The United Nations calls this our greatest opportunity for sustainable growth, but only if this generation is empowered with appropriate opportunities to work, lead, innovate, and impact. Without structured leadership development, this demographic dividend becomes a demographic risk.
Legacy1000 is our intentional response to the call for African Sustainable Development. In honour of our CEO and Founder’s birthday, we are raising $150,000 to sponsor 1,000 EPIC (Emerging, Purposeful, Influential, and Creative) African leaders into the 2026 Emerging Leaders Collective (ELC).
This is your moment to co-author this impact; to build leaders you may never meet, but whose legacy you will surely share. Leadership gaps are a collective challenge, and closing them is our shared responsibility.
April 8th - 30th, 2026.
“I believe Youth is a Bankable Currency, but potential only shifts into significance when it meets the right architecture.
Through the Legacy1000 Project, we are building a strategic leadership pipeline. We are providing 1,000 young Africans, who are already building and trying, with a structured, 6-month transformation journey.
This experience is powered by my proven breakthrough coaching architecture, a framework that has directly empowered over 75,000 individuals since 2014.
Leadership gaps don’t fix themselves, and the world these leaders were born into no longer exists. They must create the future through vision, and with your support, we will provide the blueprints to help them do exactly that.
I am personally asking you: Will you invest in even one leader? That’s $150.“
Debola Deji-Kurunmi (DDK) is a best-selling author of 32 books, transformational coach, keynote speaker, and public policy advisor who has spent over two decades unlocking potential in people, institutions, and nations.
She is the founder and CEO of IMMERSE Coaching Company, a global personal transformation practice, and leads a portfolio of organisations including Visionary Compass, Ideation Hub Africa, Kingdom Leaders Global Alliance, and the FIREBRAND Movement. Her corporate clients span multinational corporations, governments, and development agencies — from SEPLAT Energy and Pernod Ricard to Lagos State Government and the OANDO Foundation.
DDK holds certifications from some of the world’s leading coaching bodies. She is a Gallup Certified Strengths Coach, a Certified Visionary Leadership Coach (Oleg Konovalov Global Certification), a Certified Masteries Practitioner with the International Association of Coaching (USA), and a Thomas International Certified Workplace Personality Profile Analyst.
Her leadership impact has been recognised internationally: Mandela Washington Fellow (2018), Crans Montana Forum New Leader for Tomorrow (Geneva, 2014), one of 100 Most Inspiring Nigerian Women (2019), Nigeria’s Leading Coach (2021), ABCD Africa’s 50 Most Impactful Voices (2023), and Top 5 Nigerian Women Empowering Women (2024), among others.
She has spoken across three continents and worked with C-Suite executives, ministry leaders, high-growth visionaries, and purpose-driven individuals who are serious about building institutions and scaling impact without compromising integrity. She is the convener of the annual Majestic Manifesto conference and the architect of the Emerging Leaders Collective.
Legacy1000 is her 2026 legacy initiative — a call to invest in the next generation of African leaders using the same proven architecture that has transformed thousands.
leaders
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attendees discipled
pitch decks created
participants trained
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(ELC 2025 Alumnus)
“Before joining ELC in June 2025, I was “expertise-rich but execution-poor.” I had the vision, experience, and a strong sense of purpose—but no clear structure to translate it into consistent results.
ELC became the transformation I needed. The coaching sessions were always timely, practical, and deeply insightful—bringing clarity, strategy, and direction exactly when needed. Key sessions on execution, vision clarity, self-governance, and relational intelligence didn’t just inspire me—they fundamentally shifted how I lead and operate.
Since joining, my growth has been both exponential and structured. I gained razor-sharp clarity of purpose, transitioned from “hustle chaos” to operating with order and intention, and significantly improved my leadership and relational capacity.
The results speak for themselves—I moved from preparation paralysis to becoming an audacious executor. I launched impactful mentorship programs and wrote four books, publishing one—milestones that once felt out of reach but are now my new standard.
Beyond the learning, the community is unmatched. ELC is a powerful network of visionary, purpose-driven leaders who provide both accountability and support, creating an environment where growth is inevitable.
ELC is more than a program—it’s the structure and catalyst that turns vision into measurable legacy.”
(ELC 2025 Alumnus)
(ELC 2025 Alumnus)
“At the start of my second business, I knew I needed mentorship and prayed for direction—and that’s how I found ELC. From the moment I joined, it felt like I had found a family of forward thinkers. The sense of belonging, growth, and shared vision has been consistent ever since.
The first semester was transformational. Every module stretched me, but Module 4 especially stood out, shaping my understanding of discipline and leadership. I can confidently say I’ve grown into a better leader with greater clarity of purpose and self-awareness.
Becoming a Community Champion in the Business & Entrepreneurship Lab has been a highlight of my journey. The level of collaboration, support, and generosity within the lab is unmatched—people genuinely show up for one another, offering insight, guidance, and even hands-on support.
ELC has given me more than knowledge—it has given me a community of visionaries I can learn from, collaborate with, and grow alongside. I’m proud to be part of it.”
(ELC 2025 Alumnus)
My experience at ELC has been truly phenomenal. Being part of a collective of Gen Z leaders, combined with ELC’s powerful structure, has marked my life in a significant way—bringing deep mindset shifts, clarity, and real transformation.
There has been a clear upgrade in how I think, lead, and execute. I now carry a stronger sense of purpose and a burning conviction to make a lasting impact on my generation and beyond.
Every module left a mark—from Relational Intelligence to Purpose Clarity and Vision Building. The learning experience, resources, and coaching calls consistently provided insight, direction, and accountability that shaped a new level of growth in me.
Through ELC, I’ve been able to actively advance two key visions: raising a generation of female leaders and building a foundation with long-term impact. Serving as a Community Champion has also been a highlight, allowing me to lead and grow alongside other exceptional young leaders.
ELC is more than a program—it is a catalyst for transformation, equipping you to step fully into your purpose and build a legacy that outlives you.
(ELC 2025 Alumnus)
A 6-month intensive journey (June – November 2026) built on six pillars. Each pillar is designed to move a young leader from potential to performance.
Choose your tier and help us close the leadership gap.
Legacy1000 is a leadership sponsorship initiative funding 1,000 young Africans into Emerging Leaders Collective 2026.
You fund a 6-month leadership journey that covers identity, career, discipline, influence, and innovation.
The beneficiaries are high-potential African youths, ages 18 to 28, with proof of leadership, growth hunger, and commitment.
Leaders are selected through an application process tied to Majestic Manifesto 2026 and reviewed using clear criteria.
The program runs from June to November 2026.
You receive:
Not always directly, but you see stories, outcomes, and program impact.
Yes. You can pick any tier or combine tiers.
It is a leadership investment. The focus is long-term impact, not charity.
Yes. Institutions can sponsor at scale and support placements or mentorship.
Proven results from past cohorts, structured curriculum, and measurable outcomes.
You can sponsor via the Legacy 1000 landing page or campaign channels.
Join us in shaping the next generation of African transformation.
Join the Legacy1000 project!
