In this interview with MIFTAUDEEN RAJI, commemorating the June 12 anniversary, Rinsola Abiola, the Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Citizenship & Leadership talks about youth development, citizenship and leadership, the focus of her office and the work done so far, what democracy signifies, as well as the role of young people in safeguarding democracy and holding the leaders accountable.

Excerpts:

Can you provide some insight on what your work entails?

I assumed office in November 2023. My office is a youth-focused one, so it’s domiciled in the Ministry of Youth Development. The major objective of the Office is to promote civic education and youth leadership development. The office also aims to deliver on reforms for the Citizenship and Leadership Training Centre (CLTC), a parastatal in the Ministry of Youth Development which was established in 1951. As you can imagine, the Centre now requires a great deal of support in order to enable it to fulfil its mandate.

Can you highlight some of the key initiatives your office has implemented since you assumed your role and also some future plans and projects that your office is excited about, particularly those that will impact youth and gender issues?

The role of a Senior Special Assistant is largely advisory. However, I have also been working to deliver on initiatives which are in tandem with my office’s focus areas, namely: civic education, youth leadership development and CLTC reform.

For CLTC, to deliver on meaningful reform, there’s a need to rework the legislation establishing the agency. This has been a key priority since I assumed office and the required reforms were arrived at following extensive consultations with the management of the Centre. The Chairman of the House Committee on Youth Development, Hon. Martins Esin, has been a great ally in the quest to secure legislative support for these proposed changes. The Office is also working with YIAGA Africa, a leading youth civil society organization, in our quest to build a critical mass in support of these proposals.

The vision for CLTC is a parastatal with better infrastructure and a broader mandate which will make it better able to deliver on civic and leadership training not just for young people within the formal system, but also within the informal system, as that is a major segment of the Nigerian youth demographic that requires more engagement. The Centre also has training schools across the country, all of which require extensive infrastructural support, although some are in a more severe state of disrepair than others.

The major challenge with the government, of course, is that there is so much to do but so little in terms of resources to do it with; we have conducted a needs assessment of all the training centres and are now exploring avenues through which we can mobilise the resources required to deliver on the necessary upgrades.

On youth leadership development, in March, we convened the Young Women’s Leadership Summit in commemoration of International Women’s Month. While the Office is not a gender-focused one, I do believe that proper engagement requires some form of segmentation and women’s month presented us with a great opportunity to do something focused on young women specifically.

The conference examined young women’s leadership across politics & governance, tech & business and youth-led movements, and we are now in the process of executing follow-on initiatives which will be announced soon, God willing, once all consultations have been concluded. We also have another leadership development program in the works which both genders will be able to benefit from, but there’s a need to align stakeholders – especially within government and the development sector – prior to takeoff. It is expected that the second initiative will be delivered through CLTC, also as part of efforts to revitalise the agency.

What specific skill acquisition programs are currently available for young Nigerians, and how can they access these opportunities?

There are many youth-focused initiatives captured in the 2024 Appropriation Act – or budget – and others which have been introduced by the Ministry of Youth Development. For instance, the Honorable Minister of State, Ayodele Olawande, launched the Nigerian Youth Academy (NiYA) earlier in the year.

NiYA is an online platform through which young people can learn valuable skills at no cost to them, except, of course, what they would spend on data. The grassroots-focused component is also now being rolled out. There is also a skill acquisition and economic empowerment project targeted at youth corps members, called the Corpreneur Scheme, which the office of the Minister of State is spearheading as well.

In the Digital Communication ministry, we have the 3 Million Technical Talents (3MTT) program and many other interventions by agencies like NITDA. In the budget, you will also find many youth-focused initiatives cut across different ministries and agencies.

Agencies like SMEDAN and the Bank of Industry (BoI) also have initiatives that could be of help to young business owners, and I would like to encourage young people to stay updated about developments in these key agencies as announcements are often made about new policies or developments that they could benefit from.

Youth unemployment remains a critical issue. What steps is the President Tinubu administration taking to address this challenge?

Firstly, the government cannot provide all the jobs but the government is certainly responsible for creating an enabling business environment and macroeconomic management, which would then enhance job creation. I would say that a key underlying reason for the ongoing economic reforms is to deliver on that particular objective, and I would like to highlight the work of the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reform as well; obscure, multiple taxes are a bane and this administration is working to change that, also as part of efforts to improve the business environment.

Furthermore, the Minister for Youth Development, Dr. Jamila Bio Ibrahim, has spoken about the creation of the National Youth Bank, as part of efforts by the President to increase access to capital for young people, thereby supporting their businesses and enhancing their ability to create jobs. This is especially important as most of the jobs within the Nigerian economy are in the informal sector, and it is key that our young people in that sector have access to the kind of capital that they need to not just establish but also grow their businesses, especially as access to capital has been identified as a major stumbling block by entrepreneurial youths.

The Federal Executive Council also recently approved the allocation of N110 billion in capital to startups and early growth stage businesses owned by young people, and the funds will be channeled through the restructured Nigeria Youth Investment Fund (NYIF).

I would say, though, that while the federal government is responsible for macroeconomic management, state governments also have a key role to play in improving the business environment within their domains, so job creation certainly requires a lot of effort from state governments as well. State ministries for youth development or even finance can also introduce funds and progressive policies which will support young business owners.

As we commemorate the June 12 national anniversary, what does democracy signify to you and to young Nigerians today?

Democracy, to me, signifies freedom and a coming of age. I believe that citizens must be able to determine the trajectory of their country, and it is democracy that allows us to do that. I will also always be thankful to former President Muhammadu Buhari for giving June 12 the proper recognition and designating it as Nigeria’s Democracy Day. June 12, to me, is a constant reminder that the night is darkest before dawn and that with God’s help, Nigeria will always overcome.

While I am old enough to remember living under military rule – perhaps, also because I was personally affected by it – I also understand that there’s a generation of younger people who cannot relate to the reality of military rule. I am thus aware that what democracy means to me might not really resonate with them. Yet, I certainly hope that they understand that it represents their right to choose; to live in liberty and play an important role in shaping their country not just by electing its leaders, but also by actively participating in public affairs.

How is the President Tinubu administration ensuring that the voices of young people are heard and considered in governance?

I stand to be corrected but I am confident that this is the first time that there are so many young people in key positions in the federal government, and not just from a tokenistic standpoint. If you look at the list of appointees working as presidential advisers, heads of agencies and even ministers, you will find that the President genuinely believes in youth representation in governance. Being in these positions allows young people to offer youth perspectives and either design or implement policies with a focus on how young people will benefit.

What have been some of the biggest challenges and triumphs you’ve faced in your role as the Senior Special Assistant on Citizenship & Leadership?

I believe I earlier made reference to the issue of opportunity cost in governance, and that’s just highlighting the fact that resources are very limited while there is a lot of work that needs to be done. However, I come from a background of pitch decks (laughs) and forging partnerships, and this particular skill has been of immense help with moving the needle and getting work done. I have so far explored partnerships with key development partners, government agencies and private sector organisations, and I’m currently working to expand this list.

What keeps you motivated and inspired to continue advocating for youth and gender issues in Nigeria?

I am a strong believer in the Nigerian project and I also believe strongly in justice. For me, that means equity in all ways and forms, and because politics is the major vehicle for my advocacy, justice in that context would entail empowering underrepresented groups like young people, women and people with disabilities, and enhancing their participation and representation in the spaces that matter. I also believe that the continued exclusion of such key segments of the population is antithetical to the principles underpinning the concept of democracy.

As we celebrate June 12, what is your message to the youth of Nigeria regarding their role in shaping the future of the nation?

They have to vote, they have to engage the system, they have to stay updated about key developments and make their voices heard, and they have to hold their leaders and representatives accountable. I encourage young people to organize, to join political parties and lobby groups and make their position on different issues known, while engaging those empowered by the Constitution to make far-reaching decisions.

Democracy is about participation and being heard is a function of showing up. As young people, we cannot afford to give in to apathy and stand aloof as decisions which will impact the present and the future are being made. Democracy gives us an opportunity to shape these decisions and outcomes, and it only counts if we take advantage of it.