By Genesis Ogiri
The Founder of Face of Congeniality Nigeria (FOCN) Leadership Academy, Hon. Princess Obianuju Duru, has charged emerging leaders to translate inspiration into action, stressing the need for self-discipline, mentorship and purposeful leadership to achieve meaningful societal impact.
Duru gave the charge 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 distinguished 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, mentorship, purposeful relationships and personal development in preparing individuals for leadership responsibilities.
She explained that the palace represented more than power, status or privileged access, describing it as a symbol of preparation, character and the responsibility to use influence to create opportunities for others. She urged participants to measure leadership by the positive impact they 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 that effective leadership begins with personal discipline, accountability and responsible decision-making, noting that individuals must first learn to govern themselves before leading others.
Similarly, Dr. Teresa Ekaete Nwachukwu, in her presentation, “Leading Beyond the Position: Building People, Teams and Systems That Create Lasting Impact,” stressed the importance of developing people, building effective teams and establishing sustainable systems that can deliver results beyond an individual leader’s tenure.
The conference also featured a panel session titled “The Culture of the Palace: Leadership, Influence and Building the Africa We Want.” Moderated by Ambassador Dr. Aisha Yusuf, the discussion 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.
Beyond the conference, FOCN Leadership Academy presented its reported achievements in leadership development and community engagement. According to figures provided by the organisation, its initiatives have reached more than 200,000 people, generated over one billion digital impressions and recorded more than 90,000 downloads of its FOCN Lookbook. The academy also reported training more than 450 people through its leadership and related development 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. 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 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 apply the knowledge gained and use their influence to create opportunities for others. Through the YOU Inspire Leadership Conference, FOCN reaffirmed its commitment to developing leaders who can strengthen institutions, improve communities and contribute to Africa’s development, emphasising that access to influential spaces must be matched by preparation, service and measurable impact.
