Former Minister of Aviation, Osita Chidoka, has called for deliberate investment in young Nigerians to prepare them for leadership and public policy roles, saying strong institutions can only be built by people equipped with the capacity and values to lead them.
Chidoka, who is the Founder and Chancellor of the Athena Centre for Policy and Leadership, made the call in Abuja at the graduation ceremony of the first cohort of the Athena-Anchoria Junior Fellows Programme, where 13 young Nigerians from across the six geopolitical zones completed a six-month leadership and public policy fellowship.
According to a statement by the centre on Friday, Chidoka said Nigeria could not continue to demand stronger institutions without deliberately developing the next generation of leaders who would be responsible for managing them.
“We cannot continue to demand better institutions without deliberately investing in the people who will lead them. Institutions do not build themselves. People build them,” Chidoka said.
The fellowship, supported in part by Anchoria Group, brought together 13 participants from 11 states, representing different universities and 11 academic disciplines.
The participants underwent six months of virtual learning and mentorship, supported by monthly stipends, before concluding the programme with a one-week residential session in Abuja. Each graduate also received an HP laptop to support further research and writing.
Chidoka said the programme was designed to bring together young Nigerians from different backgrounds and equip them with the knowledge and skills required to contribute meaningfully to public policy, governance and national development.
“We brought together young Nigerians who might otherwise never have met from different regions, universities, disciplines and experiences, and asked them to learn, argue and grow as one cohort.
“If we are serious about building the Republic we all dream of, learning to live, think and work across, our differences has to become a habit,” he said.
The fellows received training from Athena faculty and experienced policy practitioners, including Seun Onigbinde of BudgIT, Dr Sam Amadi and Dr Dakuku Peterside.
The programme also incorporated financial literacy, investment and practical economic decision-making, alongside sessions on governance, public policy, research and leadership.
As part of the fellowship, each participant wrote a civic essay inspired by the line, “Though tribe and tongue may differ, in brotherhood we stand,” from Nigeria’s National Anthem.
The essays examined issues of national identity, belonging, equal citizenship and the responsibilities of nation-building.
Athena Press subsequently published the 13 essays in a collection titled Though Tribe and Tongue May Differ: Young Nigerians on Belonging, Equal Citizenship and the Work of Nation-Building.
The publication is the first volume in an annual series, The Republic We Are Building, through which successive cohorts of fellows will examine Nigeria’s national ideals against the country’s development realities.
Chidoka said the National Anthem, the National Pledge and Chapter II of the 1999 Constitution collectively represent what he described as “the promise of the Republic”.
According to him, the documents outline the country’s aspirations for justice, equality, dignity, unity and opportunity, but successive generations must work towards translating those ideals into tangible improvements in citizens’ lives.
“They describe the Nigeria we say we want: a country founded on justice, equality, dignity, unity and opportunity. Every generation inherits that promise, and every generation must convert the promise into performance through the institutions it builds, the standards it enforces and the everyday experience of the citizen,” he said.
The fellows also engaged with individuals and institutions outside the centre as part of efforts to expose them to practical experiences in policy development and national service.
The Founding Partner of Nextier, Patrick Okigbo, discussed Nigeria’s development prospects and the experiences of young Nigerians within the country, while representatives of the organisation interacted with the graduates on career opportunities in policy and advisory work.
The participants were also received by the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof Muhammad Ali Pate, who spoke about the importance of acquiring international exposure, returning to Nigeria and contributing to national development.
One of the fellows was subsequently invited to participate in the forthcoming Ministerial Conference on Antimicrobial Resistance.
Speaking on behalf of the graduating cohort, the Overall Best Fellow, Ezekiel Adebisi, said the programme had equipped participants with stronger analytical skills and a deeper appreciation of their responsibilities as young professionals.
He said the fellows began the programme as young professionals seeking answers but were graduating with better questions, sharper tools and a clearer understanding of the role of knowledge in shaping society.
Adebisi urged the graduates to uphold integrity and evidence-based decision-making in their future engagements with public institutions.
He also cautioned them against equating closeness to political authority with the ability to bring about meaningful change.
“We came to learn how institutions shape nations. We leave committed to shaping institutions that serve nations,” he said.
The graduating fellows are Augustina Enuwa Abakpa, Rashida Bafashi Abubakar, Yahaya Abubakar, Ezekiel Adebisi, Afodun Muhammad Saheed, Adaobi Ayogu, Kosisochukwu Praise Bosah, Enegbuma Angelica Onagiekhuwemhe, Haruna Hassan Suleiman, Mohammed Baba Kale, Daniel Nnamani, Eunice Olasunkanmi and Shedrack Owen.
Chidoka charged the graduates to measure their success by their contributions to the institutions and communities they would serve, rather than the certificates they had obtained.
The Athena Centre said the Junior Fellows Programme would continue with subsequent cohorts as part of its efforts to develop young Nigerians for leadership, public policy and nation-building.
Source: