Fasasi Youth Foundation graduates 24 fellows from Roots2 Leadership programme

Fasasi Youth Foundation on Saturday graduated 24 fellows from its Roots2 Leadership Fellowship Programme, a closeout ceremony held to mark the end of the foundation’s flagship grassroots leadership project.

Founder and CEO Mr. Fasasi Sadiq told a select team of journalists that the foundation was created to strengthen leadership capacity among youths in tertiary institutions across Nasarawa State.

The 2026 programme — themed “Reimagining Local Governance: Empowering Youths for Ethical, Accountable and Inclusive Leadership in States” — aims to reconnect young people with grassroots politics, he said.

“We received about 200 applications since inception, but we carefully selected 50 applicants for the programme,” Fasasi said. “Over the years, people have been disconnected from grassroots leadership. If you want to become an LG chairman, a member of the state House of Assembly or the National Assembly, you need to start your politics from the grassroots. That will make people demand accountability from local governance. That is what led to the GOV 360 Grassroots Leadership Project.”

At the ceremony, notable NGO executives and local officials delivered goodwill messages. Dr. Elizabeth Agbiti Douglas, Project Director of the Nigeria Youth Futures Fund, said leadership is learned through practice rather than being an innate gift. Other guests included the Deputy Registrar and Secretary, Centre for Research and Documentation, College of Education, Akwanga, and the Deputy Chairman of Kokona Local Government, Hon. Mohammed Adah Usman.

Otene Ojimaojo Eunice, Project and Operations Officer at Fasasi Youth Foundation, outlined the fellowship’s results. She said the foundation had received 200 applications overall, shortlisted 50 candidates, and confirmed 47 participants for the programme. Of those, 24 successfully completed the fellowship and received certificates.

“Throughout this fellowship, we coordinated a series of interactive learning sessions that equipped our fellows with practical knowledge and leadership skills,” Otene said. The event also included a panel titled “Building Ethical Leadership for Democratic Renewal: The Role of Universities, Government and Civil Society.”

Certificates were presented to the 24 graduating fellows.