Athena Graduates 13 Pioneer Fellows, Publishes Essays On Nigerian Unity

By Bukar BOLORI

The Athena Centre for Policy and Leadership has graduated 13 pioneer fellows of its Junior Fellowship Programme, with a call on young Nigerians to take up leadership responsibilities and help build institutions capable of delivering good governance and national development.

The six-month programme, implemented in partnership with Anchoria Group, brought together young Nigerians from the six geopolitical zones, 11 states, 11 universities and 11 academic disciplines to deepen their understanding of public policy, governance, institutional development and leadership.

The graduation ceremony in Abuja also witnessed the unveiling of a collection of 13 civic essays written by the fellows, titled Though Tribe and Tongue May Differ: Young Nigerians on Belonging, Equal Citizenship and the Work of Nation-Building.

The publication, produced by Athena Press, is the first volume in an annual series, The Republic We Are Building, designed to encourage young Nigerians to examine the country’s founding ideals against the realities of governance and citizenship.

Speaking at the event, Founder and Chancellor of the Centre, Osita Chidoka, said the fellowship was established on the conviction that building strong institutions required deliberate investment in the people who would eventually lead them.

“We cannot continue to demand better institutions without deliberately investing in the people who will lead them. Institutions do not build themselves. People build them,” he said.

Chidoka said the programme deliberately brought together young Nigerians from different geographical, educational and professional backgrounds to foster mutual understanding and develop their capacity to work across the country’s differences.

“We brought together young Nigerians who might otherwise never have met, from different regions, universities, disciplines and experiences, and asked them to learn, argue and grow as one cohort.

“If we are serious about building the Republic we all dream of, learning to live, think and work across our differences has to become a habit,” he said.

He said the fellows were exposed to intensive learning, mentorship and practical engagements with experienced professionals, including BudgIT’s Seun Onigbinde, Dr Sam Amadi and Dr Dakuku Peterside.

The programme featured six months of virtual learning and mentorship, during which participants received monthly stipends, followed by a one-week residential session. Each graduate also received an HP laptop to support continued research and writing.

Anchoria Group part-funded the initiative, which combined public policy, governance, research and leadership training with financial literacy, investment and practical economic decision-making.

Chidoka said the fellows’ essays were inspired by the line in Nigeria’s National Anthem, “Though tribe and tongue may differ, in brotherhood we stand”, and explored questions of belonging, equal citizenship, identity and nation-building.

He described the National Anthem, the National Pledge and Chapter II of the Constitution as embodying what he called “the promise of the Republic”.

“They describe the Nigeria we say we want: a country founded on justice, equality, dignity, unity and opportunity.

“Every generation inherits that promise, and every generation must convert the promise into performance through the institutions it builds, the standards it enforces and the everyday experience of the citizen,” he said.

According to him, subsequent cohorts of the fellowship will use the annual publication to assess how effectively the country is translating these national ideals into tangible outcomes for its citizens.

The fellows also benefited from engagements with prominent figures in public policy and national development, including Patrick Okigbo, Founding Partner of Nextier, who discussed the promise of Nigeria and the experiences of young Nigerians within the country.

Representatives of Nextier attended the graduation and interacted with the fellows on career opportunities in policy and advisory services.

The fellows were also received by the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, who shared his experiences of international training, returning to Nigeria and contributing to national development.

One of the fellows was subsequently invited to participate in the forthcoming Ministerial Conference on Antimicrobial Resistance.

In his valedictory address, the Overall Best Fellow, Ezekiel Adebisi, said the programme had equipped participants with the analytical skills, intellectual discipline and sense of responsibility required to contribute meaningfully to national development.

He said the fellows arrived as young professionals seeking answers but were leaving with a deeper appreciation of the complexity of governance and the responsibilities associated with knowledge.

Adebisi urged them to approach public institutions with courage, integrity and a commitment to evidence-based decision-making.

He cautioned against equating access to political power with the ability to drive meaningful institutional reforms.

“We came to learn how institutions shape nations. We leave committed to shaping institutions that serve nations,” he said.

The graduating fellows are Augustina Enuwa Abakpa, Rashida Bafashi Abubakar, Yahaya Abubakar, Ezekiel Adebisi, Afodun Muhammad Saheed, Adaobi Ayogu, Kosisochukwu Praise Bosah, Enegbuma Angelica Onagiekhuwemhe, Haruna Hassan Suleiman, Mohammed Baba Kale, Daniel Nnamani, Eunice Olasunkanmi and Shedrack Owen.

Chidoka urged the graduates to measure their success not merely by the knowledge acquired during the fellowship but by their contributions to the institutions and communities they would serve.

“The value of this Fellowship will be measured over years: in the institutions you serve, the decisions you influence and the people you, in turn, help to develop.

“Today, we celebrate what you have learnt. Tomorrow, Nigeria will judge what you do with it,” he said.

He announced that the Junior Fellows Programme would continue with new cohorts, sustaining the Centre’s effort to develop a new generation of Nigerians committed to responsible leadership and institution-building.