Former Nigerian President, Olusegun Obasanjo, has called on national and community leaders to make deliberate efforts to include young people in governance and decision-making processes, stressing that the youth must not be sidelined in shaping the nation’s future.
Okay News reports that Obasanjo made the appeal on Saturday in Abeokuta during the grand reunion and maiden lecture series of the Royal College of Defence Studies (RCDS), United Kingdom Alumni Association, Nigerian chapter. The lecture was themed “The Challenges of Youth in a Fractured World.”
Represented by the Deputy Director of the Olusegun Obasanjo Leadership Institute, Prof. Samuel Daramola, the former president explained that youthhood represents a phase between childhood and adulthood, characterized by energy, idealism, dreams, and a touch of adventure.
He noted that while today’s young people face complex global and national challenges, they possess the creativity and resilience needed to drive positive change.
“Some of us were youths immediately after the Second World War; I was. Most of you were youths at the height of the Cold War,” he recalled. “The world was not perfect, but there was order, respect for international law, and some level of stability. Today, the youth face herculean challenges which they must not be left to handle alone.”
Obasanjo emphasized that true leadership requires truthfulness, transparency, transformation, and selflessness. He said it was the duty of today’s leaders to guide the younger generation through mentorship and inclusive governance.
He further advised that governments at all levels should invest in the future rather than deplete resources meant for generations to come, insisting that the youth must be integrated into every aspect of family, private, and public life.
“Youth are not leaders of tomorrow; they are leaders today,” Obasanjo declared. “Let them be part and parcel of leadership today in preparation for tomorrow.”
As the grand patron of the association, Obasanjo urged Nigerian youths to build resilience and courage to thrive in a fractured world, noting that self-reliance and moral discipline remain key to national progress.
The President of the RCDS Alumni Association, Maj.-Gen. Oluwaseun Oshinowo (Rtd), explained that the association was formed eight years ago to promote strategic-level discussions that could move the nation forward.
“Our aim is to tell the world that we are here and ready to contribute to national and global leadership debates,” Oshinowo said, underscoring the importance of youth involvement in development.
In his goodwill message, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Maitama, represented by Mrs. Abosede Awolola of the Institute of Peace and Conflict Resolution, said the RCDS remains a vital institution in shaping global leadership. He added that President Bola Tinubu’s administration is committed to pursuing a citizen-focused and globally respected foreign policy.
Also speaking, Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun, represented by his Special Adviser on Security, Olusola Subair, urged stakeholders to help rebuild family values and reshape young minds toward more productive ventures.
The Royal College of Defence Studies was established in 1927 in the United Kingdom to train senior military officers and public servants in strategic leadership and global security affairs.
