A former Minister of National Planning and Director-General of the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies, Prof. Abubakar Sulaiman, on Thursday urged Nigerian youths not to abandon the country’s democratic process out of frustration, saying meaningful change can only come through active participation in politics.Sulaiman said although many young Nigerians were disillusioned by the pace of democratic development, staying away from politics would only worsen the situation.He spoke in Abuja during the commemoration of his seventh anniversary as Director-General of NILDS and the presentation of a book chronicling the evolution of the institute.Speaking during a fireside chat, Sulaiman said activism alone was not enough to transform society, stressing that young people must move from the streets into institutions where decisions are made.He said, “Young Nigerians should never abandon the democratic process. If you condemn the system and refuse to participate in it, you cannot change it.“Activism has its place. Many of us were activists before joining politics. But there comes a time when you must move beyond protest and become part of the decision-making process.“You cannot reform a system from the outside alone. You must engage with it. Young people should participate in political parties. They should contest elections. They should aspire to leadership. If our generation could make it despite the challenges we faced, today’s young Nigerians can also succeed.”The former minister said the future of Nigeria’s democracy depended on a new generation of leaders willing to prepare themselves for public service instead of limiting their participation to criticism on social media.Reflecting on his seven-year stewardship at NILDS, Sulaiman described mentorship and human capital development as his greatest achievements, saying he deliberately prioritised the welfare and professional growth of both academic and non-academic staff.According to him, while infrastructure and institutional reforms often attract public attention, investing in people leaves a more enduring legacy.“I call it my staff-centred policy. People celebrate buildings and reforms, but they forget the drivers, the gardeners and the cleaners who keep the institution running.“Before I came here, opportunities for non-academic staff to pursue higher education were extremely limited. We changed that. Today, several non-academic staff members have earned Master’s degrees and PhDs because we deliberately invested in their development,” he stated.Sulaiman also reflected on the personal cost of public service, describing leadership as a vocation that demands sacrifice.Related NewsYour voices formed part of constitutional changes, Reps tell YouthsPRP chieftain urges Nigerians to register before July 26 deadlineSenate confirms non-career ambassador despite opposition“Public service comes with enormous sacrifice. It affects your freedom, your personal life and even the people you can freely associate with,” he said.“Service to humanity and national development has taken a great deal from me, including precious time with my family.”On succession, he said every leader must prepare those who come after them, adding that he would willingly share both his successes and mistakes with his successor.“My successor should learn from both my achievements and my mistakes. Leadership is a relay race. The baton must always be passed responsibly,” he said.Looking beyond his tenure, Sulaiman said his vision was to transform NILDS into Africa’s foremost institution for legislative studies and democratic governance.“I want NILDS to become Africa’s leading centre for legislative studies and democratic governance. I see an institution that serves not only the Nigerian Parliament but legislatures across Africa and eventually democratic institutions around the world.“I see NILDS becoming a global intellectual hub for democracy.”In his keynote address, former senator Shehu Sani credited Sulaiman with transforming NILDS into what he described as the “engine room” of Nigeria’s Parliament.Sani said the institute had become an indispensable intellectual resource for legislators and democratic governance through research, documentation and capacity building.He urged young politicians and aspiring lawmakers to take advantage of the institute’s resources, noting that the realities of Nigerian politics often differed from what was taught in textbooks.“Politics requires understanding realities that are rarely written in textbooks,” Sani said.“The National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies has become the engine room of the National Assembly. If Parliament is left entirely to politicians without intellectual support, there will be no direction.”He also challenged Nigerian youths to move beyond online activism by preparing themselves for leadership through knowledge, mentorship and active participation in the democratic process.Sani said although Nigeria continued to face numerous challenges, citizens should remain proud of the country’s democratic journey and historical contributions to Africa’s liberation struggles, insisting that the nation’s greatest need remained visionary leadership. Sulaiman said although many young Nigerians were disillusioned by the pace of democratic development, staying away from politics would only worsen the situation.He spoke in Abuja during the commemoration of his seventh anniversary as Director-General of NILDS and the presentation of a book chronicling the evolution of the institute.Speaking during a fireside chat, Sulaiman said activism alone was not enough to transform society, stressing that young people must move from the streets into institutions where decisions are made.He said, “Young Nigerians should never abandon the democratic process. If you condemn the system and refuse to participate in it, you cannot change it.“Activism has its place. Many of us were activists before joining politics. But there comes a time when you must move beyond protest and become part of the decision-making process.“You cannot reform a system from the outside alone. You must engage with it. Young people should participate in political parties. They should contest elections. They should aspire to leadership. If our generation could make it despite the challenges we faced, today’s young Nigerians can also succeed.”The former minister said the future of Nigeria’s democracy depended on a new generation of leaders willing to prepare themselves for public service instead of limiting their participation to criticism on social media.Reflecting on his seven-year stewardship at NILDS, Sulaiman described mentorship and human capital development as his greatest achievements, saying he deliberately prioritised the welfare and professional growth of both academic and non-academic staff.According to him, while infrastructure and institutional reforms often attract public attention, investing in people leaves a more enduring legacy.“I call it my staff-centred policy. People celebrate buildings and reforms, but they forget the drivers, the gardeners and the cleaners who keep the institution running.“Before I came here, opportunities for non-academic staff to pursue higher education were extremely limited. We changed that. Today, several non-academic staff members have earned Master’s degrees and PhDs because we deliberately invested in their development,” he stated.Sulaiman also reflected on the personal cost of public service, describing leadership as a vocation that demands sacrifice.Related NewsYour voices formed part of constitutional changes, Reps tell YouthsPRP chieftain urges Nigerians to register before July 26 deadlineSenate confirms non-career ambassador despite opposition“Public service comes with enormous sacrifice. It affects your freedom, your personal life and even the people you can freely associate with,” he said.“Service to humanity and national development has taken a great deal from me, including precious time with my family.”On succession, he said every leader must prepare those who come after them, adding that he would willingly share both his successes and mistakes with his successor.“My successor should learn from both my achievements and my mistakes. Leadership is a relay race. The baton must always be passed responsibly,” he said.Looking beyond his tenure, Sulaiman said his vision was to transform NILDS into Africa’s foremost institution for legislative studies and democratic governance.“I want NILDS to become Africa’s leading centre for legislative studies and democratic governance. I see an institution that serves not only the Nigerian Parliament but legislatures across Africa and eventually democratic institutions around the world.“I see NILDS becoming a global intellectual hub for democracy.”In his keynote address, former senator Shehu Sani credited Sulaiman with transforming NILDS into what he described as the “engine room” of Nigeria’s Parliament.Sani said the institute had become an indispensable intellectual resource for legislators and democratic governance through research, documentation and capacity building.He urged young politicians and aspiring lawmakers to take advantage of the institute’s resources, noting that the realities of Nigerian politics often differed from what was taught in textbooks.“Politics requires understanding realities that are rarely written in textbooks,” Sani said.“The National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies has become the engine room of the National Assembly. If Parliament is left entirely to politicians without intellectual support, there will be no direction.”He also challenged Nigerian youths to move beyond online activism by preparing themselves for leadership through knowledge, mentorship and active participation in the democratic process.Sani said although Nigeria continued to face numerous challenges, citizens should remain proud of the country’s democratic journey and historical contributions to Africa’s liberation struggles, insisting that the nation’s greatest need remained visionary leadership. He spoke in Abuja during the commemoration of his seventh anniversary as Director-General of NILDS and the presentation of a book chronicling the evolution of the institute.Speaking during a fireside chat, Sulaiman said activism alone was not enough to transform society, stressing that young people must move from the streets into institutions where decisions are made.He said, “Young Nigerians should never abandon the democratic process. If you condemn the system and refuse to participate in it, you cannot change it.“Activism has its place. Many of us were activists before joining politics. But there comes a time when you must move beyond protest and become part of the decision-making process.“You cannot reform a system from the outside alone. You must engage with it. Young people should participate in political parties. They should contest elections. They should aspire to leadership. If our generation could make it despite the challenges we faced, today’s young Nigerians can also succeed.”The former minister said the future of Nigeria’s democracy depended on a new generation of leaders willing to prepare themselves for public service instead of limiting their participation to criticism on social media.Reflecting on his seven-year stewardship at NILDS, Sulaiman described mentorship and human capital development as his greatest achievements, saying he deliberately prioritised the welfare and professional growth of both academic and non-academic staff.According to him, while infrastructure and institutional reforms often attract public attention, investing in people leaves a more enduring legacy.“I call it my staff-centred policy. People celebrate buildings and reforms, but they forget the drivers, the gardeners and the cleaners who keep the institution running.“Before I came here, opportunities for non-academic staff to pursue higher education were extremely limited. We changed that. Today, several non-academic staff members have earned Master’s degrees and PhDs because we deliberately invested in their development,” he stated.Sulaiman also reflected on the personal cost of public service, describing leadership as a vocation that demands sacrifice.Related NewsYour voices formed part of constitutional changes, Reps tell YouthsPRP chieftain urges Nigerians to register before July 26 deadlineSenate confirms non-career ambassador despite opposition“Public service comes with enormous sacrifice. It affects your freedom, your personal life and even the people you can freely associate with,” he said.“Service to humanity and national development has taken a great deal from me, including precious time with my family.”On succession, he said every leader must prepare those who come after them, adding that he would willingly share both his successes and mistakes with his successor.“My successor should learn from both my achievements and my mistakes. Leadership is a relay race. The baton must always be passed responsibly,” he said.Looking beyond his tenure, Sulaiman said his vision was to transform NILDS into Africa’s foremost institution for legislative studies and democratic governance.“I want NILDS to become Africa’s leading centre for legislative studies and democratic governance. I see an institution that serves not only the Nigerian Parliament but legislatures across Africa and eventually democratic institutions around the world.“I see NILDS becoming a global intellectual hub for democracy.”In his keynote address, former senator Shehu Sani credited Sulaiman with transforming NILDS into what he described as the “engine room” of Nigeria’s Parliament.Sani said the institute had become an indispensable intellectual resource for legislators and democratic governance through research, documentation and capacity building.He urged young politicians and aspiring lawmakers to take advantage of the institute’s resources, noting that the realities of Nigerian politics often differed from what was taught in textbooks.“Politics requires understanding realities that are rarely written in textbooks,” Sani said.“The National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies has become the engine room of the National Assembly. If Parliament is left entirely to politicians without intellectual support, there will be no direction.”He also challenged Nigerian youths to move beyond online activism by preparing themselves for leadership through knowledge, mentorship and active participation in the democratic process.Sani said although Nigeria continued to face numerous challenges, citizens should remain proud of the country’s democratic journey and historical contributions to Africa’s liberation struggles, insisting that the nation’s greatest need remained visionary leadership. Speaking during a fireside chat, Sulaiman said activism alone was not enough to transform society, stressing that young people must move from the streets into institutions where decisions are made.He said, “Young Nigerians should never abandon the democratic process. If you condemn the system and refuse to participate in it, you cannot change it.“Activism has its place. Many of us were activists before joining politics. But there comes a time when you must move beyond protest and become part of the decision-making process.“You cannot reform a system from the outside alone. You must engage with it. Young people should participate in political parties. They should contest elections. They should aspire to leadership. If our generation could make it despite the challenges we faced, today’s young Nigerians can also succeed.”The former minister said the future of Nigeria’s democracy depended on a new generation of leaders willing to prepare themselves for public service instead of limiting their participation to criticism on social media.Reflecting on his seven-year stewardship at NILDS, Sulaiman described mentorship and human capital development as his greatest achievements, saying he deliberately prioritised the welfare and professional growth of both academic and non-academic staff.According to him, while infrastructure and institutional reforms often attract public attention, investing in people leaves a more enduring legacy.“I call it my staff-centred policy. People celebrate buildings and reforms, but they forget the drivers, the gardeners and the cleaners who keep the institution running.“Before I came here, opportunities for non-academic staff to pursue higher education were extremely limited. We changed that. Today, several non-academic staff members have earned Master’s degrees and PhDs because we deliberately invested in their development,” he stated.Sulaiman also reflected on the personal cost of public service, describing leadership as a vocation that demands sacrifice.Related NewsYour voices formed part of constitutional changes, Reps tell YouthsPRP chieftain urges Nigerians to register before July 26 deadlineSenate confirms non-career ambassador despite opposition“Public service comes with enormous sacrifice. It affects your freedom, your personal life and even the people you can freely associate with,” he said.“Service to humanity and national development has taken a great deal from me, including precious time with my family.”On succession, he said every leader must prepare those who come after them, adding that he would willingly share both his successes and mistakes with his successor.“My successor should learn from both my achievements and my mistakes. Leadership is a relay race. The baton must always be passed responsibly,” he said.Looking beyond his tenure, Sulaiman said his vision was to transform NILDS into Africa’s foremost institution for legislative studies and democratic governance.“I want NILDS to become Africa’s leading centre for legislative studies and democratic governance. I see an institution that serves not only the Nigerian Parliament but legislatures across Africa and eventually democratic institutions around the world.“I see NILDS becoming a global intellectual hub for democracy.”In his keynote address, former senator Shehu Sani credited Sulaiman with transforming NILDS into what he described as the “engine room” of Nigeria’s Parliament.Sani said the institute had become an indispensable intellectual resource for legislators and democratic governance through research, documentation and capacity building.He urged young politicians and aspiring lawmakers to take advantage of the institute’s resources, noting that the realities of Nigerian politics often differed from what was taught in textbooks.“Politics requires understanding realities that are rarely written in textbooks,” Sani said.“The National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies has become the engine room of the National Assembly. If Parliament is left entirely to politicians without intellectual support, there will be no direction.”He also challenged Nigerian youths to move beyond online activism by preparing themselves for leadership through knowledge, mentorship and active participation in the democratic process.Sani said although Nigeria continued to face numerous challenges, citizens should remain proud of the country’s democratic journey and historical contributions to Africa’s liberation struggles, insisting that the nation’s greatest need remained visionary leadership. He said, “Young Nigerians should never abandon the democratic process. If you condemn the system and refuse to participate in it, you cannot change it.“Activism has its place. Many of us were activists before joining politics. But there comes a time when you must move beyond protest and become part of the decision-making process.“You cannot reform a system from the outside alone. You must engage with it. Young people should participate in political parties. They should contest elections. They should aspire to leadership. If our generation could make it despite the challenges we faced, today’s young Nigerians can also succeed.”The former minister said the future of Nigeria’s democracy depended on a new generation of leaders willing to prepare themselves for public service instead of limiting their participation to criticism on social media.Reflecting on his seven-year stewardship at NILDS, Sulaiman described mentorship and human capital development as his greatest achievements, saying he deliberately prioritised the welfare and professional growth of both academic and non-academic staff.According to him, while infrastructure and institutional reforms often attract public attention, investing in people leaves a more enduring legacy.“I call it my staff-centred policy. People celebrate buildings and reforms, but they forget the drivers, the gardeners and the cleaners who keep the institution running.“Before I came here, opportunities for non-academic staff to pursue higher education were extremely limited. We changed that. Today, several non-academic staff members have earned Master’s degrees and PhDs because we deliberately invested in their development,” he stated.Sulaiman also reflected on the personal cost of public service, describing leadership as a vocation that demands sacrifice.Related NewsYour voices formed part of constitutional changes, Reps tell YouthsPRP chieftain urges Nigerians to register before July 26 deadlineSenate confirms non-career ambassador despite opposition“Public service comes with enormous sacrifice. It affects your freedom, your personal life and even the people you can freely associate with,” he said.“Service to humanity and national development has taken a great deal from me, including precious time with my family.”On succession, he said every leader must prepare those who come after them, adding that he would willingly share both his successes and mistakes with his successor.“My successor should learn from both my achievements and my mistakes. Leadership is a relay race. The baton must always be passed responsibly,” he said.Looking beyond his tenure, Sulaiman said his vision was to transform NILDS into Africa’s foremost institution for legislative studies and democratic governance.“I want NILDS to become Africa’s leading centre for legislative studies and democratic governance. I see an institution that serves not only the Nigerian Parliament but legislatures across Africa and eventually democratic institutions around the world.“I see NILDS becoming a global intellectual hub for democracy.”In his keynote address, former senator Shehu Sani credited Sulaiman with transforming NILDS into what he described as the “engine room” of Nigeria’s Parliament.Sani said the institute had become an indispensable intellectual resource for legislators and democratic governance through research, documentation and capacity building.He urged young politicians and aspiring lawmakers to take advantage of the institute’s resources, noting that the realities of Nigerian politics often differed from what was taught in textbooks.“Politics requires understanding realities that are rarely written in textbooks,” Sani said.“The National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies has become the engine room of the National Assembly. If Parliament is left entirely to politicians without intellectual support, there will be no direction.”He also challenged Nigerian youths to move beyond online activism by preparing themselves for leadership through knowledge, mentorship and active participation in the democratic process.Sani said although Nigeria continued to face numerous challenges, citizens should remain proud of the country’s democratic journey and historical contributions to Africa’s liberation struggles, insisting that the nation’s greatest need remained visionary leadership. “Activism has its place. Many of us were activists before joining politics. But there comes a time when you must move beyond protest and become part of the decision-making process.“You cannot reform a system from the outside alone. You must engage with it. Young people should participate in political parties. They should contest elections. They should aspire to leadership. If our generation could make it despite the challenges we faced, today’s young Nigerians can also succeed.”The former minister said the future of Nigeria’s democracy depended on a new generation of leaders willing to prepare themselves for public service instead of limiting their participation to criticism on social media.Reflecting on his seven-year stewardship at NILDS, Sulaiman described mentorship and human capital development as his greatest achievements, saying he deliberately prioritised the welfare and professional growth of both academic and non-academic staff.According to him, while infrastructure and institutional reforms often attract public attention, investing in people leaves a more enduring legacy.“I call it my staff-centred policy. People celebrate buildings and reforms, but they forget the drivers, the gardeners and the cleaners who keep the institution running.“Before I came here, opportunities for non-academic staff to pursue higher education were extremely limited. We changed that. Today, several non-academic staff members have earned Master’s degrees and PhDs because we deliberately invested in their development,” he stated.Sulaiman also reflected on the personal cost of public service, describing leadership as a vocation that demands sacrifice.Related NewsYour voices formed part of constitutional changes, Reps tell YouthsPRP chieftain urges Nigerians to register before July 26 deadlineSenate confirms non-career ambassador despite opposition“Public service comes with enormous sacrifice. It affects your freedom, your personal life and even the people you can freely associate with,” he said.“Service to humanity and national development has taken a great deal from me, including precious time with my family.”On succession, he said every leader must prepare those who come after them, adding that he would willingly share both his successes and mistakes with his successor.“My successor should learn from both my achievements and my mistakes. Leadership is a relay race. The baton must always be passed responsibly,” he said.Looking beyond his tenure, Sulaiman said his vision was to transform NILDS into Africa’s foremost institution for legislative studies and democratic governance.“I want NILDS to become Africa’s leading centre for legislative studies and democratic governance. I see an institution that serves not only the Nigerian Parliament but legislatures across Africa and eventually democratic institutions around the world.“I see NILDS becoming a global intellectual hub for democracy.”In his keynote address, former senator Shehu Sani credited Sulaiman with transforming NILDS into what he described as the “engine room” of Nigeria’s Parliament.Sani said the institute had become an indispensable intellectual resource for legislators and democratic governance through research, documentation and capacity building.He urged young politicians and aspiring lawmakers to take advantage of the institute’s resources, noting that the realities of Nigerian politics often differed from what was taught in textbooks.“Politics requires understanding realities that are rarely written in textbooks,” Sani said.“The National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies has become the engine room of the National Assembly. If Parliament is left entirely to politicians without intellectual support, there will be no direction.”He also challenged Nigerian youths to move beyond online activism by preparing themselves for leadership through knowledge, mentorship and active participation in the democratic process.Sani said although Nigeria continued to face numerous challenges, citizens should remain proud of the country’s democratic journey and historical contributions to Africa’s liberation struggles, insisting that the nation’s greatest need remained visionary leadership. “You cannot reform a system from the outside alone. You must engage with it. Young people should participate in political parties. They should contest elections. They should aspire to leadership. If our generation could make it despite the challenges we faced, today’s young Nigerians can also succeed.”The former minister said the future of Nigeria’s democracy depended on a new generation of leaders willing to prepare themselves for public service instead of limiting their participation to criticism on social media.Reflecting on his seven-year stewardship at NILDS, Sulaiman described mentorship and human capital development as his greatest achievements, saying he deliberately prioritised the welfare and professional growth of both academic and non-academic staff.According to him, while infrastructure and institutional reforms often attract public attention, investing in people leaves a more enduring legacy.“I call it my staff-centred policy. People celebrate buildings and reforms, but they forget the drivers, the gardeners and the cleaners who keep the institution running.“Before I came here, opportunities for non-academic staff to pursue higher education were extremely limited. We changed that. Today, several non-academic staff members have earned Master’s degrees and PhDs because we deliberately invested in their development,” he stated.Sulaiman also reflected on the personal cost of public service, describing leadership as a vocation that demands sacrifice.Related NewsYour voices formed part of constitutional changes, Reps tell YouthsPRP chieftain urges Nigerians to register before July 26 deadlineSenate confirms non-career ambassador despite opposition“Public service comes with enormous sacrifice. It affects your freedom, your personal life and even the people you can freely associate with,” he said.“Service to humanity and national development has taken a great deal from me, including precious time with my family.”On succession, he said every leader must prepare those who come after them, adding that he would willingly share both his successes and mistakes with his successor.“My successor should learn from both my achievements and my mistakes. Leadership is a relay race. The baton must always be passed responsibly,” he said.Looking beyond his tenure, Sulaiman said his vision was to transform NILDS into Africa’s foremost institution for legislative studies and democratic governance.“I want NILDS to become Africa’s leading centre for legislative studies and democratic governance. I see an institution that serves not only the Nigerian Parliament but legislatures across Africa and eventually democratic institutions around the world.“I see NILDS becoming a global intellectual hub for democracy.”In his keynote address, former senator Shehu Sani credited Sulaiman with transforming NILDS into what he described as the “engine room” of Nigeria’s Parliament.Sani said the institute had become an indispensable intellectual resource for legislators and democratic governance through research, documentation and capacity building.He urged young politicians and aspiring lawmakers to take advantage of the institute’s resources, noting that the realities of Nigerian politics often differed from what was taught in textbooks.“Politics requires understanding realities that are rarely written in textbooks,” Sani said.“The National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies has become the engine room of the National Assembly. If Parliament is left entirely to politicians without intellectual support, there will be no direction.”He also challenged Nigerian youths to move beyond online activism by preparing themselves for leadership through knowledge, mentorship and active participation in the democratic process.Sani said although Nigeria continued to face numerous challenges, citizens should remain proud of the country’s democratic journey and historical contributions to Africa’s liberation struggles, insisting that the nation’s greatest need remained visionary leadership. The former minister said the future of Nigeria’s democracy depended on a new generation of leaders willing to prepare themselves for public service instead of limiting their participation to criticism on social media.Reflecting on his seven-year stewardship at NILDS, Sulaiman described mentorship and human capital development as his greatest achievements, saying he deliberately prioritised the welfare and professional growth of both academic and non-academic staff.According to him, while infrastructure and institutional reforms often attract public attention, investing in people leaves a more enduring legacy.“I call it my staff-centred policy. People celebrate buildings and reforms, but they forget the drivers, the gardeners and the cleaners who keep the institution running.“Before I came here, opportunities for non-academic staff to pursue higher education were extremely limited. We changed that. Today, several non-academic staff members have earned Master’s degrees and PhDs because we deliberately invested in their development,” he stated.Sulaiman also reflected on the personal cost of public service, describing leadership as a vocation that demands sacrifice.Related NewsYour voices formed part of constitutional changes, Reps tell YouthsPRP chieftain urges Nigerians to register before July 26 deadlineSenate confirms non-career ambassador despite opposition“Public service comes with enormous sacrifice. It affects your freedom, your personal life and even the people you can freely associate with,” he said.“Service to humanity and national development has taken a great deal from me, including precious time with my family.”On succession, he said every leader must prepare those who come after them, adding that he would willingly share both his successes and mistakes with his successor.“My successor should learn from both my achievements and my mistakes. Leadership is a relay race. The baton must always be passed responsibly,” he said.Looking beyond his tenure, Sulaiman said his vision was to transform NILDS into Africa’s foremost institution for legislative studies and democratic governance.“I want NILDS to become Africa’s leading centre for legislative studies and democratic governance. I see an institution that serves not only the Nigerian Parliament but legislatures across Africa and eventually democratic institutions around the world.“I see NILDS becoming a global intellectual hub for democracy.”In his keynote address, former senator Shehu Sani credited Sulaiman with transforming NILDS into what he described as the “engine room” of Nigeria’s Parliament.Sani said the institute had become an indispensable intellectual resource for legislators and democratic governance through research, documentation and capacity building.He urged young politicians and aspiring lawmakers to take advantage of the institute’s resources, noting that the realities of Nigerian politics often differed from what was taught in textbooks.“Politics requires understanding realities that are rarely written in textbooks,” Sani said.“The National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies has become the engine room of the National Assembly. If Parliament is left entirely to politicians without intellectual support, there will be no direction.”He also challenged Nigerian youths to move beyond online activism by preparing themselves for leadership through knowledge, mentorship and active participation in the democratic process.Sani said although Nigeria continued to face numerous challenges, citizens should remain proud of the country’s democratic journey and historical contributions to Africa’s liberation struggles, insisting that the nation’s greatest need remained visionary leadership. Reflecting on his seven-year stewardship at NILDS, Sulaiman described mentorship and human capital development as his greatest achievements, saying he deliberately prioritised the welfare and professional growth of both academic and non-academic staff.According to him, while infrastructure and institutional reforms often attract public attention, investing in people leaves a more enduring legacy.“I call it my staff-centred policy. People celebrate buildings and reforms, but they forget the drivers, the gardeners and the cleaners who keep the institution running.“Before I came here, opportunities for non-academic staff to pursue higher education were extremely limited. We changed that. Today, several non-academic staff members have earned Master’s degrees and PhDs because we deliberately invested in their development,” he stated.Sulaiman also reflected on the personal cost of public service, describing leadership as a vocation that demands sacrifice.Related NewsYour voices formed part of constitutional changes, Reps tell YouthsPRP chieftain urges Nigerians to register before July 26 deadlineSenate confirms non-career ambassador despite opposition“Public service comes with enormous sacrifice. It affects your freedom, your personal life and even the people you can freely associate with,” he said.“Service to humanity and national development has taken a great deal from me, including precious time with my family.”On succession, he said every leader must prepare those who come after them, adding that he would willingly share both his successes and mistakes with his successor.“My successor should learn from both my achievements and my mistakes. Leadership is a relay race. The baton must always be passed responsibly,” he said.Looking beyond his tenure, Sulaiman said his vision was to transform NILDS into Africa’s foremost institution for legislative studies and democratic governance.“I want NILDS to become Africa’s leading centre for legislative studies and democratic governance. I see an institution that serves not only the Nigerian Parliament but legislatures across Africa and eventually democratic institutions around the world.“I see NILDS becoming a global intellectual hub for democracy.”In his keynote address, former senator Shehu Sani credited Sulaiman with transforming NILDS into what he described as the “engine room” of Nigeria’s Parliament.Sani said the institute had become an indispensable intellectual resource for legislators and democratic governance through research, documentation and capacity building.He urged young politicians and aspiring lawmakers to take advantage of the institute’s resources, noting that the realities of Nigerian politics often differed from what was taught in textbooks.“Politics requires understanding realities that are rarely written in textbooks,” Sani said.“The National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies has become the engine room of the National Assembly. If Parliament is left entirely to politicians without intellectual support, there will be no direction.”He also challenged Nigerian youths to move beyond online activism by preparing themselves for leadership through knowledge, mentorship and active participation in the democratic process.Sani said although Nigeria continued to face numerous challenges, citizens should remain proud of the country’s democratic journey and historical contributions to Africa’s liberation struggles, insisting that the nation’s greatest need remained visionary leadership. According to him, while infrastructure and institutional reforms often attract public attention, investing in people leaves a more enduring legacy.“I call it my staff-centred policy. People celebrate buildings and reforms, but they forget the drivers, the gardeners and the cleaners who keep the institution running.“Before I came here, opportunities for non-academic staff to pursue higher education were extremely limited. We changed that. Today, several non-academic staff members have earned Master’s degrees and PhDs because we deliberately invested in their development,” he stated.Sulaiman also reflected on the personal cost of public service, describing leadership as a vocation that demands sacrifice.Related NewsYour voices formed part of constitutional changes, Reps tell YouthsPRP chieftain urges Nigerians to register before July 26 deadlineSenate confirms non-career ambassador despite opposition“Public service comes with enormous sacrifice. It affects your freedom, your personal life and even the people you can freely associate with,” he said.“Service to humanity and national development has taken a great deal from me, including precious time with my family.”On succession, he said every leader must prepare those who come after them, adding that he would willingly share both his successes and mistakes with his successor.“My successor should learn from both my achievements and my mistakes. Leadership is a relay race. The baton must always be passed responsibly,” he said.Looking beyond his tenure, Sulaiman said his vision was to transform NILDS into Africa’s foremost institution for legislative studies and democratic governance.“I want NILDS to become Africa’s leading centre for legislative studies and democratic governance. I see an institution that serves not only the Nigerian Parliament but legislatures across Africa and eventually democratic institutions around the world.“I see NILDS becoming a global intellectual hub for democracy.”In his keynote address, former senator Shehu Sani credited Sulaiman with transforming NILDS into what he described as the “engine room” of Nigeria’s Parliament.Sani said the institute had become an indispensable intellectual resource for legislators and democratic governance through research, documentation and capacity building.He urged young politicians and aspiring lawmakers to take advantage of the institute’s resources, noting that the realities of Nigerian politics often differed from what was taught in textbooks.“Politics requires understanding realities that are rarely written in textbooks,” Sani said.“The National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies has become the engine room of the National Assembly. If Parliament is left entirely to politicians without intellectual support, there will be no direction.”He also challenged Nigerian youths to move beyond online activism by preparing themselves for leadership through knowledge, mentorship and active participation in the democratic process.Sani said although Nigeria continued to face numerous challenges, citizens should remain proud of the country’s democratic journey and historical contributions to Africa’s liberation struggles, insisting that the nation’s greatest need remained visionary leadership. “I call it my staff-centred policy. People celebrate buildings and reforms, but they forget the drivers, the gardeners and the cleaners who keep the institution running.“Before I came here, opportunities for non-academic staff to pursue higher education were extremely limited. We changed that. Today, several non-academic staff members have earned Master’s degrees and PhDs because we deliberately invested in their development,” he stated.Sulaiman also reflected on the personal cost of public service, describing leadership as a vocation that demands sacrifice.Related NewsYour voices formed part of constitutional changes, Reps tell YouthsPRP chieftain urges Nigerians to register before July 26 deadlineSenate confirms non-career ambassador despite opposition“Public service comes with enormous sacrifice. It affects your freedom, your personal life and even the people you can freely associate with,” he said.“Service to humanity and national development has taken a great deal from me, including precious time with my family.”On succession, he said every leader must prepare those who come after them, adding that he would willingly share both his successes and mistakes with his successor.“My successor should learn from both my achievements and my mistakes. Leadership is a relay race. The baton must always be passed responsibly,” he said.Looking beyond his tenure, Sulaiman said his vision was to transform NILDS into Africa’s foremost institution for legislative studies and democratic governance.“I want NILDS to become Africa’s leading centre for legislative studies and democratic governance. I see an institution that serves not only the Nigerian Parliament but legislatures across Africa and eventually democratic institutions around the world.“I see NILDS becoming a global intellectual hub for democracy.”In his keynote address, former senator Shehu Sani credited Sulaiman with transforming NILDS into what he described as the “engine room” of Nigeria’s Parliament.Sani said the institute had become an indispensable intellectual resource for legislators and democratic governance through research, documentation and capacity building.He urged young politicians and aspiring lawmakers to take advantage of the institute’s resources, noting that the realities of Nigerian politics often differed from what was taught in textbooks.“Politics requires understanding realities that are rarely written in textbooks,” Sani said.“The National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies has become the engine room of the National Assembly. If Parliament is left entirely to politicians without intellectual support, there will be no direction.”He also challenged Nigerian youths to move beyond online activism by preparing themselves for leadership through knowledge, mentorship and active participation in the democratic process.Sani said although Nigeria continued to face numerous challenges, citizens should remain proud of the country’s democratic journey and historical contributions to Africa’s liberation struggles, insisting that the nation’s greatest need remained visionary leadership. “Before I came here, opportunities for non-academic staff to pursue higher education were extremely limited. We changed that. Today, several non-academic staff members have earned Master’s degrees and PhDs because we deliberately invested in their development,” he stated.Sulaiman also reflected on the personal cost of public service, describing leadership as a vocation that demands sacrifice.Related NewsYour voices formed part of constitutional changes, Reps tell YouthsPRP chieftain urges Nigerians to register before July 26 deadlineSenate confirms non-career ambassador despite opposition“Public service comes with enormous sacrifice. It affects your freedom, your personal life and even the people you can freely associate with,” he said.“Service to humanity and national development has taken a great deal from me, including precious time with my family.”On succession, he said every leader must prepare those who come after them, adding that he would willingly share both his successes and mistakes with his successor.“My successor should learn from both my achievements and my mistakes. Leadership is a relay race. The baton must always be passed responsibly,” he said.Looking beyond his tenure, Sulaiman said his vision was to transform NILDS into Africa’s foremost institution for legislative studies and democratic governance.“I want NILDS to become Africa’s leading centre for legislative studies and democratic governance. I see an institution that serves not only the Nigerian Parliament but legislatures across Africa and eventually democratic institutions around the world.“I see NILDS becoming a global intellectual hub for democracy.”In his keynote address, former senator Shehu Sani credited Sulaiman with transforming NILDS into what he described as the “engine room” of Nigeria’s Parliament.Sani said the institute had become an indispensable intellectual resource for legislators and democratic governance through research, documentation and capacity building.He urged young politicians and aspiring lawmakers to take advantage of the institute’s resources, noting that the realities of Nigerian politics often differed from what was taught in textbooks.“Politics requires understanding realities that are rarely written in textbooks,” Sani said.“The National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies has become the engine room of the National Assembly. If Parliament is left entirely to politicians without intellectual support, there will be no direction.”He also challenged Nigerian youths to move beyond online activism by preparing themselves for leadership through knowledge, mentorship and active participation in the democratic process.Sani said although Nigeria continued to face numerous challenges, citizens should remain proud of the country’s democratic journey and historical contributions to Africa’s liberation struggles, insisting that the nation’s greatest need remained visionary leadership. Sulaiman also reflected on the personal cost of public service, describing leadership as a vocation that demands sacrifice.Related NewsYour voices formed part of constitutional changes, Reps tell YouthsPRP chieftain urges Nigerians to register before July 26 deadlineSenate confirms non-career ambassador despite opposition“Public service comes with enormous sacrifice. It affects your freedom, your personal life and even the people you can freely associate with,” he said.“Service to humanity and national development has taken a great deal from me, including precious time with my family.”On succession, he said every leader must prepare those who come after them, adding that he would willingly share both his successes and mistakes with his successor.“My successor should learn from both my achievements and my mistakes. Leadership is a relay race. The baton must always be passed responsibly,” he said.Looking beyond his tenure, Sulaiman said his vision was to transform NILDS into Africa’s foremost institution for legislative studies and democratic governance.“I want NILDS to become Africa’s leading centre for legislative studies and democratic governance. I see an institution that serves not only the Nigerian Parliament but legislatures across Africa and eventually democratic institutions around the world.“I see NILDS becoming a global intellectual hub for democracy.”In his keynote address, former senator Shehu Sani credited Sulaiman with transforming NILDS into what he described as the “engine room” of Nigeria’s Parliament.Sani said the institute had become an indispensable intellectual resource for legislators and democratic governance through research, documentation and capacity building.He urged young politicians and aspiring lawmakers to take advantage of the institute’s resources, noting that the realities of Nigerian politics often differed from what was taught in textbooks.“Politics requires understanding realities that are rarely written in textbooks,” Sani said.“The National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies has become the engine room of the National Assembly. If Parliament is left entirely to politicians without intellectual support, there will be no direction.”He also challenged Nigerian youths to move beyond online activism by preparing themselves for leadership through knowledge, mentorship and active participation in the democratic process.Sani said although Nigeria continued to face numerous challenges, citizens should remain proud of the country’s democratic journey and historical contributions to Africa’s liberation struggles, insisting that the nation’s greatest need remained visionary leadership. “Public service comes with enormous sacrifice. It affects your freedom, your personal life and even the people you can freely associate with,” he said.“Service to humanity and national development has taken a great deal from me, including precious time with my family.”On succession, he said every leader must prepare those who come after them, adding that he would willingly share both his successes and mistakes with his successor.“My successor should learn from both my achievements and my mistakes. Leadership is a relay race. The baton must always be passed responsibly,” he said.Looking beyond his tenure, Sulaiman said his vision was to transform NILDS into Africa’s foremost institution for legislative studies and democratic governance.“I want NILDS to become Africa’s leading centre for legislative studies and democratic governance. I see an institution that serves not only the Nigerian Parliament but legislatures across Africa and eventually democratic institutions around the world.“I see NILDS becoming a global intellectual hub for democracy.”In his keynote address, former senator Shehu Sani credited Sulaiman with transforming NILDS into what he described as the “engine room” of Nigeria’s Parliament.Sani said the institute had become an indispensable intellectual resource for legislators and democratic governance through research, documentation and capacity building.He urged young politicians and aspiring lawmakers to take advantage of the institute’s resources, noting that the realities of Nigerian politics often differed from what was taught in textbooks.“Politics requires understanding realities that are rarely written in textbooks,” Sani said.“The National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies has become the engine room of the National Assembly. If Parliament is left entirely to politicians without intellectual support, there will be no direction.”He also challenged Nigerian youths to move beyond online activism by preparing themselves for leadership through knowledge, mentorship and active participation in the democratic process.Sani said although Nigeria continued to face numerous challenges, citizens should remain proud of the country’s democratic journey and historical contributions to Africa’s liberation struggles, insisting that the nation’s greatest need remained visionary leadership. “Service to humanity and national development has taken a great deal from me, including precious time with my family.”On succession, he said every leader must prepare those who come after them, adding that he would willingly share both his successes and mistakes with his successor.“My successor should learn from both my achievements and my mistakes. Leadership is a relay race. The baton must always be passed responsibly,” he said.Looking beyond his tenure, Sulaiman said his vision was to transform NILDS into Africa’s foremost institution for legislative studies and democratic governance.“I want NILDS to become Africa’s leading centre for legislative studies and democratic governance. I see an institution that serves not only the Nigerian Parliament but legislatures across Africa and eventually democratic institutions around the world.“I see NILDS becoming a global intellectual hub for democracy.”In his keynote address, former senator Shehu Sani credited Sulaiman with transforming NILDS into what he described as the “engine room” of Nigeria’s Parliament.Sani said the institute had become an indispensable intellectual resource for legislators and democratic governance through research, documentation and capacity building.He urged young politicians and aspiring lawmakers to take advantage of the institute’s resources, noting that the realities of Nigerian politics often differed from what was taught in textbooks.“Politics requires understanding realities that are rarely written in textbooks,” Sani said.“The National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies has become the engine room of the National Assembly. If Parliament is left entirely to politicians without intellectual support, there will be no direction.”He also challenged Nigerian youths to move beyond online activism by preparing themselves for leadership through knowledge, mentorship and active participation in the democratic process.Sani said although Nigeria continued to face numerous challenges, citizens should remain proud of the country’s democratic journey and historical contributions to Africa’s liberation struggles, insisting that the nation’s greatest need remained visionary leadership. On succession, he said every leader must prepare those who come after them, adding that he would willingly share both his successes and mistakes with his successor.“My successor should learn from both my achievements and my mistakes. Leadership is a relay race. The baton must always be passed responsibly,” he said.Looking beyond his tenure, Sulaiman said his vision was to transform NILDS into Africa’s foremost institution for legislative studies and democratic governance.“I want NILDS to become Africa’s leading centre for legislative studies and democratic governance. I see an institution that serves not only the Nigerian Parliament but legislatures across Africa and eventually democratic institutions around the world.“I see NILDS becoming a global intellectual hub for democracy.”In his keynote address, former senator Shehu Sani credited Sulaiman with transforming NILDS into what he described as the “engine room” of Nigeria’s Parliament.Sani said the institute had become an indispensable intellectual resource for legislators and democratic governance through research, documentation and capacity building.He urged young politicians and aspiring lawmakers to take advantage of the institute’s resources, noting that the realities of Nigerian politics often differed from what was taught in textbooks.“Politics requires understanding realities that are rarely written in textbooks,” Sani said.“The National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies has become the engine room of the National Assembly. If Parliament is left entirely to politicians without intellectual support, there will be no direction.”He also challenged Nigerian youths to move beyond online activism by preparing themselves for leadership through knowledge, mentorship and active participation in the democratic process.Sani said although Nigeria continued to face numerous challenges, citizens should remain proud of the country’s democratic journey and historical contributions to Africa’s liberation struggles, insisting that the nation’s greatest need remained visionary leadership. “My successor should learn from both my achievements and my mistakes. Leadership is a relay race. The baton must always be passed responsibly,” he said.Looking beyond his tenure, Sulaiman said his vision was to transform NILDS into Africa’s foremost institution for legislative studies and democratic governance.“I want NILDS to become Africa’s leading centre for legislative studies and democratic governance. I see an institution that serves not only the Nigerian Parliament but legislatures across Africa and eventually democratic institutions around the world.“I see NILDS becoming a global intellectual hub for democracy.”In his keynote address, former senator Shehu Sani credited Sulaiman with transforming NILDS into what he described as the “engine room” of Nigeria’s Parliament.Sani said the institute had become an indispensable intellectual resource for legislators and democratic governance through research, documentation and capacity building.He urged young politicians and aspiring lawmakers to take advantage of the institute’s resources, noting that the realities of Nigerian politics often differed from what was taught in textbooks.“Politics requires understanding realities that are rarely written in textbooks,” Sani said.“The National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies has become the engine room of the National Assembly. If Parliament is left entirely to politicians without intellectual support, there will be no direction.”He also challenged Nigerian youths to move beyond online activism by preparing themselves for leadership through knowledge, mentorship and active participation in the democratic process.Sani said although Nigeria continued to face numerous challenges, citizens should remain proud of the country’s democratic journey and historical contributions to Africa’s liberation struggles, insisting that the nation’s greatest need remained visionary leadership. Looking beyond his tenure, Sulaiman said his vision was to transform NILDS into Africa’s foremost institution for legislative studies and democratic governance.“I want NILDS to become Africa’s leading centre for legislative studies and democratic governance. I see an institution that serves not only the Nigerian Parliament but legislatures across Africa and eventually democratic institutions around the world.“I see NILDS becoming a global intellectual hub for democracy.”In his keynote address, former senator Shehu Sani credited Sulaiman with transforming NILDS into what he described as the “engine room” of Nigeria’s Parliament.Sani said the institute had become an indispensable intellectual resource for legislators and democratic governance through research, documentation and capacity building.He urged young politicians and aspiring lawmakers to take advantage of the institute’s resources, noting that the realities of Nigerian politics often differed from what was taught in textbooks.“Politics requires understanding realities that are rarely written in textbooks,” Sani said.“The National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies has become the engine room of the National Assembly. If Parliament is left entirely to politicians without intellectual support, there will be no direction.”He also challenged Nigerian youths to move beyond online activism by preparing themselves for leadership through knowledge, mentorship and active participation in the democratic process.Sani said although Nigeria continued to face numerous challenges, citizens should remain proud of the country’s democratic journey and historical contributions to Africa’s liberation struggles, insisting that the nation’s greatest need remained visionary leadership. “I want NILDS to become Africa’s leading centre for legislative studies and democratic governance. I see an institution that serves not only the Nigerian Parliament but legislatures across Africa and eventually democratic institutions around the world.“I see NILDS becoming a global intellectual hub for democracy.”In his keynote address, former senator Shehu Sani credited Sulaiman with transforming NILDS into what he described as the “engine room” of Nigeria’s Parliament.Sani said the institute had become an indispensable intellectual resource for legislators and democratic governance through research, documentation and capacity building.He urged young politicians and aspiring lawmakers to take advantage of the institute’s resources, noting that the realities of Nigerian politics often differed from what was taught in textbooks.“Politics requires understanding realities that are rarely written in textbooks,” Sani said.“The National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies has become the engine room of the National Assembly. If Parliament is left entirely to politicians without intellectual support, there will be no direction.”He also challenged Nigerian youths to move beyond online activism by preparing themselves for leadership through knowledge, mentorship and active participation in the democratic process.Sani said although Nigeria continued to face numerous challenges, citizens should remain proud of the country’s democratic journey and historical contributions to Africa’s liberation struggles, insisting that the nation’s greatest need remained visionary leadership. “I see NILDS becoming a global intellectual hub for democracy.”In his keynote address, former senator Shehu Sani credited Sulaiman with transforming NILDS into what he described as the “engine room” of Nigeria’s Parliament.Sani said the institute had become an indispensable intellectual resource for legislators and democratic governance through research, documentation and capacity building.He urged young politicians and aspiring lawmakers to take advantage of the institute’s resources, noting that the realities of Nigerian politics often differed from what was taught in textbooks.“Politics requires understanding realities that are rarely written in textbooks,” Sani said.“The National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies has become the engine room of the National Assembly. If Parliament is left entirely to politicians without intellectual support, there will be no direction.”He also challenged Nigerian youths to move beyond online activism by preparing themselves for leadership through knowledge, mentorship and active participation in the democratic process.Sani said although Nigeria continued to face numerous challenges, citizens should remain proud of the country’s democratic journey and historical contributions to Africa’s liberation struggles, insisting that the nation’s greatest need remained visionary leadership. Sani said the institute had become an indispensable intellectual resource for legislators and democratic governance through research, documentation and capacity building.He urged young politicians and aspiring lawmakers to take advantage of the institute’s resources, noting that the realities of Nigerian politics often differed from what was taught in textbooks.“Politics requires understanding realities that are rarely written in textbooks,” Sani said.“The National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies has become the engine room of the National Assembly. If Parliament is left entirely to politicians without intellectual support, there will be no direction.”He also challenged Nigerian youths to move beyond online activism by preparing themselves for leadership through knowledge, mentorship and active participation in the democratic process.Sani said although Nigeria continued to face numerous challenges, citizens should remain proud of the country’s democratic journey and historical contributions to Africa’s liberation struggles, insisting that the nation’s greatest need remained visionary leadership. He urged young politicians and aspiring lawmakers to take advantage of the institute’s resources, noting that the realities of Nigerian politics often differed from what was taught in textbooks.“Politics requires understanding realities that are rarely written in textbooks,” Sani said.“The National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies has become the engine room of the National Assembly. If Parliament is left entirely to politicians without intellectual support, there will be no direction.”He also challenged Nigerian youths to move beyond online activism by preparing themselves for leadership through knowledge, mentorship and active participation in the democratic process.Sani said although Nigeria continued to face numerous challenges, citizens should remain proud of the country’s democratic journey and historical contributions to Africa’s liberation struggles, insisting that the nation’s greatest need remained visionary leadership. “Politics requires understanding realities that are rarely written in textbooks,” Sani said.“The National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies has become the engine room of the National Assembly. If Parliament is left entirely to politicians without intellectual support, there will be no direction.”He also challenged Nigerian youths to move beyond online activism by preparing themselves for leadership through knowledge, mentorship and active participation in the democratic process.Sani said although Nigeria continued to face numerous challenges, citizens should remain proud of the country’s democratic journey and historical contributions to Africa’s liberation struggles, insisting that the nation’s greatest need remained visionary leadership. “The National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies has become the engine room of the National Assembly. If Parliament is left entirely to politicians without intellectual support, there will be no direction.”He also challenged Nigerian youths to move beyond online activism by preparing themselves for leadership through knowledge, mentorship and active participation in the democratic process.Sani said although Nigeria continued to face numerous challenges, citizens should remain proud of the country’s democratic journey and historical contributions to Africa’s liberation struggles, insisting that the nation’s greatest need remained visionary leadership. He also challenged Nigerian youths to move beyond online activism by preparing themselves for leadership through knowledge, mentorship and active participation in the democratic process.Sani said although Nigeria continued to face numerous challenges, citizens should remain proud of the country’s democratic journey and historical contributions to Africa’s liberation struggles, insisting that the nation’s greatest need remained visionary leadership. Sani said although Nigeria continued to face numerous challenges, citizens should remain proud of the country’s democratic journey and historical contributions to Africa’s liberation struggles, insisting that the nation’s greatest need remained visionary leadership.