JCI Sen. Daniel Iliyasu Lawrence, PhD

My journey began in 2013, when I attended the 15th JCIN Leadership Academy (LAXV) in Awka,
alongside my wife, JCI Sen. Joyce Lawrence. That transformative experience — brief yet profoundly
impactful — left a lasting impression on me. I realized that such a powerful platform for leadership and
personal development was greatly needed in the North.

In 2014, as the Local Organization President of JCI Abuja Unity, I proposed hosting the next JCIN
Leadership Academy in Abuja. However, I was informed by Olatunji Oyeyemi, then Chair of the JCI
Nigeria Training Institute (CTI) and later JCIN Director of Training, that plans were underway for the JCI
Nigeria Senate to sponsor future Leadership Academies.

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While that Senate sponsorship did not materialize immediately, my passion to bring leadership training
closer to northern members remained unwavering.

With encouragement from the CTI and collaboration with my Executive Vice President (EVP), the
dynamic Oluwarotimi Cyrus, the idea of a northern-focused leadership academy began to take shape.
Together, we worked to ensure every element of the initiative aligned with the broader goals of JCI
Nigeria.

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In a thoughtful gesture, the EVP proposed that we honor the legacy of JCI Senator Moses Kadeer — a
distinguished former National President and a pillar of support during the early stages — by naming the
academy after him.

Thus, even before the national Senate-sponsored academy became a reality, we courageously launched
our own Northern Leadership Academy.

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It was not designed as a competitor to the national academy, but as a strategic complement — a
proactive platform to strengthen active citizenship, nurture emerging leaders, and meet the leadership
development needs of the northern region.

Today, the NLA stands as a symbol of vision, initiative, and empowerment — proof that transformative
change often begins with a single inspired step.

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Hobbies

• Reading

• Writing

• Swimming

• Hiking

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Professional Interests

• Learning & Research

• Training & Facilitation

• Policy Analysis

• Political Economy

• Project Management & Development

• Strategic Thinking

• Generational Perspectives

• Stakeholder Engagement

• Social Mobilisation

• Active Citizenship

• Governance & Leadership

• Sustainable Development

• Peacebuilding & Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR)