Major General Johnson Olawumi (rtd), Former NYSC Director General
Former NYSC Director General, Major General Johnson Olawumi (rtd), has called on Nigerian youths to hold political leaders accountable using facts rather than social media narratives.
Speaking in Ekiti State during the 2025 International Students’ Day celebration, Olawumi said students form a critical segment of the youth population and must act as watchdogs in governance, not passive observers.
He noted that modern governance is driven by data, networks, and trust, tools that he said young people increasingly control. According to him, Nigeria’s youth population, which accounts for nearly half of the country’s population, is a national asset that must be deployed for development.
Olawumi outlined key roles students should play, including studying budgets, audit reports, policy drafts, and legislative processes. He stressed that informed engagement is essential, saying: “If you can read a spreadsheet and a memo, you can hold leaders to account.”
He urged students to leverage technology for civic problem-solving, adopt purposeful unionism grounded in evidence, and engage government through structured advocacy.
He also advised them to monitor project execution and publish simple report cards on public projects to strengthen transparency and trust.
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