The Rotary Club of Ikeja has donated ₦1 million to support the ongoing 2025 Rotary Youth Leadership Academy (RYLA), while also challenging young Nigerians to take the lead in combating cybercrime through ethical leadership.
The club, led by President Rotarian Lanre Lawal, hosted this week’s fellowship with RYLA participants at the Citizenship and Leadership Training School, Sea School, Apapa, as part of efforts to mentor and inspire the next generation of leaders.
In his remarks, Lawal said Rotary remained committed to empowering youths, describing RYLA as a platform to equip young Nigerians with skills to become responsible citizens. “Rotary is passionate about young people,” he said. “Through RYLA, we want them to achieve their aspirations and positively impact others.”
The highpoint of the event was a presentation by Olamide Latifat Mohammed, Cyber Analyst at Fibertrain Corporation and Founder of All Things Cybertech, who spoke on The Future of Cybercrime and Ethical Hacking.
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Mohammed warned that cybercrime is evolving rapidly and could cost the global economy more than $10.5 trillion annually by 2030. She urged the youths to see themselves as “protectors” in the digital world, rather than victims or criminals.
“Cybercrime is no longer someone standing on the roadside with a cutlass; today, the cutlass is a laptop and the mask is a hoodie,” she told the participants. “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.”
She concluded by reminding the Rylarians: “The greatest firewall is self-control. Your values are your password—protect them.”
