Hon. Adedeji Dhikrullahi Olajide Odidiomo, the Oyo South senatorial candidate for the Allied Peoples’ Movement and member of the House of Representatives, has praised the University of Ibadan student leadership for driving legislative excellence and public service.
Speaking at the Odidiomo Students’ Legislative Summit, the lawmaker lauded the Students’ Union Government (SUG) and the Students’ Representative Council (SRC) for organising an initiative that equips the next generation of Nigerian leaders with essential governance skills.
The summit, themed “The Service Paradigm: Transforming Mindsets for Service Driven Leadership in Nigeria,” took place at the International Conference Centre, University of Ibadan, on Tuesday. Hon. Olajide Odidiomo stressed that platforms exposing students to parliamentary processes are critical to deepening public service and democratic participation across the nation.
He described the gathering as a commendable initiative that highlights the longstanding tradition of intellectual excellence associated with the premier university.
Strengthening University of Ibadan Student Leadership
The lawmaker, who has consistently expressed support for initiatives surrounding youth development, said student leadership should be viewed as an important training ground for public service and democratic participation. He urged the University of Ibadan student leadership to continue creating opportunities for constructive debate, accountability and policy engagement, saying leadership should not be measured by visibility or the prestige attached to office, but by the value created for the people being served.
According to him, “the true measure of leadership is the public value created through the exercise of responsibility,” urging student leaders to ask what problems they were solving, who benefited from their decisions and how the outcomes could be sustained beyond their tenure.
Preparing Youth for Modern Governance and Digital Realities
Speaking on the changing demands of leadership, particularly in an increasingly technology driven society, Hon. Olajide Odidiomo challenged the students to acquire skills beyond their academic disciplines and prepare themselves for the realities of modern governance and the economy. He said artificial intelligence, digital platforms, cybersecurity, data and emerging technologies have become critical to national development, adding that future lawyers, policymakers, entrepreneurs, administrators and legislators must understand the technological forces reshaping society.
He urged the students to replace entitlement with responsibility and personal interest with public interest, stressing that “we cannot build a 21st century economy with a 20th-century mindset.”
Advancing Legislative Excellence through Youth Leadership Capacity Building
Odidiomo who sponsored the summit with a 50 million naira grant also pledged his continued support for initiatives that promote student development, leadership capacity and meaningful engagement, describing the students of the University of Ibadan as an important part of Nigeria’s future leadership pool. His sponsorship highlights a sustained commitment to youth leadership capacity building across Oyo State and the wider federation.
He commended the SUG and SRC for using the summit to promote conversations around public service and responsible leadership, while urging the participants to take the lessons beyond the conference hall.
“The task before us is not simply to produce more leaders. It is to produce better servants for the public good,” he said, adding that the Nigeria of tomorrow would be built by young citizens who begin, wherever they are, to practise leadership as service.
