By Christiana Ekpa
President Bola Tinubu has expressed commitment to the development of children in the country.
He said this at the launching and public presentation of a new book titled The Power of a Teenager: 50 Ways to Inspire Change, written by Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee, House of Representatives, and Founder of the Children of Africa Leadership and Values Development Initiative (CALDEV), Rep. Bamidele Salam on Thursday.
President Tinubu, who was represented by the Senior Special Assistant to the National Assembly, House of Representatives Liaison, Dr. Ibrahim Olarewaju, commended Salam for his dedication to youth development.
“You may not fully understand the impact of what you are receiving now, but tomorrow you will see what. Hon. Bamidele Salam has done in your lives,” he said.
He urged all attendees to make a personal commitment to shaping the minds of young Nigerians, stressing that while Salam funded the initiative personally, the greater task lies in mentoring and guiding the nation’s youth.
The Vice President, Kashim Shettima, described the launch as a clear demonstration of the potential of Nigerian children.
Represented by Senior Special Assistant, Dr. Kingsley Uzoma, praised Salam for aligning his work with the administration’s vision for youth empowerment.
“This initiative speaks directly to the leaders of tomorrow,” he added, commending both the organisation and the children participating in the programme.
Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila also lauded Salam’s efforts.
“Nigerian children are the future of this nation. Even though they are young, we are looking to them to take this country to where it should be,” he said.
Gbajabiamila commended Salam for consistently producing the book annually, calling it a testament to leadership and commitment.
“Leadership may be inborn or thrust upon you, but there must be someone to guide you. That is what this book is doing—it provides the guidance our young people need,” he said, urging children to read and internalise its lessons.
Speaking at the event, Rep. Bamidele Salam shared the story of how CALDEV was founded in 2015 to fill a gap in Nigeria’s educational system.
Unlike in other countries, he said, leadership training is rarely embedded in the curriculum. Through CALDEV and its flagship National Children’s Leadership Conference, children gain practical exposure to leadership, public speaking, and community service.
Many past participants have gone on to start NGOs, run radio programmes, and lead campaigns addressing early marriage, child labour, and other social issues.
“This year, about 400 children are participating, and the impact has been phenomenal,” Salam said. He urged state governments to replicate the initiative at the state level to provide young people across Nigeria with intensive leadership training. Highlighting the large participation from Borno State, Salam said that properly trained and nurtured children could become agents of change, promoting peace, tolerance, education, and societal development.
Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Kingsley Chinda, lauded Rep. Bamidele Salam for his dedication to youth development through the newly launched book.
Chinda expressed pride that a member of the House is actively shaping the future of Nigerian children.
“As members of the House of Representatives, we hold our heads high today that one of us is doing this. We are very, very proud, and we pray that this inspiration should flow through every other member of the House,” he said.
Chinda noted that the legacy of leaders and thinkers, is remembered not for wealth but for wisdom and the knowledge they left behind.
“When we see initiatives like this, these are the things worthy of celebration,” he said.
Member of the House from Borno State, Zainab Gimba, said,”We have come because we are celebrating not just a book today when they had an imagination behind it. I actually commend for shining a compassionate and bright lights of our teenagers.
“He has given our young people a voice that others will also step on the same foot, so that our teenagers will be empowered, not in this generation, but in future generations to come.”
