Lead Consultant at The Etiquette Place, Yvonne Ebbi, has said the iFinesse Project is a strategic response to the deepening crisis of values among Nigerian youth, especially in public schools.

Ebbi, who spoke during a media briefing ahead of the iFinesse inauguration ceremony, which held April 10, 2025, at the Protea Hotel by Marriott, Alausa, explained that the project is designed to reorient young people by instilling a culture of empathy, courtesy, and respect in schools and colleges across Lagos State.

The project, in partnership with the Lagos State government, will distribute one million copies of My Little Book of Etiquette, a pictorial guide to etiquette and proper behaviour, to public school pupils and teachers. The project also includes teacher training programmes, the creation of iFinesse clubs in schools, and the development of a virtual learning platform to extend its reach.

Ebbi, who has trained thousands of professionals through The Etiquette Place since 2010, noted that the iFinesse Project came out of her desire to bridge the growing identity gap among Nigerian youth and reverse the damaging effects of a distorted self-image that has resulted in low self-esteem and a crisis of national identity.

“We are witnessing a generation of young people who have internalised negative perceptions of themselves, often driven by foreign ideals and standards. This mindset has led to a desperate search for answers abroad, but we must look inward to reclaim our identity and self-worth.” She decried the widespread inferiority complex among young Nigerians, rooted in distorted self-perceptions and the glorification of foreign ideals.

According to her, this mindset has contributed to brain drain, increased emigration, and a collective devaluation of Nigeria’s human capital. Ebbi added that with corporate support from organisations like the Lagos Internal Revenue Service (LIRS), the iFinesse Project aims to reverse this trend, beginning with schoolchildren.