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…say youths must shape Nigeria’s future today, not tomorrow

…back greater inclusion of women, persons with disabilities in governance

By Gloria Ikibah

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas has called for deliberate investment in preparing young Nigerians for positions of leadership, insisting that they should no longer be viewed simply as the leaders of tomorrow but as active contributors to the country’s development today.

Speaking at the launch of the Leadership for Equity, Advocacy and Development (LEAD) Fellowship organised by the Gender Mobile Initiative (GMI) at the National Assembly  on Tuesday, in Abuja, Speaker Abbas said Nigeria’s youthful population must be equipped with the knowledge, values and institutional understanding needed to drive meaningful change.

Represented by the Chairperson of the House Committee on Women Affairs and Social Development, Rep. Kafilat Ogbara, the Speaker said leadership is far more than occupying political office.

“It is high time we prepared young people for power. As the trustees of our tomorrow, they must understand how government works and how to use political office to change society for the better. Without this preparation, they risk squandering the opportunity to effect real, lasting good,” he said.

He described the fellowship, which targets students in tertiary institutions, as a strategic investment in Nigeria’s democratic future.

“The youths are no longer merely the leaders of tomorrow; their time has come. As voters, innovators, entrepreneurs and community leaders, they deserve the power to influence the decisions that shape their lives today,” Abbas added.

According to him, the programme will nurture a new generation of leaders who understand public policy, appreciate the responsible use of power and are committed to building strong institutions.

The Speaker also praised the fellowship’s emphasis on inclusion, as he said meaningful democracy cannot thrive while significant sections of society remain excluded from governance.

“The inclusion of women, persons with disabilities, and historically marginalised groups is not an act of benevolence. It is a matter of basic justice, democratic legitimacy and institutional effectiveness. A democracy that excludes large sections of society cannot be said to be representative,” he stated.

Abbas reiterated the commitment of the 10th House to expanding women’s participation in politics through the proposed constitutional amendment seeking reserved seats for women in the National Assembly and State Houses of Assembly.

He identified inadequate campaign financing, exclusion from party structures, cultural stereotypes and electoral violence as some of the major obstacles preventing women from seeking elective office.

“Let me be absolutely clear: we are not attempting to lower the standard of leadership. We are attempting to remove the barriers that prevent capable women from even reaching the starting line.

“Nigeria does not need a generation that is simply more ambitious than the one before it. Our nation needs a generation that is wiser, more ethical, more inclusive, more technologically advanced and more institutionally minded,” he said.

The Speaker urged participants in the fellowship to focus on solving societal problems rather than pursuing political office for its own sake.

To sustain the impact of the programme, Abbas proposed the creation of a LEAD Alumni Policy Network that will allow fellows to continue mentoring one another, undertake policy research and collaborate on initiatives that promote national development.

He reaffirmed the readiness of the House to partner with the Gender Mobile Initiative in promoting inclusive governance, civic participation and constitutional reforms.

“The work before us is both legislative and societal. We continue to change the law where the law is the barrier. We are also changing institutions where institutions are the barrier. Finally, we must change attitudes where attitudes are the barrier,” he added.

Abbas who described investment in people as the most valuable investment any nation can make, expressed confidence that the fellowship will produce future legislators, policymakers, entrepreneurs, jurists, academics, innovators and civil society leaders committed to strengthening Nigeria’s democracy.

Earlier, Executive Lead of the Gender Mobile Initiative, Omowumi Ogunrotimi, said the LEAD Fellowship was conceived to bridge the gap between student leadership and meaningful participation in governance after graduation.

The 18-month programme aims to train 1,000 student leaders drawn from 10 tertiary institutions across Nigeria.

She disclosed that the initiative is being implemented in partnership with the Office of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS), Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Student Engagement, with support from the Open Society Foundations.

Ogunrotimi said the idea was inspired by a female student leader who questioned what opportunities existed for ethical student leaders after graduation.

Recalling the encounter, she said the student asked: “Even if I survive all this, if I graduate and maintain my integrity, where do I go next? That single, courageous reflection became a mirror held up to our entire national governance ecosystem. It became the catalytic seed for why we are convened here today.”

She argued that although many young Nigerians already demonstrate leadership on campuses, the country has failed to provide structured pathways into governance.

According to her, Nigeria is grappling with what she described as a “democratic formation deficit”, where emerging leaders are often exposed to patronage, transactional politics, exclusion and abuse of influence at an early stage.

She also identified a “transition deficit”, noting that many outstanding student leaders struggle to find opportunities to contribute to governance after leaving school.

“As a result, civic talent is often disconnected from the very institutions that need it most,” she said.

Ogunrotimi explained that the fellowship was designed to address both challenges by providing structured leadership training, mentoring, institutional exposure and policy engagement.

She described the initiative as more than a leadership programme, urging government institutions, development partners and civil society organisations to support it as an investment in national development.

“We are intentionally incubating 1,000 student leaders across 10 pilot institutions. Our ambition is to cultivate women and men whose exercise of leadership will be defined by ethics, constitutionalism, evidence, inclusion and an unwavering commitment to service because democratic stewardship does not emerge by accident,” she said.

Also speaking, SpokespersonoftheHouse, Rep. Akin Rotimi Jr., urged young Nigerians to place character, competence and service above the pursuit of political office.

“Strong institutions require capable leaders. Leadership must therefore be identified, nurtured and developed,” he said.
Rotimi said the fellowship aligns with his legislative philosophy of “Leaving No One Behind,” which seeks to promote inclusion, accountability and equal opportunities for women, young people, persons with disabilities and underserved communities.

He therefore commended the Gender Mobile Initiative for its contributions to legislative reforms, recalling its advocacy role in the passage of the Sexual Harassment in Tertiary Educational Institutions Bill.

The lawmaker highlighted his sponsorship of the Independent Candidacy Bill and the Special Seats for Special Interest Groups Bill, saying both proposals are designed to deepen democratic participation.

He noted that the 10th House of Representatives has consistently expanded citizen engagement through structured policy dialogues, including the Youth Town Hall held during the 2026 National Assembly Open Week.

“These efforts reflect a clear conviction: young people must not remain spectators in governance. Democracy works best when young people participate, organise, engage institutions, contest ideas and hold leaders accountable,” he said.

Addressing the pioneer fellows, Rotimi urged them not to confuse popularity with leadership or political office with service.

“Leadership demands character, competence, discipline, empathy and commitment to the common good,” he said.

Quoting former Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, he reminded participants that, “Politics is not a sprint; it is a relay. One must learn how to carry the baton before aspiring to receive it.”

He encouraged them to embrace mentorship, develop competence, strengthen institutions and prioritise service over personal recognition.

“Nigeria needs leaders who place service above self, strengthen institutions, expand opportunity and advance the public interest,” Rotimi added.

Also speaking, Director-General of the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS), Prof. Abubakar O. Sulaiman, represented by Dr. Shuaibu Danwanka, described the fellowship as a timely intervention in Nigeria’s democratic journey.

Sulaiman said Nigeria requires leaders whose competence is matched by integrity and whose ambition is guided by service.

“Today’s event represents far more than the unveiling of another fellowship programme. It is the launch of a bold national investment in ethical leadership, democratic resilience and inclusive governance.

“I have consistently maintained that strong democracies are built not merely by strong institutions but by leaders who possess the intellectual capacity, ethical discipline, emotional intelligence and patriotic commitment to strengthen those institutions,” he stated.

He warned that unless ethical values are deliberately nurtured at the formative stage of leadership development, young leaders could replicate the same negative practices that weaken public institutions.

“Unless we intentionally nurture ethical leadership, democratic values and a culture of service at this formative stage, we risk producing future leaders who replicate these negative practices in our public institutions rather than reforming them,” he said.

Sulaiman reaffirmed NILDS’ commitment to supporting the fellowship through research, democratic education, legislative capacity development and strategic partnerships, expressing confidence that the initiative would produce a new generation of ethical leaders committed to strengthening Nigeria’s democracy.