Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, says Nigeria must deliberately prepare young people for leadership, insisting they should no longer be regarded only as leaders of tomorrow but active participants in shaping the nation’s future. Speaking through Kafilat Ogbara at the launch of the LEAD Fellowship in Abuja, Abbas said leadership is built […]
Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, says Nigeria must deliberately prepare young people for leadership, insisting they should no longer be regarded only as leaders of tomorrow but active participants in shaping the nation’s future.
Speaking through Kafilat Ogbara at the launch of the LEAD Fellowship in Abuja, Abbas said leadership is built on responsibility, accountability and commitment to democratic principles rather than the pursuit of political office.
He stressed that Nigeria’s growing youth population should be given opportunities to influence governance, noting that many young people are already making significant contributions as entrepreneurs, innovators and community leaders.
The Speaker also reiterated the House’s support for constitutional reforms aimed at increasing women’s representation in elective offices by removing long-standing barriers to participation.
The LEAD Fellowship, organised by the Gender Mobile Initiative, will train 1,000 student leaders in ethical leadership, governance and public service over an 18-month period.
Organisers said the programme seeks to create a pipeline of principled leaders capable of strengthening democratic institutions and promoting accountable governance in Nigeria.