Summer One: Listening to Voices in the Classroom

Before beginning my first research project, imposter syndrome was not an abstract concept; it was something I had felt in my own academic journey. Meeting my supervisor and discovering I could focus on how accents shape experiences of imposter syndrome among students deepened my motivation. It felt urgent and personal: how does the way we speak affect whether we feel like we belong?

 I analysed existing interviews on imposter syndrome and conducted new interviews with Nigerian international students, exploring how their accents influenced their classroom experiences. These conversations revealed that while each student’s story was unique, there was a shared struggle of self-doubt and marginalisation a struggle that often remained invisible in academic settings.

 One of the most profound lessons I gained was that imposter syndrome is not a fixed state; it can be recognised, addressed, and gradually overcome with the right support systems. The most challenging part of this project, surprisingly, was the transcription work. Yet through the long hours of listening, I discovered a love for research the slow, attentive practice of hearing people’s stories and making sense of them.

 This first summer taught me not only to collect data but also to prioritise, re-strategise, and manage my time effectively skills essential to any ethical leader. I realised that ethical leadership begins with listening deeply and allowing people to define their own experiences. As I drafted my findings in a small café back home in Nigeria, I understood that research itself can be a form of leadership when it amplifies voices that are too often overlooked.

 Summer Two: Co-Creating Leadership Spaces

 The second summer of the Laidlaw Programme took me beyond academia and into the field of advocacy and community building. I joined FORWARD UK (Foundation for Women’s Health Research and Development), the country’s leading African women-led organisation tackling violence against women and girls, especially within the African diaspora.

 I worked with the Youth Leadership Team on the TuWezeshe Akina Dada programme, which equips young women of African heritage to become leaders in the fight for gender justice. One of the highlights of this experience was contributing to the TuWezeshe Leadership Residential, a three-day programme that brought together over twenty young African and Black women for sessions on intersectionality, personal storytelling, healing-centred leadership, and movement building.

 In the lead-up, I helped coordinate logistics, shape the structure and content of the sessions, and ensure that the programme was accessible and inclusive. During the weekend, I supported workshop facilitation, built relationships with participants, and gathered real-time feedback to inform future improvements. The vulnerability and courage displayed by the women who shared their experiences of marginalisation and resilience deeply moved me.

 An unexpected yet transformative part of the residential was a creative challenge at Sky Studios, where participants worked together to produce and pitch a short film in just a few hours. I stepped into new roles sometimes leading, sometimes supporting and witnessed how effective leadership often involves stepping back to let others shine.

 Beyond these events, I collaborated with FORWARD staff to co-create a new leadership development framework for TuWezeshe that better reflected its intersectional, trauma-informed, and community-led values. I contributed to the strategic redesign of the TuWezeshe Fellowship and updated the programme’s brochure to communicate its mission more clearly to future participants and stakeholders.

 Through this project, I learned that ethical leadership is not about control or prestige but about enabling others, sharing power, and actively listening. Working within a Black feminist framework challenged me to approach leadership as care, community, and collaboration. I became more aware of my positionality, recognising that even when I share aspects of identity with those I serve, it is crucial to lead with humility and solidarity rather than assumption.This experience strengthened my belief that global citizenship means showing up consistently for communities, respecting their agency, and striving for justice even when the work is slow or imperfect.

Becoming a Global Citizen and Ethical Leader

 Together, these two summers reshaped my understanding of what it means to be both a global citizen and an ethical leader.

Global citizenship, I learned, is less about geography and more about responsibility recognising our interconnectedness and acting on it. Whether amplifying the voices of Nigerian students experiencing accent-based bias or co-designing a leadership framework for African-heritage women in the UK, I came to see that my work is part of a broader effort to challenge inequities that transcend borders.

 Ethical leadership emerged as the thread tying these experiences together. It is reflected in listening before acting, sharing power, valuing diversity, and holding oneself accountable. It means creating spaces where others can thrive and being willing to learn from those you lead.

 Carrying the Lessons Forward

As I move beyond the scholarship, I carry with me the lessons of these transformative summers. I intend to continue acting as a global citizen by pursuing research that highlights marginalised voices, especially at the intersection of language, identity, and justice. I aim to contribute to policies and community initiatives that promote inclusivity in education and criminal justice.

 In every future leadership role whether mentoring students, facilitating workshops, or working in the field of criminology I will strive to lead ethically: with integrity, empathy, and a commitment to co-creation. I have learned that leadership is not always about speaking the loudest; often, it is about listening first and creating spaces where others can be heard.

 Conclusion.

The Laidlaw Scholars Programme has been more than an academic or professional journey; it has been a personal transformation. From those first interviews about accents and imposter syndrome to co-facilitating workshops for young leaders, I have grown in confidence, empathy, and purpose.