The 2025 Abia Leadership Academy came to a successful close on Wednesday, September 10, 2025, at Government College Umuahia, with Governor Dr. Alex C. Otti, OFR, his Deputy Engr. Ikechukwu Emetu, FNSE, Secretary to the State Government Prof. Ken Kalu, FCA, Chief of Staff Pastor Caleb Ajagba, PhD, commissioners, agency heads, and senior government officials in attendance. Over a four-week period, the academy trained 1,000 young Abians between the ages of 16 and 20, providing them with comfortable accommodation, quality meals, and all the support necessary for an effective learning experience. The selection process was merit-driven and transparent, involving online registration, a computer-based test, interviews, and in-person evaluations, allowing children from different backgrounds to learn and grow together.
Governor Otti personally engaged with the participants, speaking to them as a mentor and a father, offering words of wisdom and inspiration, urging them to approach life with courage, resilience, and determination. Beyond meeting the governor, the academy provided a unique opportunity for participants to interact and build connections with their peers, encouraging real-world communication in a digital age where young people are often glued to screens. Field visits, including a trip to the defunct Star Paper Mill in Owerrinta, offered the youth practical insights into the history, challenges, and revival plans for local industries, demonstrating the tangible impact of leadership and vision on community development. The academy also encouraged the participants to envision the future of Abia State through projects designed to picture the state in 2045, fostering strategic thinking and an appreciation of how their individual contributions could shape education, healthcare, technology, trade, and agriculture in the years ahead.
Throughout the program, participants were exposed to life-changing lessons in mindset, discipline, courage, and the drive to achieve excellence. The experience went beyond ordinary training, inspiring young Abians to reflect, set goals, and take ownership of their futures. Governor Otti’s initiative has been widely praised as a significant investment in the state’s youth, planting seeds of leadership, creativity, and resilience that will continue to influence the participants’ lives and the development of Abia State for years to come.
Reported by: Stone Reporters News
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