SPEECH BY THE SENIOR SPECIAL ASSISTANT TO THE PRESIDENT ON STUDENTS ENGAGEMENT, COMRADE SUNDAY ASEFON, AT THE RENEWED HOPE STUDENT LEADERS ENGAGEMENT AND DIGITAL ACCELERATION PROGRAMME FOR SOUTH WEST STUDENTS
Protocols,
Your Excellency, the Executive Governor of Ekiti State,
The Vice Chancellor Ekiti State University, Representatives of MD NELFUND, ES PTDF, MD REA, DG NITDA and All Dean Students Affairs, Distinguished student leaders,
Presidents and representatives of Students’ Unions,
Leaders of NANS and other student associations,
Our digital ambassadors and young innovators,
Ladies and gentlemen,
I am delighted to welcome you to this important Renewed Hope Student Leaders Engagement and Digital Acceleration Programme for students across the South West.
I want to begin by appreciating every student leader who has taken the time to be part of this engagement. Your presence here is a demonstration that you understand the importance of leadership, dialogue, digital transformation and the future of our nation.
As the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Students Engagement, my responsibility is not only to speak to students but, more importantly, to listen to students.
The student community is too important to be treated as an afterthought in national development.
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👉 JOIN WHATSAPP CHANNELYou are not merely leaders of today’s campuses. You are the doctors, engineers, lawyers, entrepreneurs, lecturers, administrators, innovators, politicians and nation builders of tomorrow.
That is why this administration believes that investing in students is an investment in the future of Nigeria.
THE RENEWED HOPE FOR STUDENTS
The Renewed Hope Agenda places human capital development and education among the important pillars of national development. The Federal Government has also continued to invest in tertiary education infrastructure and initiatives designed to expand access to education and skills.
One of the significant interventions is the Nigerian Education Loan Fund, NELFUND, which is designed to reduce financial barriers that can prevent students from accessing or completing tertiary education.
But let me make something very clear:
NELFUND is not the end of the conversation about student welfare. It is part of a broader conversation.
We must continue to discuss accommodation, transportation, digital access, employability, entrepreneurship, skills acquisition, campus security, mental well-being, student representation and the quality of education.
That is why engagements like this are necessary.
WHY DIGITAL ACCELERATION MATTERS
Distinguished student leaders,
The world is changing rapidly.
The opportunities available to a young Nigerian today are no longer limited by the geographical location of his or her university.
A student in Ekiti can work for a company in Lagos.
A student in Osun can provide digital services to a client in Europe.
A student in Oyo can build a technology solution that serves millions of people.
A student in Ondo can become a global content creator.
A student in Ogun can build a successful digital enterprise without leaving the campus.
The question is:
Are we preparing our students for this new world?
That is why digital acceleration is not simply about giving students devices. It is about giving them the knowledge, skills, confidence and opportunities to use technology productively.
We want our students to move from being only consumers of technology to becoming creators, innovators and problem solvers.
Learn coding.
Learn artificial intelligence.
Learn graphics and UI/UX design.
Learn digital marketing.
Learn cybersecurity.
Learn data analysis.
Learn content creation.
Learn entrepreneurship.
Learn how to use technology to solve real Nigerian problems.
The future belongs to those who are prepared for it.
STUDENT LEADERSHIP AND RESPONSIBILITY
To our student leaders, I want to make a special appeal.
Leadership is not about the size of your convoy.
Leadership is not about how many people you can intimidate.
Leadership is not about how loudly you can shout.
Leadership is about service.
Your fellow students elected you because they believe you can represent their interests.
Use that mandate responsibly.
Be the voice of students, but also be the bridge between students and government.
When students have genuine concerns, bring them forward.
When government has opportunities for students, help us communicate them.
When misinformation is spreading, provide facts.
When there is tension on campus, promote dialogue.
When students are struggling, let leadership become a channel through which solutions can be found.
The Federal Government wants a student community that is engaged, informed, innovative and constructive.
FROM PROTEST TO PARTNERSHIP
There will always be disagreements in a democracy.
Student leaders have every right to demand better conditions, ask questions and hold institutions accountable.
But we must also develop a culture where dialogue comes before confrontation.
My office remains open to student leaders.
Bring your ideas.
Bring your criticisms.
Bring your challenges.
Bring your proposals.
Tell us what is working and tell us what is not working.
Government cannot solve problems it does not hear about.
And student leaders cannot effectively represent students if they are not willing to engage.
Therefore, this programme is not designed to be a one way conversation.
We are here to listen.
THE SOUTH WEST OPPORTUNITY
The South West has a proud tradition of intellectual development, student activism, entrepreneurship and civic leadership.
From our universities and polytechnics to our colleges of education, the region has produced generations of leaders who have contributed significantly to Nigeria’s development.
But our responsibility today is bigger.
We must prepare the next generation not only to inherit Nigeria but to improve Nigeria.
I want to see South-West students building businesses.
I want to see more students acquiring international digital certifications.
I want to see students developing solutions to insecurity, unemployment, climate change, education and healthcare challenges.
I want to see student leaders who can sit at a table with government officials and confidently present data, evidence and workable solutions.
That is the kind of leadership Nigeria needs.
A CALL TO ACTION
My dear student leaders,
As you return to your campuses after this programme, I challenge each of you to ask yourself three questions:
What skill am I acquiring?
What problem am I solving?
What legacy am I leaving?
Do not wait until graduation before you begin preparing for the future.
Start now.
Do not wait for government to create every opportunity.
Position yourself to take advantage of opportunities when they come.
And do not allow your circumstances to define the limits of your ambition.
The Renewed Hope we speak about must become a Renewed Hope that students can see, experience and participate in.
Government has a responsibility.
Institutions have a responsibility.
Student leaders have a responsibility.
And every young Nigerian has a responsibility.
Together, we can build a student community that is not only academically successful but also digitally skilled, economically empowered, socially responsible and prepared to lead.
CONCLUSION
Let me assure you that the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Students Engagement will continue to promote meaningful engagement with students across Nigeria.
We will continue to create platforms for dialogue.
We will continue to connect students with opportunities.
We will continue to listen to student leaders.
And where issues require the attention of relevant authorities, we will continue to facilitate engagement and follow up.
To all our student leaders here today, I encourage you to remain united, responsible and focused.
Let us inform, engage and empower our students.
Let us turn our campuses into centres of innovation.
Let us turn our student leadership into a training ground for responsible national leadership.
And let us ensure that the young people of today are equipped to build the Nigeria of tomorrow.
I thank you all for coming.
May God bless our students.
May God bless the South-West.
And may God continue to bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Thank you.
Comrade Sunday Asefon
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Students Engagement
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