The 2024 cohort of OAU Stars were mentored by the Professor Yusuf Olaolu Alli under the Mentoring Emerging National Leaders
Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, has concluded its second cohort of the OAU Stars mentorship programme, celebrating the achievements of its top graduating students for the 2024 academic session. The closing ceremony took place on 2 December 2025 at the Faculty of Science Lecture Theatre.
The OAU Stars, selected as the best students across all programmes, were mentored under the Mentoring Emerging National Leaders (MENLeaders) Programme led by Professor Yusuf Olaolu Alli. Over six months, students received training in leadership, entrepreneurship, goal setting, and innovative problem-solving.
During the event, student teams, including Vistafoods Enterprise Menleaders Limited, Mentra Menleaders4 Limited, and Career Edtech Menleaders Limited, presented business ideas, including online food delivery apps designed to improve campus nutrition. Presentations were ranked and awarded cash prizes ranging from ₦200,000 to ₦1,000,000, with all participants receiving certificates of achievement.
Vice-Chancellor Professor Simeon Bamire praised Prof. Alli for his contribution to nurturing young talents, while Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and Innovation), Professor Akanni Akinyemi, outlined plans for the newly established Weird Innovation Centre. The Centre, inaugurated with a foundation-laying ceremony, is intended as a hub for student-led startups, entrepreneurship, and innovation.
The initiative reflects OAU’s commitment to fostering creativity, equipping students with entrepreneurial skills, and addressing youth unemployment in Nigeria.
