Oby Ezekwesili has a long history in education. The founder of Transparency International and former minister in Nigeria, including that of education, has spent the last few years focusing on building the next crop of public sector leaders. In early October, a new crop of students graduated from her programme. Abdulkareem Baba-Aminu reports.
That sunny Abuja morning at the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Center, 262 students from the School of Politics, Policy and Governance (SPPG) got on the stage to receive certificates, emerging as change agents of sorts in Nigeria’s push for good governance and responsible leadership. The October 4, 2025 graduation, themed ‘Embracing and Preparing Leaders of a New Global Order Where Africa Builds on Its Own Terms’, proved to be a rallying cry and, for many, a transformation.
“You are leaders equipped to shape the future of Nigeria, Africa, and beyond. The SPPG vision has always been clear: to raise a generation of ethical, competent, and capable leaders who are defined by a capacity to solve public problems with integrity,” said Obiageli ‘Oby’ Ezekwesili, founder of SPPG. Her words were sharp, insistent, and hopeful.
The event was headlined by keynote speaker, Dr. Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, one-time Deputy President of South Africa, who painted a picture of Africa as a land rich in resources, potential, and people, yet suffering under failed leadership. “We must reject corruption and champion the rights of women and marginalized groups,” she urged, reminding the graduates that leadership is not an entitlement but an obligation.
Graduating students spoke of struggle, purpose, and ambition. Omolola Oluwaseun Oluwadara, winner of the Benjamin and Cecilia Ujubuonu Award and co-recipient of the Dean’s Award, said she viewed her award not simply as recognition of her performance, but as a charge. “This is more than an accolade. It’s a commitment: to use my learning to contribute to honest policy, to serve where hope seems distant, to lead where courage is rare,” she said.
Another student, Duke Olurin, who also took the Dean’s Award, spoke of the moral dimensions of politics. “As they say, every public policy, however technical, carries with it the weight of people’s lives,” he said. While these voices may represent the best in academic achievement, their conviction lies in purpose.
“We are saying that it is not our destiny to be governed by the worst among us. And if you reject a situation, then you must act to correct it,” Ezekwesili, however, warned.
Mlambo-Ngcuka also spoke of the paradox of Africa: “a rich continent with poor people due to poor leadership.” She called on the graduates not only to refuse corruption, but also to embody values of justice and inclusion. Her message was powerful on gender and marginalisation.
Also recognised were peace advocates Imam Muhammad Nurain Ashafa, Pastor James Wuye, and Mrs. Ngizan Chahul who received the Life of Impact Award for their contributions to community peace and development. Their presence served as tangible evidence that leadership is lived, not merely taught.
For Ezekwesili, the certificate handed to each graduate is less an endpoint than a beginning. She reminded them that character and competence are non-negotiable. The standard of admission into SPPG is high, but maintaining that standard in public life, she said, is what will distinguish authentic leadership.
Governor Alex Otti of Abia State, among others present, encouraged the new leaders to treat politics as a vocation of service rather than a ladder of self-interest. “You can never give what you don’t have,” he cautioned, urging the class of 2025 to first build demonstrable service and integrity before seeking public office.
By the close of the day, graduates radiated with the energy of people committed to a just, inclusive, and prosperous Africa. If they remain faithful to the values emphasised by Ezekwesili, Mlambo-Ngcuka, and others, they may help reshape not only Nigeria’s future, but even that of the entire continent.
The SPPG has expanded its reach beyond Nigeria and now operates in several African countries, including Senegal and Kenya. It is also designing programmes for Ghana, Sierra Leone, Egypt, Tunisia, Zimbabwe and South Africa.
Financing for SPPG comes from its founder as well as from a number of philanthropic organisations that share its mission of reforming African politics and leadership education.
Ezekwesili, who holds a Master in Public Policy and Administration from the Harvard Kennedy School, teaches a number of courses at SPPG and has leveraged her extensive network to bring some of the most recognised and foremost experts in governance, policy, and leadership to the programme.
Students pay a modest tuition fee, though the programme is largely subsidised to promote the reform agenda of #FixPolitics, as Ezekwesili calls it. As she puts it: “We have been let down by our leaders for too long. Our youth is yearning for change, and we need to create an army of new leaders in politics. These graduates give me hope in the future.”
Traditionally, public‑governance education has been accessible only to a privileged few or to individuals sent abroad by their governments. SPPG, and similar initiatives such as the African School of Governance in Kigali, Rwanda, aim to make high‑quality governance education more accessible—developing leadership skills, knowledge, and new mindsets through rigorous, Africa‑centric learning.
Since its launch in 2021, SPPG has graduated more than 1019 students across multiple cohorts.
