KADUNA State Government on Wednesday flagged off a program to nurture leadership ability among youths across Nigeria with a specific focus on promising leaders of the future.

Gov. Nasir El-Rufai said while unveiling the Sir Kashim Ibrahim Fellows that sixteen youths drawn from across the Country to pioneer the program would be engaged in reflection, lectures and seminars on leadership.

He said the program is a fellowship leadership training  platform for young people who undergo one year training ”on the heart of governance.”

The governor said that the participants would be guided to build wider networks and share ideas with distinguished leaders from various sectors.

“The program is administered by a governing board of accomplished persons and will be run daily by a program secretariat.

“It will create network of high potential young Nigerians who are expected to rise to top leadership positions in the  public sector and other spheres of activities over the next decade.

“This non partisan program is to raise the next generation of leaders who would most likely be absorbed into the Nigerian public sector, having had a firsthand experience of its working and challenges”.

El-Rufai further explained that a steering committee was selected the best 16 among the over 1,377 who applied.

“The governing board as well ensured that the fellows represents the diversity of the Country including the gender balance. We ended up with  9 males and 7 females”.

“The governing board has designed a commendable leadership development program aimed at producing the next generation of inclusive, patriotic and result oriented managers of human and materials resource in the public sector”.

He therefore called on the first set of fellows to utilise the opportunity and apply themselves with the energy required to succeed.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the Sir Kashim Ibrahim Fellowship is being managed by a 12-member board chaired by the governor.

Sir Kashim Ibrahim, a preindependence minister, was the first indigenous Governor of Northern Nigeria from 1962 to 1966. (NAN)

– Jun. 27, 2018 @ 15:59 GMT |