By Francis Wilfred
The Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has emphasized that knowledge, trust, and bold decision-making are vital elements of effective leadership necessary for national development.
He made this known while receiving a delegation from the Legislative Mentorship Initiative (LMI) Alumni of the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies, led by its President, Arch. Abubakar Tijani Garba, during a courtesy visit to his office in Abuja.
In a statement signed by Ozoya Imohimi, Dr. Tunji-Ojo praised the alumni for their dedication to leadership development and personal capacity building. He stressed that leadership demands continuous self-investment, stating, “Leadership is not free. The greatest cost is commitment to personal growth and knowledge acquisition.”
The Minister described leadership as a position of trust rather than mere authority, noting that “the ability of people to believe in you defines your effectiveness.” He encouraged the young professionals to rise above fear and rejection, which he said often hinder innovation and growth.
Sharing his experience in reforming the passport processing system, Dr. Tunji-Ojo highlighted how he faced skepticism but persisted in implementing transformative changes. “People are remembered not for being average, but for being exceptional,” he stated.
Earlier, Arch. Tijani Garba commended the Minister’s dynamic leadership and significant achievements, especially for clearing a backlog of over 200,000 passport applications within three months of assuming office. He reaffirmed the alumni’s support for the Ministry’s youth-focused programs.
Garba also outlined the group’s mentorship initiatives and announced a Leadership Summit scheduled for December 2025, where the Minister will be honored. Other planned activities include a tree-planting campaign in September as part of their climate change advocacy.
He expressed the group’s interest in partnering with the Ministry on youth development, public service opportunities, and national capacity-building initiatives. A list of 12 career development proposals was submitted to the Minister for consideration.
Dr. Tunji-Ojo welcomed the proposals and reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to supporting youth leadership and mentorship. He commended the alumni’s role in nurturing a new generation of competent and patriotic leaders and pledged continued collaboration to achieve shared national development objectives.
