Youths Not Merely Leaders Of Tomorrow — Eno Unveils Roadmap To Meaningful Democracy

Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, has declared that Nigerian youths are not merely leaders of tomorrow but innovators, entrepreneurs and change-makers who must be empowered to play meaningful roles in the country’s development.

Eno stated this on Thursday, August 6, 2026, while delivering the centenary lecture of the Yoruba Tennis Club in Lagos, where he challenged political leaders to deepen democracy beyond periodic elections and make governance deliver tangible benefits to citizens.

Speaking on the theme, “Democracy and Good Governance: Renewing Hope in Challenging Times,” the governor said the true measure of democracy was not simply the conduct of elections but the quality of governance that follows.

According to him, citizens experience democracy not only at polling stations but in hospitals, classrooms, markets, farms and other areas of their daily lives.

“A citizen does not experience democracy on Election Day alone. He experiences it at the hospital gate, in his child’s classroom, on the road to his farm, and in the price of what he eats,” Eno said.

He added: “A democracy that never reaches those places loses its moral authority long before it loses an election.”

The governor said Nigeria’s democracy must therefore be anchored on accountability, transparency, citizen participation, the rule of law and equity, stressing that democratic governance must translate into improved living conditions and greater opportunities for citizens.

Eno particularly emphasised the need to rethink the place of young Nigerians in national development, arguing that they should no longer be treated simply as future leaders.

“Our youth are not just the future leaders of tomorrow, but also the innovators, entrepreneurs, and change-makers of today. They are the engine of our economy and the heartbeat of our nation,” he said.

He said governments must invest in education, technical skills, digital capacity, entrepreneurship and access to capital to enable young people contribute productively to the economy.

The governor said his administration’s plans for Youth Development Centres across Akwa Ibom’s 31 local government areas were designed to provide platforms for ICT, vocational training, creativity and entrepreneurship.

He noted that the success of such interventions should ultimately be measured by the livelihoods, businesses and opportunities they create for young people.

Eno also used the history of the Yoruba Tennis Club, founded in 1926, to illustrate the importance of building institutions that outlive their founders.

He recalled that the club’s founders confronted exclusion during the colonial era by organising themselves, raising resources and establishing their own institution rather than waiting for admission into existing European clubs.

“A group of citizens looked at an injustice, organised themselves, raised their own resources, built an institution, wrote rules for it, and handed it down so faithfully that one hundred years later we are seated inside it,” he said.

He added: “Vision is common. Vision that outlives the visionary is rare, and that’s what this Club embodies.”

Drawing parallels between the club’s century-long survival and Nigeria’s democratic journey, Eno urged leaders to build institutions, infrastructure and policies with future generations in mind rather than for immediate political gains.

He said public projects should not be abandoned simply because they were initiated by previous administrations, stressing that government assets belong to the people.

The governor also highlighted his administration’s investments in infrastructure, healthcare, agriculture, tourism, social protection and human capital development as examples of how democratic mandates could be translated into tangible outcomes.

He cited the transformation of an erosion-ravaged 70-hectare site into the ARISE Palm Resort, alongside initiatives supporting farmers, entrepreneurs and vulnerable families.

Eno further called on Nigerians to take responsibility for sustaining democracy by voting peacefully, obeying the law, rejecting corruption and demanding accountability from public officials.

He said democracy could not be sustained by government alone, adding that citizens and institutions must collectively protect its values.

The lecture, attended by Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, former Akwa Ibom Governor Udom Emmanuel, business leaders, politicians, professionals and members of the Yoruba Tennis Club, provided a platform for a wider reflection on Nigeria’s democratic future.

Eno’s central message was that elections should be viewed as the beginning, rather than the end, of democratic accountability.

He urged political leaders to ensure that the mandate received at the ballot translates into functioning institutions, better infrastructure, economic opportunity and dignity for citizens.

The governor’s position aligns with the broader argument made at the event that democracy must deliver visible improvements in citizens’ everyday lives.