GOTNI LEADERSHIP

CLUB
PROJECT PROPOSAL

IDONGESIT-ABASI UKO | DIRECTOR OF PROGRAMS

GUARDIANS OF THE NATION INTERNATIONAL (GOTNI) | NO. 4, MIKE AKHIGBE WAY, JABI, ABUJA (FCT),
NIGERIA
Contents
Executive Summary................................................................................................................................. 2
Preamble ................................................................................................................................................. 2
Justification ............................................................................................................................................. 2
Project Objectives ................................................................................................................................... 3
Overall Objective................................................................................................................................. 3
Specific Objectives .............................................................................................................................. 3
Intervention Strategy .............................................................................................................................. 3
Expected Results/Outcomes ................................................................................................................... 4
Target Audience ...................................................................................................................................... 4
Project Duration ...................................................................................................................................... 4
Monitoring and Evaluation ..................................................................................................................... 4
Logical Framework .................................................................................................................................. 5
Benefits to Partners ................................................................................................................................ 6
Organizational Background ..................................................................................................................... 6
Vision................................................................................................................................................... 6
Mission Statement .............................................................................................................................. 6
Track Record and Capacity ...................................................................................................................... 6
Communication and Visibility Strategy ................................................................................................... 7
Sustainability and Long-Term Perspective .............................................................................................. 7
Executive Summary
The Guardians of the Nation International (GOTNI) Leadership Club aims to bridge the leadership
deficit among young people in both secondary and tertiary institutions by promoting a better
understanding of leadership with a core focus on self-discovery, vision, critical thinking and problem
solving while producing resource materials for teaching other young people across the world.

Research has shown that skills needed for life success in the 21st century requires more than the
current traditional education being taught in our schools. It has therefore become very imperative
that there has to be a blend of the traditional education with 21st century skills.

A survey conducted by The Partnership for 21st Century Skills revealed that employers felt that
leadership skills is one of the major skills needed for success in the modern work place but is lacked
by new hires.

The leadership clubs will employ a unique learning approach with the students proposing solutions
to current national issues to internalize and strengthen their learnings. This will further reinforce the
message to the students as well as provide a tool which can be used to creatively pass the message
to other students reaching more people than those physically present at the training session.

Guardians of the Nation International (GOTNI) is a not-for-profit leadership and capacity

development organisation that is committed to changing the African narrative of poor leadership by
equipping young people with outstanding leadership abilities that can engender corporate
prosperity for the continent. Over the years, GOTNI has been contributing to transforming the lives
of Nigerian youths by equipping them with life changing leadership and interpersonal skills that
enable them succeed in life and become pillars of the Nigerian society.

Preamble
The Guardians of the Nation International (GOTNI) Leadership Club aims to bridge the leadership
deficit among young people in both secondary and tertiary institutions by promoting a better
understanding of leadership with a core focus on self-discovery, vision, critical thinking and problem
solving while producing resource materials for teaching other young people across the world.

Justification
Research has shown that skills needed for life success in the 21st century requires more than the
current traditional education being taught in our schools. Over the last decades, there has been a
shift from the industrial economy which was largely based on manufacturing to a service economy
driven majorly by information, knowledge, ingenuity, innovation, problem solving, creativity etc.

Despite the shift to a largely service economy in most parts of the world, the Nigerian educational
system has remained largely the same. Most progressive countries of the world have adjusted their
educational curriculum to be able to prepare adequately their young population for the current
economic realities so that they stay globally competitive.

However, the Nigerian educational sector is yet to catch up with global realities as the current
curriculum still equips our young people to fit majorly into the industrial economy neglecting the
fact that technology has collapsed the global space making our young generation unable to compete
favourably with their counterparts in other parts of the world.

It has therefore become very imperative that there has to be a blend of the traditional education
with 21st century skills.
“The Partnership for 21st Century Skills” (p21.org) interviewed thousands of the world’s most
respected employers and asked two questions:

1. What are the skills critical to success in the modern work place?
2. What skills do new hires lack?

Out of the roughly 100 skills surveyed, “leadership” ranked in the top 10.”

Leadership, however, starts from the point of self-discovery. The first and most important step
towards meaningful achievement in life is self-discovery. The person who is self-aware is able to
make the right career and life choices, becomes focused, sets personal standards, chooses his
associations with care and is able to attain leadership.

The GOTNI Leadership Club will help young people both in secondary and tertiary institutions start
the journey of self-discovery, develop self-leadership, become able to envision and develop the
ability to look at life and circumstances with the mindset of proffering solutions to problems along
the course of achieving stated goals and objectives.

The leadership clubs will employ a unique learning approach with the students proposing solutions
to current national issues to internalize and strengthen their learnings. This will further reinforce the
message to the students as well as provide a tool which can be used to creatively pass the message
to other students reaching more people than those physically present at the training session.

The successful implementation of this leadership club will contribute greatly to bridging the current
gap in our educational system thereby equipping our young generation with the skills they require to
achieve success and remain relevant in the 21st century.

Project Objectives
Overall Objective
To train young people in all aspects of effective leadership.

Specific Objectives
 To equip young people with effective communication skills
 To develop the analytical and problem solving skills of young people
 To develop the leadership capacity of young people across the 36 states of the Nigerian
Federation
 To develop values of young people
 To increase the number of young people who take the lead in their different spaces

Intervention Strategy
Activity 1 – Training Session

Training sessions are organized and conducted for the GOTNI Leadership Club members in all the
tertiary institutions across Nigeria with a goal of at least 50 members per state. The focus is on self-
discovery and leadership skills such as vision, self-leadership, communication, motivation, delegating
and creativity.

The delivery of the training sessions will be highly interactive and a combination of both lectures and
brain teasers, games or analytical review of current news.

A resource material would be created and made available or the club members to always refer to.
Activity 2 – Impactful Projects

Projects are created around the subject of leadership development that would create impact in their
immediate environments. Some of these projects can be centred around the Sustainable
Development Goals (SDGs) created by the United Nations which have a deadline of 2030 for its
completion.

A resource material would be created and made available or the club members to always refer to.

Expected Results/Outcomes
 Increase in the number of young people who discover themselves
 Increase in the number of young leaders
 Increase in the number of young people who think critically and solve problems

Target Audience
Students in tertiary institutions across Nigeria.

Project Duration
The leadership clubs are expected to run all year round.

Monitoring and Evaluation

The Guardians of the Nation International (GOTNI) Leadership Club aims to bridge

Objectives Indicators Sources of Methods of Who to Frequency of

Information gathering collect Reporting
data
To equip young
people with
effective
communication
skills
To develop the
analytical and
problem
solving skills of
young people
To develop the Number of Pictures and Feedback Director of Quarterly
leadership training videos of forms Programs
capacity of sessions held training
young people sessions
across the 36
states of the
Nigerian
Federation
To develop Written Value sheets Questionnaires Director of Quarterly
values of document of Programs
young people expected life
values
To increase the Students Positions held Feedback Director of Quarterly
number of apply for and by students forms Programs
young people become
who take the leaders in
lead in their their various
different spaces
spaces

Logical Framework
Description Indicators Sources of Assumptions
Verification
Overall Objective To train young 80% of the Positions held by
people in all members students
aspects of applying for and
effective becoming leaders
leadership in their various
spaces
Project Purpose By the end of 5 At least 50% of Monthly reports
years, at least the members from the various
50% of the attend all the executive teams
members have training sessions across the nation
developed their and participate in
leadership the impactful
capacity projects in their
educational
institutions every
year.
Results The leadership 80% of the Positions held by
capacity and members students in their
required skills applying for and various
needed for the becoming leaders educational
21st century are in their various institutions and
developed in all spaces in the corporate
the members world
Activities Creation and Number of Pictures and
delivery of training sessions videos of both
training sessions held training sessions
to the members and projects

Creation and Number of Pictures and

delivery of members videos of projects
impactful participating in
projects around each project
the SDGs that every year
depict leadership
Benefits to Partners
 Branding opportunities on social media, publicity materials, resource materials for the
members in the selected tertiary institutions during the training sessions.
 Recognition by the host communities and states of the tertiary institutions, Nigeria and the
world as contributing to the development of capacity of young people.

Organizational Background
Guardians of the Nation International (GOTNI) is a leadership and capacity development
organization that is committed to changing the African narrative of poor leadership by equipping
young people with outstanding leadership abilities that can engender corporate prosperity for the
continent. Over the years, GOTNI has been contributing to transforming the lives of Nigerian youths
by equipping them with life changing leadership and interpersonal skills that enable them succeed in
life and become pillars of the Nigerian society.

Vision
A transformed and prosperous nation blessed with men and women of honour, vision, integrity,
service and courage as her leaders and followers.

Mission Statement
To transform our nation by consciously grooming and nurturing the youth into transformational
leaders who have developed the commitment to serve with integrity and excellence.

Track Record and Capacity

Guardians of the Nation International (GOTNI) has been actively involved in championing the cause
of leadership development of young people for over twenty years. GOTNI as an organization has
become synonymous with leadership development both on national and international frontiers.
GOTNI has over the years organized conferences like the annual Emerging Leaders Conference,
training and mentorship programmes like our Young Women Leadership Programmes sponsored by
Oxfam, the Mission to Schools projects, Employability Programme in partnership with SOS Children’s
Villages, NYSC Leadership Programme, Self-Discovery Leadership Programme etc. that have
impacted the lives of thousands of young Nigerians. These programmes teach 21st century skills like
communication and presentation, leadership development, vision and enterprise, team work,
innovation, strategy, attitude and interpersonal skills etc.

Our television (Leadership Clinic on AIT Kaakaki every weekday by 6.30am) and radio broadcasts
have reached millions of people both in and out of Nigeria.

The impact of our work is huge and this is very evident in the development of participants of our
programmes over the years through the skills, attitudinal and interpersonal development have
become equipped to secure employment adding tremendous value to their organisations, start
thriving businesses, become change agents in their communities and leaders in their spheres of
influence contributing to the development of our world in their own spaces.

GOTNI as an organization has built strategic partnerships with organisations and accomplished
individuals from different sectors of the economy who are always willing to partner with us in the
development of the youths that we work with daily.
Communication and Visibility Strategy
GOTNI Leadership clubs would effectively harness the power of physical (t-shirts, banners, flyers)
and social media to publicize the clubs thereby effectively branding our partners as organizations
contributing to the development of young Nigerians.

The pictures and videos of the meetings and the stories of change will be publicized on our website
and social media platforms.

Reports of the project will be generated and shared with our partners.

Sustainability and Long-Term Perspective

The leadership clubs in the tertiary institutions will run all the year round. However, the members
will be armed with the resource materials which they can always make reference to during their
meetings.

As an organization, we will still continue to expand our search for partners so that we have more
organisations that are willing to sponsor the programme increasing the number of young people
reached over the years.