Abia State Governor, Dr Alex Otti, has charged 1,086 young graduates of the Abia State Leadership Academy to embrace innovation and ethical leadership as they take on greater responsibilities in society.
Governor Otti gave the charge on Saturday at the International Conference Centre (ICC), Umuahia, during the graduation ceremony of the 2026 Leadership Training Boot Camp organised by the Abia State Leadership Academy, themed “Raising Transformational Leaders, Innovators and Change Makers”.
The governor urged the graduates to use the knowledge and exposure acquired during the four-week programme to mentor their peers, develop solutions to societal challenges and contribute actively to the development of the state.
He tasked the graduates to organise themselves into clusters to mentor other young people, share what they had learnt and encourage them to become active participants in the development of Abia.
“After your stay at the academy, you can no longer be passive citizens, so you are invited to remove the cloak of liturgy and embrace without hesitation the responsibility of selfless service.
“Your immediate assignment is to set up clusters for mentoring your peers, sharing what you have learned at the academy and inviting them to become active partners in the New Abia Project”, governor Otti said.
The Governor said the academy was established in 2025 as part of his administration’s effort to develop a new generation of leaders capable of sustaining the state’s development.
He said the initiative was designed to replace “the old culture of mediocrity and arbitrariness” in public affairs with systems anchored on accountability, stewardship and sound ethical orientation.
Governor Otti assured the graduates that the state would continue to monitor their progress and support promising initiatives emerging from the programme.
The Governor disclosed that he had directed the President of the academy to maintain a directory of the graduates and review the ideas contained in their capstone presentations, with a view to supporting viable projects.
He also commended the academy’s management, its President, Professor Kenneth Kalu, and its partners, including the Enterprise Development Centre of Pan-Atlantic University, Lagos, for their contributions to the successful implementation of the programme.
Governor Otti noted that the participation of young people from outside the state demonstrated the inclusiveness of his administration’s policy that anyone who lives in Abia is regarded as being from Abia.
In his remarks, the President of the Abia State Leadership Academy, Prof Kenneth Kalu, commended Governor Alex for establishing the academy as an investment in the future of Abia, saying the initiative would shape the minds, character and civic consciousness of the youths.
He dscribed the initiative as an investment whose impact would outlast physical structures, urged the 1,085 graduates to apply the values and lessons acquired at the academy and contribute meaningfully to society,
Earlier in her speech, the Chairman Civil service Commission, Pastor Eno Jerry-Eze said the 2026 boot camp was designed to go beyond classroom instruction by equipping participants with practical leadership, innovation and problem-solving skills.
Pst Jerry-Eze said the state partnered with the Enterprise Development Centre of Pan-Atlantic University to develop workbooks and practical sessions that challenged the participants to devise solutions in areas such as fintech, electric transportation, Aba’s development and job creation.
She added that the participants also visited businesses and interacted with entrepreneurs and technocrats, which have them firsthand exposure to enterprise and real-world leadership.
Pst Jerry-Eze commended Governor Otti for his commitment to the development of the youths and described the Abia State Leadership Academy as evidence that the state’s future is secure.
In an interview, one of the participants, Vincent Okafor, described the programme as impactful, saying it had provided them with valuable knowledge and practical perspectives on leadership and governance.
Okafor appreciated Governor Otti for introducing the initiative, noting that the programme would equip them with the right mindset and skills to contribute meaningfully to the society.
