Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, has declared that Nigeria must deliberately prepare young people for leadership, insisting that they should no longer be viewed as “leaders of tomorrow” but as active participants in shaping the nation’s future.
Speaking Tuesday at the launch of the Leadership for Equity, Advocacy and Development (LEAD) Fellowship organised by the Gender Mobile Initiative (GMI) at the National Assembly, Abbas said Nigeria’s youthful population must be equipped with the knowledge, ethical values, institutional exposure and leadership skills required for effective public service.
Represented by the Chairman of the House Committee on Women Affairs and Social Development, Hon. Kafilat Ogbara, the Speaker said leadership extends beyond holding political office and is rooted in responsibility, accountability and respect for democratic institutions and the rule of law.
“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,” he said.
Abbas described the LEAD Fellowship as a strategic investment in Nigeria’s democratic future, noting that young Nigerians are already influencing national development as voters, innovators, entrepreneurs and community leaders.
“The youths are no longer merely the leaders of tomorrow; their time has come,” he added.
The Speaker also praised the fellowship’s commitment to inclusion, stressing that the participation of women, persons with disabilities and other historically marginalised groups is essential for a representative democracy.
He reaffirmed the House of Representatives’ support for the proposed constitutional amendment seeking the creation of special seats for women in the National Assembly and State Houses of Assembly, saying the initiative is aimed at removing structural barriers rather than lowering leadership standards.
“We are attempting to remove the barriers that prevent capable women from even reaching the starting line,” Abbas said.
He identified inadequate campaign financing, exclusion from party structures, cultural stereotypes and electoral violence as key obstacles limiting women’s political participation.
Calling on the pioneer fellows to become ethical, technologically driven and institutionally minded leaders, Abbas urged them to focus on solving national challenges rather than merely pursuing political office.
He also proposed the establishment of a LEAD Alumni Policy Network to sustain mentorship, policy research and collaboration among graduates of the programme.
LEAD Fellowship Targets 1,000 Student Leaders
Executive Lead of the Gender Mobile Initiative, Omowumi Ogunrotimi, said the 18-month fellowship aims to groom 1,000 student leaders across 10 tertiary institutions for ethical leadership and public service.
She explained that the programme was conceived to bridge the gap between student leadership and opportunities for meaningful participation in governance after graduation.
According to Ogunrotimi, the fellowship was inspired by a female student leader who questioned what future awaited ethical student leaders after surviving campus politics.
“That single, courageous reflection became the catalytic seed for why we are convened here today,” she said.
She warned that Nigeria faces both a “democratic formation deficit,” where leadership is often shaped by patronage and transactional politics, and a “transition deficit,” which leaves capable student leaders without structured pathways into governance.
The fellowship, she said, seeks to cultivate leaders guided by ethics, constitutionalism, evidence-based policymaking, inclusion and public service.
Implemented in partnership with the Office of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS) and the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Student Engagement, with support from the Open Society Foundations, the programme will expose participants to policymakers, academics and civil society leaders through structured learning and mentorship.
Rotimi: Character Must Come Before Power
House Spokesman Rep. Akin Rotimi Jr. urged young Nigerians to prioritise character, competence and service above the pursuit of political office, saying leadership must be deliberately nurtured.
He said the fellowship aligns with his legislative philosophy of “Leaving No One Behind” and complements ongoing efforts to expand democratic participation through reforms promoting inclusion and accountability.
Rotimi highlighted the House’s support for youth engagement initiatives, including the National Assembly Youth Engagement Strategy and the 2026 National Assembly Open Week Youth Town Hall.
“If we want better politics, stronger institutions and more accountable governance, we must invest in leadership development long before individuals seek public office,” he said.
Addressing the fellows, he 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,” Rotimi said.
NILDS Backs Ethical Leadership Drive
Director-General of NILDS, Prof. Abubakar O. Sulaiman, represented by Dr. Shuaibu Danwanka, described the fellowship as a bold national investment in ethical leadership, democratic resilience and inclusive governance.
He said Nigeria’s democracy requires leaders whose competence is matched by integrity, accountability and patriotic commitment.
“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 said.
Sulaiman noted that leadership development should begin in classrooms, student unions and civic organisations, warning that failure to instill ethical values at that stage could produce future leaders who replicate rather than reform poor governance practices.
He reaffirmed NILDS’ commitment to supporting the fellowship through research, democratic education, leadership development and strategic partnerships.
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