LBS graduates 304 executives, urges ethical leadership amid trust crisis

Lagos Business School (LBS) has graduated 304 executives from the institute’s flagship executive education programmes, urging business leaders to prioritise integrity, trust and long-term value creation as organisations navigate an increasingly complex and uncertain global environment.

 

The industry leaders and academics gave the charge at Lagos Business School, Pan-Atlantic University (LBS), graduation ceremony of school’s executive education programmes on Saturday at the institution’s Honeywell Auditorium in Lagos.

 

Abimbola Olashore, the founder and director of LeadCapital Plc,
delivering the keynote address, challenged the graduating executives to see leadership as a responsibility that extends beyond profit and personal advancement.

“This moment is a commissioning. You are being commissioned into a higher level of responsibility.

“You’re in roles where your decisions will shape organisations, influence markets and impact lives. The question, therefore, is whether you will be leaders who extract value or leaders who create lasting value,” Olashore said.

Olashore said the margin for poor leadership has narrowed considerably, making ethical decision-making and responsible stewardship critical to organisational success and societal progress.

Drawing from his experience as an alumnus of Lagos Business School’s Advanced Management Programme, Olashore recalled the institution’s enduring call on participants to “be an oasis in the desert” by serving as examples of principled leadership and agents of transformation in their organisations and communities.

He urged the graduates to view executive education not merely as a means of enhancing technical competence but as an opportunity to develop the character, judgment, and sense of purpose required to lead effectively in a rapidly changing world.

Speaking on the theme, ‘Beyond Profit: Building Ethical Enterprises, Sustainable Systems and Enduring Legacies in Emerging Economies’, he emphasised that trust has become the most valuable currency in today’s business environment, even as confidence in many traditional institutions continues to erode.

Olayinka David-West, the dean of Lagos Business School, earlier congratulated the graduates and challenged them to lead with integrity and impact.

“Leadership is not defined by position; it is defined by responsibility, integrity and impact,” she said, encouraging them to use their influence to develop others and create positive change within their spheres of responsibility.

David-West also highlighted the school’s recent achievements, noting that Lagos Business School was ranked the leading provider of custom executive education in Africa in the 2026 Financial Times Executive Education Rankings for the second consecutive year.

Enase Okonedo, , the vice-chancellor of Pan-Atlantic University, in her opening remarks, highlighted crucial milestones achieved by the university in 2026, reiterating its commitment to academic excellence, leadership development, and community engagement.

The 304 graduates completed the Owner-Manager Programme (OMP), Senior Management Programme (SMP), Human Resources Academy (HRA), Management Acceleration Programme (MAP) and Agribusiness Management Programme (AgMP).

The programmes combined rigorous classroom learning, faculty engagement, peer-to-peer interaction and, in some cases, international modules designed to expose participants to global business while reinforcing the school’s commitment to developing responsible leaders for Africa and beyond.

The ceremony concluded with the presentation of certificates and the admission of the graduates into the Lagos Business School Alumni Association.