Sixteen young Nigerians have emerged as the first set of Kaduna State’s Kashim Ibrahim Fellows (KIF).
The successful candidates are: Eyinnaya Danjuma Chukwueke, Aminu Rabi Usman, Fatima Kesington, Muhammad Maccido Usman, Dorcas Kadangs, Jatau Jemimah Magaji, Abdulhakeem Muhammad Miko, Ali Anas Sani, Abimbola K. Adetunji, Aliyu Suleiman Iya, Ibrahim Tasiu, Michael Medubi, Leonell Echa, Musa Muhammad Kona, Abubakar Saleh Joji and Rebecca Maulome Padonu.
Speaking at the event held at Sir Kashim Ibrahim Kaduna Government House on Wednesday, Governor Nasir El-Rufai said he was impressed by the quality of many of the candidates.
According to him, “Their submissions reinforced our conviction that youthful talent abounds, and that we can productively engage these smart young people for the benefit of our country. Each of the 31 persons that made the last stage of the selection process was superbly qualified.”
Malam Nasir El-Rufai confirmed that the Kashim Ibrahim Fellows programme is an initiative of the Kaduna State Government to help develop and nurture leadership ability across Nigeria, with a specific focus on the promising leaders of the future.
“The one-year programme aims to create a network of high potential young Nigerians who are expected to rise to top leadership positions in the public sector and other spheres of activity over the next decade.”
The governor affirmed that the leaders of the country owe the youths platforms for leadership capacity development. “There is no doubt in my mind that leaders in Nigeria must device and sustain deliberate pathways to build youth capacity for leadership in the public service. Most Nigerians are younger than 35, and we owe them a duty to make the necessary investments to enable them to acquire the skills, the steel and the exposure for effective public service.
“The world of today is changing fast, with new challenges and opportunities arising. It is time that we become quite deliberate in building leadership capacity, recruiting the most talented and promoting a meritocratic culture. If we prepare this young people with sufficient rigour, they will be better at helping our people to productively navigate a competitive world.”
“The Governing Board has designed a commendable leadership development programme aimed at producing the next generation of inclusive, patriotic and results-oriented managers of human and material resources in the public sector. I therefore call on the first set of fellows to seize the moment, and apply themselves with the energy and wit required to make a success of this opportunity.
“I wish to thank all the members of the Governing Board, and I will for this purpose mention their names: Hakeem Belo-Osagie, Dele Olojede, Hadiza Bala-Usman, Chinelo Anohu-Amazu, Bilya Bala, Barbara Barungi, Japheth Omojuwa, Muhammad Sani Abdullahi, Jimi Lawal, Iboroma Akpana, Kadaria Ahmed and Segun Adeniyi.” He said.
The 16 fellows emerged from the over 1,300 applications that were submitted online to the Kashim Ibrahim Fellows Programme portal by the deadline of 20th March 2018.
The Steering Committee selected 271 of the entries for the next stage during which their CVs, essays and letters of recommendation were assessed. The top 66 were then invited to submit video entries of their responses to three questions. The 31 most impressive entries were then forwarded to the Governing Board which met on 23rd May 2018 to settle on the final 16.
In February 2018, the Kaduna State Government introduced the Kashim Ibrahim Fellows Programme as a leadership training platform for young people through a one-year immersion at the heart of government. During this one year, the fellows will also be engaged in reflection, lectures and seminars on leadership.
Seven of the 16 fellows are female. Kaduna State residents constitute half of the fellows, while the others are from other parts of Nigeria.
