By Genesis Ogiri
The Founder of Face of Congeniality Nigeria (FOCN) Leadership Academy, Hon. Princess Obianuju Duru, has advocated action-driven leadership, mentorship and personal accountability as essential tools for developing emerging leaders and promoting sustainable societal growth.
Duru made the call at the 2026 YOU Inspire Leadership Conference, held on Saturday, October 17, at the illustrious Nigerian National Merit Award House, Maitama, Abuja. The conference, themed “HADASSAH: The Culture of the Palace 2.0,” brought together leaders, professionals, entrepreneurs and young changemakers to discuss leadership, influence, personal development and Africa’s future.
In her opening address, titled “Why Hadassah, Why Now?” Duru reflected on FOCN’s journey since its establishment in 2019, highlighting the importance of self-governance, purposeful relationships and mentorship in preparing individuals for leadership responsibilities. She stressed that leadership development must go beyond inspiration to produce practical results in communities and institutions.
Duru described the palace as a symbol of preparation, character and responsibility rather than merely a place of power and privilege. She urged participants to use their influence to create opportunities for others, noting that the true measure of leadership lies in the positive impact leaders make rather than the positions they occupy.
A major highlight of the conference was the keynote address delivered by Rt. Hon. Onofiok Luke, PhD, titled “Leadership Starts With Self: The Mastery of Self-Governance.” He emphasised personal discipline, accountability and sound decision-making, stressing that effective leadership begins with the ability to govern oneself before assuming responsibility for others.
Similarly, Dr. Teresa Ekaete Nwachukwu, in her presentation, “Leading Beyond the Position: Building People, Teams and Systems That Create Lasting Impact,” called on leaders to invest in human capacity development, build effective teams and establish sustainable systems that can deliver results beyond individual tenures.
The conference also featured a panel discussion titled “The Culture of the Palace: Leadership, Influence and Building the Africa We Want.” Moderated by Ambassador Dr. Aisha Yusuf, the session featured Hon. Ebi Elezieanya, Hon. Bolanle Amina Sarumi Aliyu, Ambassador Nancy Olisakwe, Theo Godson and Emmanuel Ibok. The panellists examined public service, enterprise, responsible influence and the role of young Africans in shaping the continent’s future.
On its achievements, FOCN reported that its initiatives had reached more than 200,000 people, generated over one billion digital impressions and recorded more than 90,000 downloads of its FOCN Lookbook. The organisation also reported training more than 450 people through its leadership development and related programmes.
Its Hadassah Cohort 7 initiative reportedly brought together 67 participants from seven countries for a 12-week leadership development programme. Other community interventions included the distribution of 70 smartphones and 200 solar panels to expand access to digital tools and opportunities. In 2025, FOCN was registered by the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs as one of the ministry’s national women-focused non-governmental organisations, according to information provided by the academy.
Established in 2019, FOCN Leadership Academy has evolved from a beauty pageant platform into a leadership and personal development organisation focused on mentorship, women’s empowerment, leadership education, community engagement and opportunity creation. The conference also featured musical performances by Amuta Stone and Vik Strings, while Lucy Ojite served as the event host and Ogechi Duru handled the red-carpet engagements. Olumide Onetakin delivered the concluding Palace Charge, encouraging participants to approach leadership with purpose and responsibility.
The conference ended with a call for emerging leaders to translate the lessons learned into practical action and use their influence to create opportunities for others. Through the YOU Inspire Leadership Conference, FOCN reaffirmed its commitment to developing responsible leaders capable of strengthening institutions, empowering communities and contributing to Africa’s development.