Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholo, represented by Mrs. Joy Adesina, SAN, asserted that leadership transcends mere power retention and necessitates creating tangible, positive change for the populace.
This statement formed the core of his keynote address at the 2025 Youth Leadership Clinic held Wednesday in Benin City.
Organized for secondary school students by the University of Abuja in partnership with Tetfund’s Centre of Excellence in Public Governance and Leadership, the clinic focused on cultivating future leadership potential. Okpebholo emphasized the detrimental impact of inadequate leadership on Nigeria’s overall advancement, urging students to proactively seek visionary and impactful figures to lead.
In his address, entitled “Shaping the Future: The Importance of Leadership in Edo State Youth Development,” the governor challenged students to embrace leadership characterized by courage, vision, empathy, and unwavering integrity. He implored them to “discover your strength, set levels, step up, take action, speak out, and be the leader that Edo State needs.”
Echoing this sentiment, Prof. Philip Afaha, Team Lead and Deputy Vice-Chancellor of the University of Abuja, highlighted the importance of early leadership training, stating that such development should commence far before individuals assume positions of authority.
He noted that the university’s observation of “abnormal” leadership lapses prompted the initiative to cultivate leaders from the secondary school level, announcing scholarship opportunities for exceptional clinic participants.
Prof. Gabriel Moti, Director of the Abuja Leadership Centre, reinforced the need to “catch them young” in leadership development, lamenting the longstanding leadership challenges within the country. Dr. Paddy Iyamu, Commissioner for Education in Edo State, commended the initiative and pledged the state’s ongoing support for similar future programs.
