to give more attention to the upbringing of girl child in order to become a woman of virtue in life.

Sholotan, a leadership coach and consultant said given the girl child the adequate moral support and attention will make them succeed in life.

Diamond In The Dust Foundation is non-profit making organization based in United States of America.

Sholotan, while speaking with journalits shortly after the training urged parents to always give special attention to their girl child.

She said, “whatever a child become in life actually start from home, most especially from their parents.”

Yemi Sholotan further said that, “Parents should know that a girl child can become a cornerstone of their homes if properly taken care of.”

“Parents should ensure they give all their best to train their girl child, they must make sure they give them proper home training and always prepare the for a leadership roles, girl child must see themselves beyond ending their career in the kitchen, they must strive to become a woman of virtue in life, this is the role of our parents, they must educate these girls on leadership and mentorship roles, gone are the days we say women belong to the kitchen, women are now taking up leadership positions in our society and this is a global phenomenon.”

While speaking on the importance of the training, with the theme, “Limitless Minds: Crafting Your Leadership Journey”, Mrs Yemi Sholotan maintained that the gesture is a way of giving back to her alma mater.

She said, “I attended Queen’s School Ibadan in the year 1981-1986, I felt it was important for me to come back and give back to this community that shaped who I am today and the essence of this is that we have young ladies that are growing up to be great leaders of tomorrow, the ideas is to be begin to coach them now to be leaders, even from now on, the world is becoming really interconnected, it’s a global stage and we want to continue to have women at the helms of affairs.”

“I know that opportunity are coming up for women to do great things and to be part of that global citizen and we are looking for women that we take actions from now on and be able to lead with empathy and inspiration, they have limitless mind, a mind that cannot be stopped, a mind that cannot be shut up, a mind that will have a voice and say what is right, a mind that want equity, justice, we want to break barriers, the place of a woman is not only in the kitchen but also on executive tables, at board rooms, all over the world.”

“We’ve seen it as our duties at the Diamond In The Dust Foundation to catch these girls young and train them for a leadership and mentorship roles, we are here to encourage them irrespective of their background that they have a brighter future ahead of them. They should not be limited to the common says that career of woman ends in the kitchen, they must see themselves beyond that purpose in life.”

“Our own organization is to see how we can assist these girls to become women of value in life, there will be a mentorship program where they can join us, we will be doing this periodically, if they have questions, they can come to us, we want to encourage them to spend less time on social media.If they are going to be on social media, they should be there doing something constructive, there will be a forum where they will come to have periodic mentorship event, with them, having inspirational talks with them and give them whatever tools they need to move forward in life.”

“Today, we have engaged over 600 students, for others ladies that are not here, I will work on how we can bring this program to all others schools in Nigeria and we will make the mentorship program open, we will hopefully bring everybody in board.” Yemi said.

Other speakers at the event include veteran media expert, Mr Laolu Ogunniyi of LOTO Research Productions, Mrs. Owoeye Ayomikun, a sculptor and a teacher, Mrs Yinka Odesanmi, Mrs. Foluke Onasanya, President Of Queen’s School Old Girl’s Association Worldwide and Mrs. Jumoke Adeoye Lalude, National Social Secretary of the School Old Girl’s Association.

In her remarks, the Principal of the Queen’s School Ibadan for Senior Secondary Classes, Mrs. Aderonke Ogunshina, lauded the Diamond In The Dust Foundation for the training.

She noted that the training is going to have a big impact on the lives of the students especially this time that we have more decadence in the country.

“Most of these children lack parental care because of the situation of the country, most parents are always out looking for means of livelihood and how to feed these children instead of taking good care of these children, with that I will say there is need for this training because apart from having direct impact on the lives of these children, it will also have impact in our society too, and I believe it is going to have a positive impact on our community at large.”

Speaking on behalf of the trainee’s, an SS2 students of the school, Lara Folayinka and Ronke Adeshina, commended the Diamond In The Dust Foundation for the training.

They, however, noted that the training is very important for them at time like this, stressing that they’re now more aware of their potentials in becoming a better person in life.

They maintained that the training is an eye opener to them in pursuing of their goals in life.