By Jethro Ibileke
Governor Monday Okpebholo of Edo State, on Wednesday, said that dearth of leadership has been a set back for Nigeria and bane if its development.
He stated this while delivering the Keynote address titled: “Shaping the future: The importance of leadership in Edo State youth development”, at the opening session of a leadership clinic conducted for selected secondary schools in Benin City, Edo State.
The clinic tagged: Youth Leadership Clinic 2025, was organized by the University of Abuja, in partnership with TETFUND Centre of Excellence in Public Governance and Leadership.
Okpebholo was represented by a student of public governance and leadership of Abuja Leadership Centre, Mrs Joy Adesina (SAN).
Addressing the students, Okpebholo stated that leadership is not about having power but about using one’s action and influence to create needed change.
“Leaders must be very courageous and have vision, must display empathy and integrity.
“Discover your strength, set levels, step us, take action, speak out, be the leader that Edo state need,” he urged the students.
Earlier in his opening remarks, the Team Lead and Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Admin), UNIAbuja, Prof. Philip Afaha, noted that people get to know about leadership when they have stepped into the position, which he said Uniabuja sees it as abnormal, hence reason why it commissioned men to catch leaders of tomorrow young from secondary schools.
He urged the students to maximize the opportunity given to them through the leadership clinic and promised to give scholarships to selected students that excel in the clinic.
Also speaking, the Director of Abuja Leadership Centre, Prof. Gabriel Moti, noted that leadership has been an issue in Nigeria.
He disclosed that the clinic was anchored on the principle of catching them young.
In his goodwill message, the State Commissioner for Education, Dr. Paddy Iyamu, lauded the Centre for identifying leaders and proffering solutions to the leadership crisis.
Iyamu who was represented by Kenneth Eguakun, promised that the State will collaborate with the Leadership Centre to sustain the training.
Other Facilitators include a former Commissioner for Information in the State, Hon. Abdul Oroh and a former member of the House of Representatives, Patrick Ikhariale.