By Ozioruva Aliu

BENIN CITY – THE governor of Edo State, Sen. Monday Okpebholo on Wednesday in Benin City said the dearth of quality leadership over the years has been responsible for the several setbacks Nigeria has experienced since independence in 1960.

The governor spoke while delivering his keynote address with the title “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 with the theme Youth Leadership Clinic 2025 which was organized by the Abuja Leadership Centre in collaboration with University of Abuja Post Graduate Students and the TETFUND Centre of Excellence in Public Governance and Leadership.

Part of the objectives of the event was to develop skills, equip participants with leadership qualities and strategies to become active, responsible leaders in their communities, promote responsible citizenship, build 21st Century skills by fostering essential skills that are necessary for success in the modern world.

Represented by a student of Public Governance and Leadership of the Abuja Leadership Centre, Mrs. Joy Adesina (SAN) said 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 needs,” he urged the students.

Earlier in his opening remarks, the Team Lead and Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Admin) of the University of Abuja, Prof. Philip Afaha, noted that people only begin to know what leadership is when they have stepped into the position, a situation he said the University sees as abnormal.

He said that was the reason the school commissioned men to catch leaders of tomorrow young from secondary schools and thereafter urged the students to maximize the opportunity given to them through the clinic. He 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.




https://www.vanguardngr.com/2025/03/dearth-of-leadership-responsible-for-nigerias-setbacks-okpebholo/