2027: Leadership is earned through service, not entitlement — Abiola

Ahead of the 2027 general elections, youths across the country has been charged to embrace volunteerism, discipline, and service as the pathway to leadership, saying leadership is not attained through entitlement. This was the core message delivered to participants at the Nigeria@65 Conference organised by the Citizenship and Leadership Training Centre (CLTC) in Abuja, with […]

Ahead of the 2027 general elections, youths across the country has been charged to embrace volunteerism, discipline, and service as the pathway to leadership, saying leadership is not attained through entitlement.

This was the core message delivered to participants at the Nigeria@65 Conference organised by the Citizenship and Leadership Training Centre (CLTC) in Abuja, with the theme “Restoring Values and Volunteerism Among the Youth.”

Speaking at the conference, Director-General of the CLTC, Rinsola Abiola, said the event was convened in collaboration with Aspitah Global Resources, the United Nations Inter-Agency Group on Youth, the Nigeria Youth Futures Fund (NYFF) – and their parent organisation, LEAP Africa – to reignite civic consciousness and value-driven leadership among young Nigerians.

She said at 65, Nigeria stands at a point where restoring discipline, empathy and national service has become indispensable to our collective growth, adding that “Every act of volunteerism, no matter how small, contributes to the greatness of our country.”

Abiola said volunteerism was the foundation of true leadership and called on youths to take charge of Nigeria’s future by first serving their communities at various levels.

“This event provides a platform to reflect on the principles that once defined us as a people and to chart new pathways through which our youth can reclaim the spirit of volunteerism an ethos that drives active citizenship and national renewal,” she added.

On his part, Director-General of the National Orientation Agency (NOA) Mallam Lance-Isa Onilu said noted that the future of Nigeria depends on the willingness of young people to lead by example, rebuild trust in governance, and volunteer their time and talent for national progress.

Representing the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Head of Enlightenment and Reorientation, Aisha Mohammed, told participants that the agency considers civic engagement and integrity education central to nation-building.

“It is in recognition of the power of youth engagement that the EFCC established clubs in schools to get young people involved in activities that make them better citizens,” she said. “Volunteerism is a vital tool for developing the country.”

Also speaking, the Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brigadier-General Olakunle Nafiu, reminded young Nigerians that service to the nation remains the true test of leadership.

“For over five decades, the NYSC has been a platform for national service and unity,” he said. “Young Nigerians are not mere beneficiaries of Nigeria they are its chief architects. Our focus now is to deepen the impact of the scheme by linking volunteerism with entrepreneurship and national development.”

In a goodwill message, the National Commander of Man O’ War Nigeria, Gbenga Adedamola, described volunteerism as a way of life and the soul of patriotism.

“The future we seek cannot be built by government alone; it requires citizens, especially young people, who are ready to serve, to lead, and to build,” he said. “Man O’ War Nigeria remains fully committed to nation-building through civic engagement and the reorientation of our youth towards positive values. Let’s make volunteerism a culture, not just an act.”

Delivering the keynote address, Iyinoluwa Aboyeji, tech entrepreneur and Chief Executive Officer of Future Africa, said Nigeria’s greatest challenge remains the failure of leadership, not the failure of leaders a distinction many have missed since Chinua Achebe’s famous 1983 declaration in “The Trouble with Nigeria.”

“Most people misinterpret Achebe’s statement as ‘the trouble with Nigeria is a failure of leaders,’ and this is the genesis of our leadership problem,” Aboyeji said.

He explained that leadership is not a title or privilege, but a shared cultural awareness that empowers people to influence and bring others together for a common goal.

Aboyeji lamented that Nigeria’s obsession with a “messianic leader” has led many citizens to outsource their own responsibility to politicians.

“Because we confuse leadership with leaders, we believe all Nigeria needs is one authentic, altruistic and competent leader who will magically become President and change everything. But this messianic leader we pine for is a dangerous fantasy,” he said. “By making leadership one man’s job, we deny ourselves the agency required to demonstrate leadership across different levels of society.”