The foremost Rotary club in District 9111, Rotary Club of Ikeja, hosted this week’s Fellowship at the ongoing 2025 Rotary Youth Leadership Academy (RYLA), which is taking place at the Citizenship and Leadership Training School, Sea School, Apapa.
RYLA is a leadership development program run by Rotary clubs and districts for young people.
According to a press statement by the Public Image Chair of the club, Rotarian Segun Adebowale, the club which was led by its President, Rotarian Lanre Lawal, had some of its leaders like Past Assistant Governors Ade Oyenekan and Tunji Ola as well as some other members in attendance, thrilling the Rylarians who had gathered to fellowship with the club.
Apart from teaching the Rylarians some of the Rotary songs by the Choir master, Rotarian Osato Osawaye, the club also supported the 2025 RYLA with One Million Naira.
Speaking at the event, Rotarian Lawal said Rotary was passionate about the youths, describing RYLA as an initiative by Rotary to equip young Nigerians with the requisite skills to become responsible citizens, achieve their aspirations in life and impart them to others positively.
The high point was the presentation by the Guest Speaker, Cyber Analyst at Fibertrain Corporation and Founder, All Things Cybertech, Olamide Latifat Mohammed, whose paper was titled, ‘The Future of Cybercrime and Ethical Hacking’.
She said that there are three kinds of people in the digital world, namely, the victims, criminals and protectors, urging Rylarians to choose to be protectors of their communities, values and systems that shape their lives.
According to her, “Cybercrime is no longer someone standing on the roadside with a cutlass; today, the cutlass is a laptop and the mask is a hoodie. If Yahoo boys can unite for crime, then young leaders must unite for good. Ethical hacking is not just about protecting systems; it’s about shaping the future of leadership.
“By 2030, cybercrime could cost the world over $10.5 trillion annually. That is why our responsibility as emerging leaders is not only to understand the dangers but to be part of the solution. Ethical hackers are the guardians of the digital age—and many of them are young people, right here in Nigeria.
“Cybercrime may be the future of crime, but ethical hacking is the future of leadership. The best way to predict the future is to create it, and when young leaders unite for good, the ripple effect goes beyond technology—it transforms families, communities, and the world.’’
She concluded, “If you remember nothing else, remember this: The greatest firewall is self-control. Your values are your password, protect them.”
