Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Henry Owen
Former Nigerian presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, and his wife met on Thursday, October 16, with the Commonwealth Secretary-General, Hon. Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, at the organization’s headquarters in London, to discuss key global and regional issues centred on democracy, rule of law, education, and youth empowerment.
The meeting underscored shared priorities between Nigeria and the Commonwealth, particularly in promoting inclusive governance and ensuring that young people—who make up over 2.5 billion of the Commonwealth’s population—receive adequate support to realize their potential.
Mr. Obi emphasized that youth empowerment through education, innovation, and entrepreneurship remains critical to unlocking the vast human potential across Africa, particularly in Nigeria.
“For Nigeria, a nation richly endowed with human and natural resources, meaningful investment in education, innovation, and entrepreneurship is key to unlocking the vast potential of our youth. When properly equipped, our young people will not only drive national development but also contribute significantly to global progress,”
Obi stated.
He also identified youth unemployment as one of the continent’s greatest challenges, calling for intentional and practical strategies such as skills training, quality education, and the creation of an enabling business environment to support small and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs).
During the meeting, Hon. Botchwey, who made history as the first African woman to head the 56-member Commonwealth, reaffirmed that her leadership will prioritize education, youth inclusion, and employment creation across member states.
She spoke passionately about building inclusive societies that uphold democracy, justice, good governance, and equal opportunity, stressing that empowering the youth is vital not only for democratic sustainability but also for ensuring long-term global stability and prosperity.
“Empowering young people is not only vital to sustaining democracy but also indispensable to shaping a stable, peaceful, and prosperous future for all Commonwealth citizens,”
Botchwey affirmed.
Mr. Obi commended her visionary and reform-minded leadership, describing her as a trailblazer who continues to amplify the voices of developing nations within the Commonwealth.
“I commend Hon. Botchwey for her dynamic and inspiring leadership. Her dedication to education, youth empowerment, and democratic ideals strengthens the global Commonwealth community,”
Obi said.
He expressed optimism that with leaders like Botchwey, the Commonwealth would continue to stand as a beacon of unity, hope, and shared progress among its member nations.
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