The African Lads and Lasses Brigade marked its 100th Founders’ Day Anniversary (1925–2025), spotlighting a century-long legacy of nurturing leadership, discipline, and community service among Nigerian youth.
The centenary event, which took place earlier today, was attended by dignitaries and youth leaders, including the Chairman of the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), Lagos State Chapter, Ibrahim Adigun, who praised the Brigade’s critical role in shaping youth development through structured, education-oriented programmes.
“We had the privilege of attending the Founders’ Day Anniversary of the African Lads and Lasses Brigade—an event commemorating an extraordinary 100 years of impactful youth development and community service,” Adigun stated.
He emphasized that the Brigade has not only been a pioneer in youth engagement but also a vital educational platform for grooming future leaders.
A major highlight of the celebration was the launch of a N500 million fundraising campaign for the Youth Village Project, an initiative aimed at further expanding opportunities for youth education, training, and empowerment.
During his goodwill message, Adigun noted, “I highlighted the immense contributions of the African Lads and Lasses Brigade to youth leadership and national development. I proudly acknowledged the Brigade’s foundational role in the establishment of the Youth Council and its continued legacy of producing visionary leaders; including my own Deputy Chairman.”
The centenary served as both a moment of reflection and a forward-looking commitment to sustained youth capacity building. Educational stakeholders present reaffirmed the importance of integrating character education and leadership training in youth development.
Also in attendance were Comrade Kareem Abdulhamed, NYCN Vice Chairman for Lagos Central, and Comrade Bakare Habeeb, Organizing Secretary. Their presence underscored the strong link between youth leadership structures and grassroots education initiatives.
Further elevating the significance of the occasion, awards of meritorious service were presented to the Commissioner for Youth and Social Development and the Permanent Secretary, represented by Director Mr. Olukosi Julius and Mr. Ahmed, respectively.
