Athena-Anchora Graduate Pioneer Fellows Publish Civic Essays on Nigeria’s Future
Thirteen young Nigerians from the six geopolitical zones have completed a six-month leadership fellowship, publishing a collection that examines belonging, equal citizenship and the unfinished work of nation-building.
Athena-Anchora Graduate Pioneer Fellows Publish Civic Essays on Nigeria’s Future
By Jerry Adesewo
The Athena Centre for Policy and Leadership has graduated 13 pioneer fellows of its Athena–Anchoria Junior Fellowship Programme, with a call for deliberate investment in young people capable of strengthening Nigeria’s institutions and shaping its governance future.
The graduation ceremony, held in Abuja on Thursday, November 12, 2026, also featured the presentation of a new book by the fellows, Though Tribe and Tongue May Differ: Young Nigerians on Belonging, Equal Citizenship and the Work of Nation-Building, published by Athena Press.
READ ALSO: Tinubu, Shettima, Akpabio, Abbas to Attend APC Presidential Rally in Plateau
Speaking at the ceremony, the Centre’s Founder and Chancellor, Osita Chidoka, OFR, NPoM, said the fellowship was established on the conviction that sustainable institutional reform must begin with investing in the people who will lead and manage public institutions.
“We cannot continue to demand better institutions without deliberately investing in the people who will lead them,” Chidoka said. “Institutions do not build themselves. People build them.”
The 13 fellows were selected from all six geopolitical zones and 11 states, with each participant representing a different university and 11 academic disciplines. Their six-month programme combined virtual learning, mentorship, and monthly stipends, culminating in a one-week residential session. Each graduate also received an HP laptop to support continued research and writing.
The programme, part-funded by Anchoria Group, combined Athena’s expertise in public policy, governance, research, and mentorship with training in financial literacy, investment, and practical economic decision-making. The fellows were taught by Athena faculty and experienced practitioners, including Seun Onigbinde of BudgIT, Dr. Sam Amadi, and Dr. Dakuku Peterside.
Chidoka said the diversity of the cohort was deliberate, explaining that young Nigerians from different backgrounds and disciplines were brought together to learn, debate, and develop a shared understanding of the country’s challenges.
“If we are serious about building the Republic we all dream of, learning to live, think, and work across our differences has to become a habit,” he said.
A major outcome of the fellowship is the publication of the fellows’ civic essays, each responding to the line from Nigeria’s National Anthem: “Though tribe and tongue may differ, in brotherhood we stand.”
The essays examine questions of national identity, belonging, equal citizenship, and the responsibilities involved in building a united country. The collection is the first volume in an annual publication series titled The Republic We Are Building.
According to Chidoka, the National Anthem, the National Pledge, and Chapter II of the Constitution collectively express what he described as “the promise of the Republic”—a national aspiration founded on justice, equality, dignity, unity, and opportunity.
He challenged each generation to translate these ideals into tangible results through stronger institutions, enforceable standards, and improvements in the everyday experiences of citizens.
The fellows also engaged with policy and governance practitioners beyond the Centre. Patrick Okigbo, Founding Partner of Nextier, discussed Nigeria’s promise and the experiences of young people within the country. Representatives of the organisation also attended the graduation and engaged the fellows on career opportunities in policy and advisory work.
The cohort was also received by the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, CON, who shared his experience of training abroad, returning to Nigeria, and contributing to national development. One of the fellows was subsequently invited to participate in the forthcoming Ministerial Conference on Antimicrobial Resistance.
Ezekiel Adebisi, named Overall Best Fellow, delivered the valedictory address, reflecting on the transformation the programme had brought to the participants.
He said the fellows arrived “as young professionals seeking answers” but were leaving “with better questions, sharper tools, and a deeper understanding of the responsibility that comes with knowledge.”
He urged his colleagues to approach public institutions with the courage to question, the discipline to analyse and the integrity to make evidence-based recommendations, warning against confusing proximity to political power with the capacity to influence meaningful change.
“We came to learn how institutions shape nations. We leave committed to shaping institutions that serve nations,” he said.
The graduating fellows are Augustina Enuwa Abakpa, Rashida Bafashi Abubakar, Yahaya Abubakar, Ezekiel Adebisi, Afodun Muhammad Saheed, Adaobi Ayogu, Kosisochukwu Praise Bosah, Enegbuma Angelica Onagiekhuwemhe, Haruna Hassan Suleiman, Mohammed Baba Kale, Daniel Nnamani, Eunice Olasunkanmi and Shedrack Owen.
Chidoka told the graduates that the real measure of the fellowship would emerge over time through the institutions they serve, the decisions they influence, and the people they help to develop.
“The value of this Fellowship will be measured over years,” he said, adding that the programme would continue with new cohorts.
For the pioneer fellows, the graduation marks the end of six months of structured learning. But through their published essays, they have also entered a wider national conversation about the kind of country Nigerians aspire to build—and the responsibility of their generation to turn that aspiration into reality.